By Kiara Mapp
In an effort to assist students in volunteer work and community service, the Center for Student Involvement opens the gateway to finding missions that need help on campus.
Project HELP allows students to get involved in day-to-day work that stems from their interests.
Volunteer requests can also be made by student clubs and groups, such as Ski & Snowboard Club, that’s holding a Rail Jam event Nov. 18 and needs volunteers to “load, transport and unload snow on a hill near Memorial Hall,” Director of Fraternity/Sorority Life Allison Swick-Duttine said.
Due to Project HELP, students, faculty and the general public were able to successfully ski and snowboard down snow mounds along with performing tricks in past years Rail Jam was held.
Last weekend Project HELP contributed to Admissions Open House by providing students to “be tour guides and conduct ticketing for parking.” They also worked at SUNY Plattsburgh’s Craft Fair as ticket collectors and assisted vendors to complete their setups.
As the fall semester is coming to an end, Project HELP continues to seek volunteers for several one time events and ongoing opportunities.
A table will be set up at the Champlain Centre shopping mall to promote the Make-A-Wish Foundation fundraiser throughout the semester. Volunteers are needed to help make critically ill children’s wishes come true.
Another event taking place at the mall involves ringing bells for the Salvation Army between Nov. 19 and Dec. 9. The Salvation Army bell ringers make a difference every time they ring the bells, raising funds that go toward social services assistance, homeless shelters, disaster relief, children’s programs, rehabilitation services and human trafficking prevention.
The City of Plattsburgh Holiday parade will be held Dec. 2, where volunteers will help with tree decoration and bring something magical to Margaret Street.
“Soup kitchens, nursing homes, campus blood drives and group events like the Adopt-A-Highway program, and the City Parks Clean Up Program are available to students frequently,” Swick-Duttine said.
Students can find all volunteer opportunities by signing up for the app Helper Helper.
The app is available in the Apple Store and Google Pay that keeps track of volunteer hours and allows them to upload photos of what they’ve done.
Once the app is downloaded, email projecthelp@plattsburgh.edu for a temporary password and enable push notifications to be notified whenever a new opportunity appears.
Alternatively, students may visit the Project HELP office, located on the second floor, room 203, of the Angell College Center, as Project HELP welcomes students with desires to integrate into society at any given time.
