By: Liv Dodge
The University of Northwestern has launched a new initiative on campus called Project 29:7, inspired by the scripture from Jeremiah 29:7, which encourages us to “seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which He has sent them.” Through this initiative, UNW has partnered with several organizations to serve those in need and make a positive impact in the community.
Darrin Geier, one of the founders of Project 29:7, is excited to share this opportunity with students: “Our hope for students at UNW is that during their time here, they would explore these things! That’s what PROJECT 29:7 is all about, providing opportunities to learn more about yourself, more about God’s world, and more about the needs that God is calling us to enter into.”
Here are some of the organizations that UNW has partnered with and how you can best serve them:
• Every Meal: Packing meals for MN children facing food insecurity.
• Presbyterian Homes Neighbors: Adopt-A-Grandfriend, bingo with memory care residents, and more.
• City of Roseville: Helping with community events and investing in green spaces.
• OneChild: Child sponsorship and occasional discovery trips.
• Settled: Coming alongside churches who are supporting tiny home communities for those facing chronic homelessness.
Author and theologian Frederick Buechner once said, “The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.” This means that God has created each of us uniquely, and in that uniqueness, there are certain things that we each enjoy, ways of being in the world that are life-giving! And God calls us to more deeply understand who He’s made us to be and to explore how we can uniquely join Him in His Kingdom work.
If you are interested in serving your community, you can find more information at https://accunw.my.canva.site/project297#home, as well as service training sessions posted on MYUNW’s calendar. The next in-person session is on Monday, February 17, from 3:30 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. in the Nazareth Great Room.
