Hunger and education summits among many ways Bears serve locally

While we often emphasize Baylor faculty and students’ involvement in overseas mission trips, not to be overlooked is local service — demonstrating that same love that is carried overseas for our neighbors right here at home. In the past week alone, such caring has manifested itself in three different ways at Baylor.

Last Thursday, the University hosted “Texas at the Table,” a hunger summit dedicated to finding ways to eradicate hunger across the state. The Texas Hunger Initiative (a partnership between Baylor’s School of Social Work and the Baptist General Convention of Texas) welcomed more than 250 representatives from advocacy groups, social service providers and federal, state and local governments who met to look for more efficient ways to distribute food among those who need it.

Friday, hundreds of Central Texas educators gathered at the Ferrell Center for day three of the second annual Greater Waco Community Education Summit. Those in attendance learned about how education can be a means to ending poverty. Baylor School of Education Dean Dr. Jon Engelhardt, Dr. Roland Goertz, MBA ’03, and Ambassador Lyndon Olson, BA ’76, were among the week’s featured speakers.

Saturday, hundreds of Baylor students showed up even in the cold rain for this fall’s Steppin’ Out, volunteering for clean-up and repair work at churches, schools and nonprofit organizations across Waco. (See photos from past years’ events here and here.)

Sic ’em, all you Bears serving right here in Central Texas!