SUNY Brockport Student Leads Effort to Help Community Members in Need
While driving back to Rochester in late November, SUNY Brockport’s first-year student DaJuan Jackson noticed several people experiencing homelessness standing in the cold along the side of the road. Motivated to make a change, he partnered with local nonprofit Cameron Community Ministries during winter break. Together, they organized “The Wrapped Love Drive,” distributing over 400 winter clothing items and 250 bowls of freshly prepared soup to community members in need.
“I love being that connector between people and resources,” Jackson said. “This showed me that I really can plan something, manage it, and lead people toward a common goal.”
With just over a month to prepare, Jackson leaned into his SUNY Brockport connections to help plan the event. As a member of Brockport’s Educational Opportunity Program (EOP), Jackson connected with EOP Senior Counselor Daniel Kandris and his mentor Che’ffan Hagins ’19, a 2024 10 Under 10 Award recipient, which recognizes notable alumni making impacts in their professional field, community, and organization.
Drawing on years of experience with service projects for organizations like We R Buffalo Strong and Pops for Patients, Kandris was happy to get involved.
“I had the privilege of having DaJuan in my class, and one thing I emphasize with my students is the importance of charity, giving back, and service,” Kandris said. “And after class one day, he approached me, saying he wanted to collect hats, scarves, and all that. I’ve had many students who have said they want to do something and then it fizzles out, so the second he shared this idea, I wanted to show him it could be done.”
Kandris tapped into his Facebook network and, with the help of a few other SUNY Brockport colleagues and community members, purchased about 300 items in bulk — including hats, gloves, and winter jackets — to donate to Jackson’s cause.
“The time I used to have to volunteer, I don’t have much of anymore, but I do have the resources,” Kandris said. “It was cool to see the Brockport community respond the way they did.”
After securing a location, Jackson contacted local media, including News 8 WROC, and designed a poster to help spread the word. News 8 WROC attended the event to cover its impact, interviewing Jackson and other attendees.
“I spoke on The Beat 105.5’s Real Deal Sports Show and handed out posters at Cameron Community and shared them across my social media — Facebook, Instagram, everywhere I connect with the community,” Jackson said. “It truly takes a village, and I’m so thankful for mine.”
On December 22, 2025, hundreds of families filled Cameron Community Ministries, where they were served bowls of broccoli and cheddar soup with bread and hot cocoa prepared by Jackson’s father — a professional culinarian — and 15 other volunteers. Volunteers also gave out winter gear, including hats and gloves, to those in need.
“I’ve been organizing stuff for years, and I have never pulled something of that scale together in just three weeks,” said Kandris. “That’s a testament to just how special a person Jackson is and his stance in the community. It’s inspiring.”
Rooted in compassion and love for his Rochester community, Jackson created the event to inspire dignity and reinforce self-worth among those in need, viewing it not as an endpoint but as the beginning of his ongoing efforts to create meaningful change.
“This was a stepping stone to accomplish bigger things,” Jackson said. “Since we did 400 items this time, why not 1,000 next time?”
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