Comfort Cases filled with love and support

As first-year students returned to campus for January Term (J-Term), they prepared to embark on a series of philanthropic efforts, including one impactful project benefiting local children entering foster care—many of whom are forced to carry their most comforting and essential possessions in a trash bag.

To provide these children with a sense of dignity and safety, first-year students came together to create 800 Comfort Cases. These are backpacks filled with comforting items such as cuddly stuffed animals, soft blankets, journals or coloring books and a handwritten inspirational note.

Lynn University adopted Comfort Cases as a project five years ago and has since created 3,400 cases. The nationally recognized nonprofit's mission aligns closely with the school's Citizenship Project. The time-honored tradition allows first-year students to learn about being responsible and engaged citizens.

"Comfort Cases raises awareness and concern for children who, at no fault of their own, are displaced from a parent's care," shared Dr. Antonella Regueiro, associate professor in the College of Arts and Sciences. "Through this project, our students develop the important characteristics of understanding and compassion by caring for others—traits we hope they will carry on long after graduation."

Comfort Cases epitomizes the idea of community service. While the bags were packed by first-year students, the contents were donated to Lynn by generous local businesses Polen Capital and CP Group.

"It is extremely important to the people of Polen Capital that we help make a positive impact in our community," said Dan Davidowitz, CFA, portfolio manager and analyst. "We are honored to partner with Lynn University to give foster children a big bag of new things that are all their own."

Added Giana Pacinello, marketing director for CP Group, "We are proud to partake in the Comfort Cases project for another year. It is a great opportunity to support local children in foster care and give college students the chance to be part of that process."

The bags also included inspirational notes written by Lynn alumni, including Lisa Rossi '05, who participated in the Comfort Cases project herself. Rossi said, "The thesis of my message to the kids was to stay strong and be brave. Each one of them has so much to accomplish in life—there is so much of the world for them to see and having the courage to believe in themselves will keep them pushing forward."

Three Palm Beach County foster care organizations, Best Foot Forward, ChildNet and Place of Hope, were the recipients of the Comfort Cases.

When a child receives a Comfort Case, its contents represent one less concern the foster family needs to address. By meeting these simple needs—an outfit to wear, a blanket to sleep with—Lynn's students and alumni directly help that child and their foster family get down to business: breaking the cycle of abuse and neglect and bringing about lasting change.