"The Dream Lives On in 2010!"

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service - January 18th, 2010

IUPUI's Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service is an annual campus tradition. This event, organized by a group of student leaders, honors one of the greatest freedom activists of all time, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Hundreds of IUPUI students, faculty, staff, and guests volunteer at community sites across Indianapolis as a way to honor Dr. King's commitment to service and to social justice.

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Join the IUPUI community as we honor Dr. King's commitment to service and social justice by serving with others to address important community issues. Come pay tribute to King's legacy of tolerance, peace, and equality through an FREE educational breakfast program and day of volunteering.

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ALL PARTICIPANTS MUST REGISTER THEMSELVES FOR THIS EVENT.

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To participate in this great event, We can only accept so many volunteers, so registration is literally, "first come, first serve!" Those who participate receive this year's custom "MLK Day" t-shirt as a token of appreciation.

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Thank you in advance for making this MLK Day a "day on"... not a day off! We look forward to seeing you there!

Are you ready for Hunger and Homelessness Week?

Hunger and Homelessness Week

November 15th-21st

Hunger and Homelessness: These are two plagues that touch every nation, including ours.

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Defining our terms...

Homelessness: (noun) the state or condition of having no home (especially the state of living in the streets).

Hunger: 1.(noun) urgent need for food; The discomfort, weakness, or pain caused by a prolonged lack of food. 2. (noun) The condition where both the adults and children cannot access food consistently and have to reduce food intake, eat poor diets, and often go without any food.

Are you educated about these serous issues? Moreover, what practical steps are you taking to alleviate these problems; locally, nationally, and globally? You may ask, "How can one person make a difference?" or "What can I do to help?"

Here's a plan for those who want to get involved.

1. Get educated!

Consider starting by checking out the information we collected here:

• Hunger
• Homelessness

2. Get involved!

HUNGER and HOMELESSNESS WEEK, November 15th-21st, is a great way to begin or continue your involvement in the fight against hunger and homelessness. Here is an agenda for the week:

Jam the Bus Sunday, November 15 - Saturday, November 21 Help jam an IUPUI bus full with non-perishable food items to be donated to 19 local organizations. Look for marked boxes around the IUPUI campus to place items.

Service Fair Monday, November 16 - 1:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Come get information on organizations helping the hungry and homeless and ways you can get involved. Campus Center, room CE148 (next to Barnes and Noble).

Brown Bag Book Club Tuesday, November 17 - 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Join in on a discussion about The Glass Castle and hear a formerly homeless advocate share their story. (University Library, room UL2115J, main floor).

Brown Bag Luncheon Panel Wednesday, November 18 - 12:00 - 1:30 p.m. A panel discussion with local homeless providers and formerly homeless advocates. (Democracy Plaza, under the business/SPEA breezeway).

Movie Night Thursday, November 19 - 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. View and discuss the award winning documentary Lost In Woonsocket. (University Library, Lilly Auditorium).

IUPUI United Way Day of Caring: "A Success!"

On Friday October 2nd, just under 400 Faculty, Staff, Students and Guests participated in the IUPUI United Way Day of Caring sponsored by the IUPUI Office of Community Relations and the IUPUI Office of Community Service.

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In partnership with Keep Indianapolis Beautiful and the Indianapolis Downtown Incorporated, volunteers participated in a large clean-up picking up approximately 100 bags of recyclable material and 65 bags of trash. Volunteers also painted two recycling bins that will be placed out in the Indianapolis community for both general and glass only recycling, mulched around 190 trees out by I-65, and planted trees outside of the Circle Center Mall.

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Thank you to all of our incredible volunteers who participated in the 2009 IUPUI Day of Caring! And a special thank you to Keep Indianapolis Beautiful and the Indianapolis Downtown Inc. for their excellent work in planning the day!

Service in the City- "A Great Success!"

Thank you to everyone who came out to this year's Service in the City!

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It was a clear Friday morning as the students descending onto Mass Ave. and proceeded to complete their scavenger hunt sheets ... on video! Ring around the rosie around a giant head? Check. Human pyramid? Check. Wishing this could have been you? Then be sure to join us at next year's Service and the City!

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Enjoy these videos of some fellow Jags on the Service in the City "Scavenger Hunt" through Downtown Indy!

Team 1!

(Service Site: Faith, Hope, and Love)

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Team 2!

(Service Site: Indy Senior Center)

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Team 3!
(Service Site: Keep Indianapolis Beautiful)

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Team 4!

