April is National Volunteer Month, and students at Stony Brook are stepping up to make a difference, volunteering their time and skills to support causes that matter to them and their communities. Their efforts uplift communities and provide valuable hands-on experiences while giving back.
The Center for Service Learning and Community Service and its staff have created a series of stories, highlighting the positive impact student volunteers have made through their service and celebrating their inspiring work to spark meaningful change in the Stony Brook community and beyond.
Spotlight 1: Junior Viyang Hao Practices Sustainability Alongside Hidden Treasures
The Hidden Treasures club at Stony Brook University promotes sustainability while incorporating clothing and fashion into their efforts. The club is dedicated to raising environmental awareness through initiatives like their thrift store, which has become a campus favorite.
According to club Secretary Viyang Hao, “Many students feel bad about constantly ordering online because they don’t know of alternatives. Until they discover thrifting, some students don’t even know it’s an option. It’s so rewarding to show them that thrifting is a cool, affordable way to shop sustainably.”
Through these experiences, Hao notes that club members develop valuable skills beyond just promoting sustainability. “We have a monthly newsletter, the Sustainability Newsletter, where our outreach team shares snippets about sustainability issues from around the world—both positive and negative,” she said, explaining that these projects help members hone skills like leadership, public speaking and prioritization, which are essential for personal and professional growth.
For Viyang, who plans to pursue law, this involvement in Hidden Treasures is helping her develop skills that go beyond her field of interest. “I also learn a lot about marketing and other areas that will be helpful in the future,” she said. Hidden Treasures is making an impact by helping students be both stylish and environmentally sustainable.
Spotlight 2: Senior Andrew Fu Co-founds Stony Brook’s Community Garden
Senior biology major Andrew Fu co-founded the Community Garden, a campus organization that promotes sustainable food systems and community engagement. The group grows produce to donate to those in need. His experience working at GrowNYC inspired him to create the Community Garden. “I used to work at farmers markets in New York City,” Fu explained. “And so that really inspired me in terms of having local food systems, having sustainable food systems, having access to nutritious food.”
A key goal for Fu was fostering a community with shared interests. “I also wanted to build community and have people come outdoors and have more physical spaces for people to interact with each other, and at the same time do something positive for themselves and for the community,” he shared.
Currently, volunteers work in the Student Activities Center’s (SAC) garden and the greenhouse, but Fu plans to expand to the gardens at all of the residence halls. He also wishes to develop an app to better organize these initiatives. To navigate how to get involved at a large campus with many options, Fu suggests “Doing research and having an understanding of what is available for you to do.”
Spotlight 3: Junior Daniel Gitter and Sophomore Aiden Cage Help Community Cats as Part of the SBU Cat Network
Junior business management major Daniel Gitter and sophomore physics major Aiden Cage are committed members of the SBU Cat Network, an organization dedicated to supporting and caring for the community cats at Stony Brook University. Through efforts like feedings and shelter cleanups, they help provide the cats with food and safe spaces across campus.
Both students highlighted how rewarding it is to socialize formerly feral cats. Gitter shared that his favorite part is seeing a cat’s transformation. “It was really rewarding to see that, while it’s this cat that was just super scared a couple days ago, is just a sweetheart now,” he said. Cage shared similar sentiments, describing a young feral cat they worked with recently. “Socializing is probably the most rewarding thing, because you can see that happen,” Cage said. “We brought in a four-month-old cat, completely feral, and they completely changed.”
From feeding to fostering, these students and the SBU Cat Network team are making a meaningful difference for the campus cats by promoting animal welfare and fostering a culture of compassion on campus.
Want to Get More Involved?
Interested in learning more about how to get involved in community service? Visit the Center for Service Learning and Community Service in SAC 228, email CommunityService@stonybrook.edu or schedule an appointment on Handshake using the “Volunteer Positions and Service Projects” category.
Contributors: Service and Community Leader Team
Aima Chaudhry ’25
Merica Griffin ’25
Lily Kis-Horvath ’27
Angelica Zeideia ’26
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