The S.O.U.L.S. Community Service and Service Learning Center hosted its 14th Annual Service Day last Friday, for which the Suffolk community volunteered over 1,000 hours.
Over the years, the number of students attending has exceeded 150. This year, students, faculty and staff volunteered at different agencies throughout the Boston area to support a variety of different activities, such as book programs and food banks.
The opportunities provided for volunteers allowed exposure to different ways of living and time allocation toward lending a helping a hand to the Boston community.
Volunteers who chose to work at Cradles to Crayons were able to work at the “Giving Factory” to help inspect donated books, match outfits by season, stuff backpacks, and sort and test toys. The goal of Cradles to Crayons wishes to fill orders that meet the needs of individual boys and girls in the local community.
“Sorting clothing that would be donated to children in need. We sorted them first into gender and then into age and sizes and seasons,” said freshman Christopher Marshall. “Service Learning Day impacted my view of children that live in poverty making me realize how common it is for kids to end up in poverty and almost anyone could end up in that position.”
Students were able to connect with fellow Suffolk University members and friends, all while working for a strong cause. A few students were fulfilling service requirements, but the majority was volunteering simply out of desire to help.
“My favorite part was connecting with not only my Alternative Spring Break trip I was meant to go on, but also meeting more people and just having fun while doing a good thing for people in need. I learned a lot about what I can do to help kids in need, actually anybody in need for that matter,” said Marshall.
The volunteers were able to contribute their time and efforts at other sites including the Greater Boston Food Bank, Jumpstart, Franklin Park Coalition, and the Boston Rescue Mission. Volunteers at the Greater Boston Food Bank helped inspect, sort and repack food and grocery products to be distributed to nearly 600 hunger-relief agencies throughout eastern Massachusetts. Jumpstart provided the opportunity to take part in Jumpstart-for-a-Day with a festival of fun and learning for children at SMILE Preschool.
“My favorite part of service learning day was interacting with other people form Suffolk who feel as committed about community service as I do,” said freshman Morgan Byrnes.
At the Franklin Park Coalition, volunteers were able to take part in an outdoor project to improve & beautify one of Boston’s urban parks. Boston Rescue Mission assigned students to spend time helping to prepare a meal for members in the Boston community. The Prison Book Program leaded volunteers to take part in an on campus project to help read and sort letters from prisoners.
The service day Learning activities were rewarded with a service day lunch celebration in the Donahue Cafeteria following the volunteer services.
