Columbia International University students, faculty and staff blessed the community with 1,200 USDA-approved, fresh-produce boxes at two locations on Oct. 23. The boxes were secured through the Society of St. Andrew, a food rescue and distribution ministry headquartered in Virginia.

The first distribution of 660 boxes was at Temple Zion Baptist Church, just a mile from the CIU campus on Heyward Brockington Road and designated for specific families along CIU’s Monticello Road corridor near the campus.  

The second distribution of 540 boxes were designated for families of students at Pine Grove Elementary School in the St. Andrews area of Columbia.

The distribution was organized through CIU’s Christian Service Learning Department and included several CIU athletes. Assistant Dean and Director of Christian Service Learning James McCall said community service is an important aspect of the CIU student experience.

“When I accepted this position, CIU President Dr. Mark Smith encouraged me to engage our students in serving the community in tangible ways.” McCall said. “In the life of Jesus we see an example of humble servant leadership, and this is the message and example we want to pass along to our students.”

CIU is also planning a Community Service Day on Nov. 17 which will include a “drop” of 40,000 pounds of potatoes in a CIU parking lot and made available to the community, as well as a two-mile blitz cleanup of Monticello Road from the campus to Interstate 20.   

BestColleges.com ranks Columbia International University the 2020 Best Online College in South Carolina, and CIU is #2 in the state for Best College Campus. CIU also consistently ranks among the Top Regional Universities in the South by U.S. News & World Report. Excitement is growing on campus with increased enrollment and new academic programs. Request information on enrollment at CIU and Columbia Biblical Seminary or call (800) 777-2227, ext. 5024.