Lubbock City Lights Receives Award for Outstanding Volunteer Organization

• By Danette Baker
• November 19, 2018

Lubbock City Lights recieved the Outstanding Volunteer Organization from the Association of Fundraising Professionals Lubbock Chapter. This award honors a civic organization that demonstrates outstanding skills in coordinating and motivating fundraising projects for the benefit of their mission. The recipient must have demonstrated exceptional leadership skills in coordinating groups of donors and volunteers for the fundraising projects. Tanir Moreno and Ganesh Maniam were executive co-chairs for the LCL 2018 event and accepted the award.

“Supporting deserving charities that provide services for Lubbock and contributing to our community is a privilege,” Moreno said.

About Lubbock City Lights::

Since 1997, first-year medical students at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Medicine organize and sponsor an annual charity event to benefit local nonprofits. Since then, more than $1 million has been raised and helped numerous local charities and organizations in the West Texas community. This event not only raises money to help these agencies fulfill their missions, but it also provides an opportunity for members of the TTUHSC family and the Lubbock community to come together and support one another.

The medical students lead and serve on various committees, and then accept the responsibility of developing the event theme, selling tickets, organizing a silent auction, securing donations and sponsors, and promoting the event. To offset the event’s budget and increase proceeds, the students also fundraise. They have organized benefit nights at local restaurants, sponsored a charity golf game, and held a night time 5K run. Additionally, the students review applications submitted from nonprofits and select those to benefit from their efforts.

The Purpose:

“By giving back to the community in which we are being trained as physicians, the first-year class of the School of Medicine hopes to share in the spirit of selfless service and charity that defines the medical profession.” 

The students also volunteer at the charities they support, which further enhances their knowledge and understanding of community and future populations they may provide health care for.

The Impact:

Now in its 20th year, Lubbock City Lights has raised more than $1,000,000 total for local charities. A few past charities include:

            Free Clinic at Lubbock,an initiative managed by TTUHSC students that offers medical services, health education and social resource counseling to the uninsured community of Lubbock. The clinic has an inter-professional mix of TTUHSC medicine, nursing and pharmacy students and Texas Tech University social work students and pre-med undergraduates as well as community health care professionals. Since opening its doors, the clinic has treated over 3,000 unique patients in more than 6,000 patient visits, averaging 25-30 patients a week.

            Boys & Girls Club of Lubbock,which has served children ages 6 to 18 since 1940. The clubs provide a safe and positive place for children to go after school and in the summer months and focus on academic success, good character and citizenship and healthy lifestyles. Four club locations serve approximately 3,000 boys and girls each year and development of a fifth location is under way.

            Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Southwest, whose mission is to keep families close during their child’s serious illness or injury by providing the stability and resources needed so they can help their children heal. RMHC of the Southwest has direct responsibilities in 68 counties, which equates to 26% of the state of Texas.

            Catholic Charities, Diocese of Lubbock, Inc.provides compassionate, competent and professional social services that respond to those in crisis and offers resources and support to individuals and families in our West Texas communities.

These charities have been consistent beneficiaries for at least five years. Others organizations to benefit have included: High Point Village, Children's Advocacy Center of the South Plains, Family Promise, Children’s Rainbow Program, Center for Super Heroes, and the American Cancer Society and its Hope Lodge.