(Service Site: Indy Food Co-op)

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Team 5!

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Thanks again to everyone who participated!

Be sure to check out our next event coming up:

The IUPUI United Way Day of Caring!

Get more information or register HERE!

Welcome Back!

IUPUI students.......welcome back to school!

No doubt you are beginning your semester as busy as ever; looking for that delicate balance of work, school, and life. Fortunately, looking for new opportunities to enjoy the semester doesn't have to be an added stress.

Before the semester gets in full swing, consider getting connected with us; the Office of Community Service at IUPUI! We are here to help you find opportunities for fun and meaningful community service that are convenient for your schedule. Plus, did you know that being involved in service will....

-Develop you as an individual?
-Enhance your education?
-Prepare you to be a professional?
-Fulfill your scholarship and club required "service hours"?
-Link you with other like-minded peers and establish lasting friendships?
-Make you unique and marketable in today's job scene?
-Open your eyes to the needs of your community and how you can make a positive impact?

If any of these benefits sound like they are for you, stop by the office in the campus center to let one of your peers direct you to service opportunities that fit your interests and goals. Or, visit the "Get Connected" portion of this blog along the right hand side. There you can sign up for our convenient Newsletter, and fill out a Volunteer Interest Form which will enable us to send you info about opportunities that fit your intersts, schedules, and career goals. Either way, know that you have a friend in the Office of Community Service, and we are here to help you in your endeavor to make an IMPACT.

Happy Volunteer Recognition Week! (April 20-24)

THANK YOU!! Gracias! Xie xie! Dankie! Wa'-do! Danke schön! Shukran! Domo arigato! Kamsahamnida! Spasibo! Grazie! Merci beaucoup!

During the week of April 20th, IUPUI’s Office of Community Service (OCS) is celebrating “Volunteer Recognition Week.”

This academic year, over 1,532 volunteers have provided over 13,070 hours of community service! According to the value of your service, you provided about $264,702.94 worth of important work!

If YOU have been a part of any service activities on or off campus this school year, stop by the OCS (CE 375) THIS WEEK to pick up a FREE GIFT! Come see us anytime between 8am-5pm; we're located in Campus and Community Life in the Campus Center CE 370. Also, be sure to check out a commemorative video that will be posted to this Blog before the close of this semester!

So, from IUPUI, to all students and staff who have given their time to volunteer and support the community... “THANK YOU!”

Thanks again for all you have done! You are APPRECIATED!

Yours in service and gratitude,
The Office of Community Service

Here’s a snapshot of the amazing things IUPUI Volunteers have accomplished in 2008-2009:

181 IUPUI volunteers participated in community service through their learning communities.

1037 IUPUI volunteers participated in at least one large scale service event such as the IUPUI Day of Caring, The Martin Luther King Jr Day of Service, Senator Bayh Leadership Summit, Service and the City, Global Youth Service Day, Color Your City, and the Cesar Chavez Day of Service.

50 IUPUI volunteers participated in our Alternative Breaks experiences to places such as Cincinnati, OH; Atlanta, GA; Soddy-Daisy, TN; Kansas City, MO; and Eustis, FL, and served in causes related to children, poverty, the environment, hunger, homelessness, and disability awareness.

159 IUPUI volunteers participated in Jaguars in the Streets, volunteering their time with local agencies dedicated to Indiana’s senior citizens, environment, youth, poverty, and other important issues.

Looking to Serve?

Are you looking for some meaningful service opportunities before the end of the semester? Look no further!

You are on the Office of Community Service Blog, and we are here to help you volunteer for causes that are important to you, in a way that fits your schedule. Here's a few opportunities you may not have heard about...

Did you know WFYI was recently voted the No. 1 place to volunteer in Indianapolis by the readers of NUVO? Find out why by supporting this local station with your time. Whether you are looking for a one-time opportunity, or a bigger commitment, WFYI offers fun, exciting ways to get involved in a worthy cause! http://www.wfyi.org/volunteer.asp


In 2007, the 500 Festival Volunteer Program received a Gold Pinnancle Award from the International Festival and Events Association for Best Volunteer Program. Get in on the excitement of this opportunity and you're promised a great time, some cool benefits, and a chance to serve your community during Indy's most famous event! Act SOON if you wish to participate! http://www.500festival.com/volunteers/

