
Stony Brook University will host its second annual Community Service Day on Saturday, August 20, as part of New Student Welcome Week.
Coordinated by the Center for Service Learning and Community Service (CSLCS), Community Service Day is a new campus tradition that allows first-year and new transfer students the opportunity to get involved in a series of activities and service projects dedicated to improving the Stony Brook community and neighboring communities.
The initiative also includes community partners such as Mitch Cohen and Seth Goldstein, local owners of Jersey Mike’s, who will once again be donating sandwiches to all of the volunteers participating in Community Service Day.
“We are anticipating over 300 students being part of Community Service Day,” said Tara Bolettieri, assistant director for the Center for Service Learning and Community Service. “This is a great kickoff for these new Seawolves’ journey at Stony Brook. They’ll be able to show off their Seawolf pride and get more integrated into the fabric of our campus community.”
The CSLCS is a newly created center dedicated to providing Seawolves with the opportunity to give back to the community no matter how much or how little time they may have to devote. Some projects will only require a few hours while others will request an ongoing commitment with a set schedule.
First-year and new transfer students will register for Community Service Day through SB Engaged to participate in various activities, such as assisting with the collection and packaging of food donations for the Stony Brook University Food Pantry and Long Island Cares, gardening in Stony Brook Heights Rooftop Micro-Farm, honoring veterans by decorating the Long Island State Veterans Home, helping peers through the college application process by serving as a mentor for high school students, as well as campus beautification of West Campus and Stony Brook Southampton.
In addition, the SBU community will have the opportunity to donate locks of hair for a “Cut-A-Thon” through the Wigs for Kids organization. To donate, or to register to volunteer at the Wigs for Kids event, visit the CSLSC website.
The campus community can also participate in Community Service Day by donating food items for the food drive, whose proceeds will benefit the Harry Chapin Regional Food Bank and the Stony Brook Pantry. Read this story for more information.
Student volunteers are being actively accepted for service projects and organizations like the LI Coalition for the Homeless, Island Harvest and Options for Community Living. Monetary and food donations are accepted year round at the Stony Brook Food Pantry, which allows them to serve Stony Brook community members who are at risk of food insecurity.
To participate in Community Service Day, all first-year and new transfer students MUST select the project they are interested in participating in as space is limited. First-year and new transfer students who do register for Community Service Day by Saturday, August 13 will receive a free T-shirt and lunch.
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