Quick FactsSalem, Our Community

Action and Awareness Volunteer Efforts2005-06

Office of Community Service Learning

The office of Community Service Learning recruited more than 900 volunteers from Willamette University and Tokyo International University of America to participate in the following programs:

  • Into the Streets, Martin Luther King Celebration

    110 participants served 7 volunteer sites;

  • Backpack Project

    32 groups participated to fill 35 backpacks for donation to HOME Youth and Resource Center Services;

  • Giving Tree Project

    50 participants purchased more than 100 gifts for children served by Family Building Blocks Relief Nursery;

  • Kids Play Day

    30 volunteers staffed this event, serving kids from the local neighborhood, two volunteer sites;

  • Animal Awareness Month

    21 participants volunteered at Lighthouse Farm Sanctuary; 25 participants attended a talk by the Humane Society and made cat toys; at Couger Creek Ranch, a horse rescue facility, 15 participants spent the day in the fall and 14 participants attended in the spring;

  • Hunger Awareness Month

    15 participants served dinner at HOME Youth Center for one week; 5 students attended the 18th annual student conference on hunger and homelessness; 75 participated in the Hunger Banquet; $2,251 in meal points were donated by 128 students to benefit the Salem Outreach Shelter;

  • Tunnel of Oppression

    5 student leaders and 5 faculty/administrators coordinated student-led development of each room and approximately 219 members of the WU community viewed the exhibit;

  • Sustainability Awareness Month

    Supported numerous volunteers who participated in multiple events across campus collaborating with the Sustainability Council, Environmental Community Outreach Society, and the Rod and Reel Club. Events included a beach clean-up, stream clean-up and campus clean-up;

  • Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence Awareness Month

    Collaborated with Strength-Health-Equality and Men Against Violence to raise awareness across campus with brochures, stickers and the art board; 145 signed the Men's Pledge to End Rape; 25 participated in a self-defense course;

  • Alcohol Awareness Month

    Distributed alcohol education campaign across campus.

Lilly Outreach Grants

Provided funded service opportunities for 429 student volunteers representing 18 grants to student organizations and residence halls, serving 22 volunteer sites.

Service Immersion Programs

  • Jump Start: New Student Orientation for Community Outreach

    This program was organized by 5 student leaders who arrange service for 16 freshman and TIUA students at 8 volunteer sites.

  • Take a Break (TaB) Alternative Break Program

    Since the program's inception, 323 people have participated in TaB completing 13,566 volunteer hours. The program has served in Jonestown, Miss., San Francisco, Chicago, Tacoma, Philadelphia, Fort McDermott, Nev., Warm Springs, Ore., New York City, Yakima, Wash., Weslaco, Texas; Baton Rouge, Washington, D.C., and across Oregon with a focus on Fish and Forests.
    • Willamette University spring 2006 TaB trips
      11 student leaders, 8 staff or faculty advisors, 6 volunteer cities with multiple volunteer sites, 74 WU student participants and 11 TIUA student participants;
    • Tokyo International University of America summer 2006 TaB trips
      6 student leaders, 3 volunteer cities with multiple volunteer sites and 45 TIUA student participants.

Service-Learning Courses

Facilitated service-learning for Introduction to Teaching, Medical Anthropology 344, Environmental Science 105, Spanish 231,232,and 331: 160 students, multiple sites.

Student Organizational Support

Developed the Service Leadership Forum to increase collaboration and resource sharing between student service organizations.

  • Circle K

    121 members and 1,800 service hours completed at community partners such as Boys and Girls Club, Oregon School for the Blind, Humane Society of Salem, Hugs for Hope, and the Salem Outreach Shelter.

  • Habitat for Humanity

    25 members and 250 service hours completed with the local Habitat for Humanity project.

  • Outdoor Pursuits

    42 members and 100 service hours completed by providing after-school science and math curriculum to Bush Elementary School.

  • PALS (Salem Elementary Mentors)

    70 members and 700 service hours completed by working as tutors and mentors with children throughout the school district.

Community Connection

Implemented events to bring community agencies together and provided recruitment tools to notify students and faculty of volunteer opportunities.

  • Internship and Volunteer Fair

    52 community partners and 250 student attendees.

  • Community Service Mail Group

    More than 200 people receive weekly email updates notifying them of current volunteer opportunities that are posted on our web site.

  • Salem Service Sites Mail Group

    More than 120 agencies receive requests to update their volunteer information to further recruitment efforts.