The 2009 Build Season has arrived! Some new building shifts are available from April 15th-May 29TH, but of course there are always weekly opportunities in the environmentally conscious ReStore or in the Habitat for Humanity office. Whether you want to volunteer one afternoon, gain a valuable internship in the office, or even become a "Construction Assistant", look into giving some time to this great non-profit! They offer many fun, convenient ways for the busy student to get involved! For more info, get in touch with Jessica Walters, 921.2121 x114, jcwalters@indyhabitat.org


Volunteer with IUPUI's own Jags in the Streets! You can help make an IMPACT alongside fellow Jags at:

Habitat for Humanity: April 15th, 12:30pm – 4:30pm
IUPUI Tree Planting Event: April 24th, 3:30pm – 5:30pm
Keep Indianapolis Beautiful: April 26th, 1pm – 4pm

Get informed and involved at http://www.iupui.edu/jaguarsinthestreets/


La Plaza is a groundbreaking effort to be the trusted liaison between Latinos and the larger community. But did you know that the amount of services they have provided to Latino families have increased by 300% in the last year?

Consider giving your time to this worthy organization through a one-time opportunity or a volunteer internship relevant to your skills and area of study. Also, there is an increasing demand for items for their food pantry and they would like your help. Please consider bringing items to donate in the lobby of the Campus Center from Monday April 6, 2009 to Wednesday April 15, 2009. A list of most needed items will be located on the boxes. http://www.laplaza-indy.org/volunteer/index.php

Also, remember to sign up for our weekly newsletter with the latest opportunities, fill out an interest form to receive custom volunteer info about volunteering that fits your interests and your calendar, or stop by and let us help you in person! Have a great day!

2nd Annual Cesar Chavez Day of Service!

"Who is Cesar Chavez, and why is he inspiring all these people to volunteer?" Well, come find out during the Cesar Chavez Day of Service!

You don’t need to conduct a 36-day fast to follow in the footsteps of “one of the greatest American civil rights leaders.” Instead, you could just join us for a FREE educational breakfast, which will kick off our Day of Service as we further his cause.

For this event, IUPUI students and members of the Indianapolis community will participate in educational events and service projects to raise awareness about Cesar Chavez and his life mission. Come learn why history ranks this migrant farm worker’s impact alongside those of Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr!

You’ll even get a FREE T-SHIRT!

Cesar Chavez Day of Service:
Friday, April 3, 2009

Registration is literally "first come, first serve," so sign up at http://life.iupui.edu/ccl/volunteer/cesar.html today!

See an interactive timeline of his life here: http://www.chavezfoundation.org/timeline/.

Sam H. Jones Community Service Scholarship!

The Sam H. Jones Community Service Scholarship Program is currently recruiting qualified students for the “Community Service Scholar” position, and.......

WE WANT YOU!

This is a great opportunity! The selected “Scholars” will partake in a year of IUPUI’s nationally recognized service-learning as part of the Sam H. Jones Program, while receiving one of the school’s most noted scholarships (up to $3,500).

With application deadlines approaching on March 1st, find out more by attending our free interest session, where you can hear from a panel of current program scholars, ask questions, and enjoy refreshments.

2/26/2009 Thursday (3PM-4PM) Room CE 305

For more information about the scholarship, visit http://csl.iupui.edu/ocs/4c3.asp.

National Random Acts of Kindness Week!

Currently the Office of Community Service is cekebratubg

National Random Acts of Kindness Week held February 9-13!

This is a fun time on campus where we simply promote kindess!

Check out our tables in the Campus Center for goodies and inspiration!

If you'd like, there will be a sign up for the "Kindness Korps;" a new addition to the week. The special Korps members will have the chance to meet with the IUPUI Police and Local Fire Station #13 to present our "Thank you" posters, which all students can sign all week in the Campus Center! At the table be sure to pick up "Kindess Kards" that you can give to friends, family, or even strangers!

See the tables, this blog, and our listserv for more upcoming details about the week, the benefits, and the "Kindness Korps" opportunity! You can also email us at commserv@iupui.edu.

"MLK DAY a great success!"

Thanks to all who participated in this year's Martin Luther King Day of Service for making it one of IUPUI's best MLK Days ever!

Individuals, teams, students, and staff all joined hands in volunteering at many different service sites.

In total, more than 1,200 hours of community service were donated by the 400 volunteerrs to 23 local non-profits, including: The Ronald McDonald House, The Humane Society, and The Boys and Girls Club.

Stay tuned for pictures and more!