Academy of Art SAAC drives to keep San Francisco youth warm for winter

Courtesy of Academy of Art Sports Information

Photo Gallery

SAN FRANCISCO, CA - The Academy of Art Urban Knights continue to make an impact in the surrounding community, holding the inaugural SAAC Clothing Drive just in time for the holiday season.

ART U had 11 teams contribute, and also received, donations from a number of members of the administration.

"The Urban Knights displayed a valiant effort this past week," Meghan Bushnell, a senior member of the Urban Knights athletic department, said. "One of Academy of Art SAAC's mission is to create relationships between our artist-athletes and the community by organizing events such as our Holiday Clothing Drive with Larkin Street Youth Services. I'm incredibly proud of our SAAC leaders who helped make this event such a success; it was a true team effort from the Urban Knights!"

The event was sponsored by the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, who as part of their mission statement aim to "create relationships between student-athletes and the community by organizing community service efforts and raising funds for various causes," and generously donated over 600 items of clothing to Larkin Street Youth Services, a local youth shelter in San Francisco.

According to a Larkin Street spokesperson, Larkin Street Youth Services provides homeless, runaway and at-risk kids between the ages of 12 and 24 with the help they need to rebuild their lives.

Each year, more than 3,600 kids walk through their doors seeking help. Larkin Street gives them the care, nurturing, and support they need to resolve the immediate crises in their lives and take steps toward a brighter future beyond the streets.

The Urban Knights strive to be a part of that future, and were more than willing to show their support for the cause.

"We wanted to do something so that we can give back to the community at large," Hunter Hayden said. "We thought this would be a good way for students to participate. It was really successful. We got more than we thought we would get, and it brought the athletes together off the court for a good cause."

Hayden, who plays center on the Academy of Art men's basketball team, stepped in as a freshman as chair of SAAC, and has held the position for all four years since being a part of the Urban Knights athletic program.

The growth of both the athletic program and the associated SAAC growth have been parallel, with each making strides both on the court and in the community.

The biggest contribution came from the ART U baseball team, which began its off-season workouts and looks forward to the beginning of its 2012 campaign over the winter break. The team contributed 190 articles of clothing, by far the most out of any of the sports.

While competitive to the bone, all athletic teams understood that there would be more to this than bragging rights, but also the satisfaction and humility of self-sacrifice for those less fortunate.

"Our coaches really stressed coming together as a team and inspired us to get closer off the field," sophomore Samm McAlear said. "We're so lucky to play the game that we love, take classes that we love, and there are a lot of people not fortunate enough to get that opportunity. However we're giving back, it helps all those people out there without a home, and we have the opportunity so why not help somebody else."

McAlear, a southpaw pitcher for the Urban Knights baseball team, is the treasurer for SAAC, and wears a variety of hats while working. Sometimes he is in charge of helping to raise money, or keeping track of the fundraising efforts, or looking for new ways to reach the committee's goals for the Make A Wish Foundation. But all of his goals are toward the common goal of community service.

"We have worked with Academy of Art before but this is the first time we worked with SAAC," Larkin Street representative Audrey Muntz said. "And from my standpoint, they made things extremely easy. It's always nice to get donations and expand our network, but it's especially meaningful that a group of peers can keep our Clothing Closet fully stocked. It sends a great message to the kids in the program."

For SAAC, it was another successful foray into the San Francisco community, one that has no shortage of need for philanthropic efforts.

As the athletic department continues to grow, the outreach into community service grows along with it, and the SAAC winter clothing drive is only further evidence of that.

"It was a great turnout and was definitely a lot of fun," senior volleyball player Angela Heath and a member of SAAC since 2008 said. "A lot was donated and we did get some non-athletes to join in as well. We know it can be bigger, so this year really set the bar for years to come."