With support from the Diversity and Inclusion Office, the Office of Government and Community Relations is expanding the UMass Chan Cares volunteer program with a Days of Service initiative in late May.
"This new Days of Service effort came about when we started to think about what it means to advance together in a post-COVID-19 space,” said Ché Anderson, assistant vice chancellor for city and community relations. “Coming together with the service committee in the Diversity and Inclusion Office, a macro day of service was brought up. We wanted as many volunteers as possible to unite around the same ideas.”
The UMass Chan Cares volunteer initiative supports those in the UMass Chan community who have the capacity and desire to serve the broader community through volunteer efforts. Eligible employees may take up to 16 hours of paid time off in each calendar year to perform volunteer services during regular business hours at any nonprofit (501c3) organization, public school or UMass Chan initiative, in accordance with the school’s Volunteer Time Policy.
UMass Chan is approaching 5,000 volunteer hours by 500 employees since the program launched in 2022 and organizers hope the Days of Service initiative brings the total beyond those numbers.
“My favorite part about volunteer days is when everyone shows up, and there are some people that know each other, but most people don’t. They’re either from different schools at UMass Chan or different departments, and then by the end, we’re all like old friends,” said Katie Stickney, project manager for the Office of Community and Government Relations.
The Days of Service will take place Tuesday, May 20, and Wednesday, May 21, with two shifts available: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 1 to 5 p.m. There will be opportunities to support local organizations dedicated to youth and veterans, substance use disorder, food security, housing and the environment. The community organizations involved include Yes We Care, Community Harvest Project, YWCA, Worcester Public Library, Boys & Girls Club of Worcester and more.
To volunteer, sign up for a shift here; you will be matched to a location with event details. After that, request a supervisor approval form.
