A brightly colored truck carrying little nibbles of chilly goodness rolled into the campus center yesterday and eager students swarmed, drawn by the prospect of free ice cream. Ben & Jerry's "Build a Future" tour didn't just come to Tufts to give out freebies, though. Their stop on campus also helped raise awareness for Habitat for Humanity.
The nationwide tour focuses its attention on the student-run and student-led chapters of Habitat for Humanity, a nonprofit group that seeks to eliminate poverty housing and homelessness in the world. Volunteers have built over 100,000 houses in 60 countries since 1976. These houses are then sold to low-income families.
Tufts' chapter is run in conjunction with the Leonard Carmichael Society (LCS). Every Saturday, Tufts students take trips to work with the organization.
Ben & Jerry's first contacted Habitat Boston, hoping to put on a joint promotion. According to Chris Boron, volunteer coordinator of Habitat Boston, the organization wanted to drum up support - the free ice cream was used as a way to draw in students.
"As part of their socially conscious mission statement, Ben & Jerry's partnered with Habitat to recruit volunteers," said senior Jess Tonn, a Habitat coordinator for LCS.
Students who visited the scoop truck yesterday had their choice of three Ben & Jerry's flavors. As soon as the event began at 1 p.m., the line was already long. Within 15 minutes, LCS had gathered several names of new volunteers as well.
Part of the day's festivities included a "Pint-athalon," where students competed to finish a pint of ice cream the fastest. Only Ben & Jerry's smooth flavors were used in the contest, though, to make sure that no one choked during the competition. Raffle prizes were also given away during the day to lucky event-goers.
