Students at West Virginia University provided early holiday gifts to several charitable organizations today (Dec. 9) as part of the Corporate Citizenship Project.

The students in Management 493,Corporate Citizenship Project, handed out $10,000 in grants to nine organizations. In so doing, they bought presents for kids, food for emergency pantries and provided funds for community projects.

The program, in its fifth year, has given away approximately $110,000. Funding for the program comes from WVU College of Business and Economics alumni, who recognize the importance of businesses contributing to the community.

Dr. Gerald Blakely conceived and designed the class to teach future business leaders the value of contributing to society and the community. Management Professor Nancy Leonard taught the class this year.

The class solicited proposals for projects that would benefit the greater Morgantown community, developed criteria for judging them and then chose the winners during the final days of the semester. Nineteen organizations applied for the grants.

This years recipients:

• After School for All, $500, Childrens Day at the Legislature, Lights On, Get Outside and Play Day

• Mon County Starting Points, $790, baby packs

• Morgantown Adult learning Center, $500, GED testing

• Mountain Heart Foundation, $800, to send children to camp

• CASA for Kids, $1,500, Christmas presents; train and support volunteers

• Christian Help, $2,575, emergency food pantry

• Sundale Nursing Home, $371.91, carts/kits

• First Presbyterian Church, $388.75, cookware for pancake dinner

• MUSHROOM (local organization that provides help to homeless), $2,575, for medical supplies, toiletries, food essentials and volunteer gear.

Each year, as part of the class, students make a trip to Cleveland, Ohio, to meet Robert Reitman, who provided funds to start the project. Reitman graduated from WVU in 1955. The students also heard from actual community philanthropists and fundraisers.