Service & Volunteer Work
It's said that charity begins at home. That's especially true here at our DeSales home, where our students participate in 24,000+ hours of service.
Through the Center for Service and Social Justice (CSSJ), students serve the local, national, and international communities via service projects. It’s here that the mission of DeSales and the philosophy of Christian humanism come alive. Projects can take a few minutes or a few weeks. Giving blood. Tutoring kids or visiting the elderly. Building homes stateside for a families in need. Heading out with Feed the Children to develop sustainable food security in Central and South America to working with the Sisters of Charity in Kolkata, India. There are lots and lots of opportunities to explore for these wonderfully rewarding and educational experiences.
How did we get to 24,000+ hours of service?
- Service Clubs&Orgs: Best Buddies, Colleges Against Cancer, Rise Against Hunger, Alpha Phi Omega
- Alternative Service Experiences: National/Global trips during each break
- One-time service projects: Habitat builds, Miracle League, Victory House
- Consistent Sustainable tutoring and mentoring programs
- AmeriCorps VISTA focusing on community health programs
- Character U and DeSales Experience commitment to service
- Allow for student empowerment
...while it is easy to measure the number of dishes washed or beds made, who can measure the smiles exchanged or the words of gratitude from volunteer to patient and patient to volunteer? I cannot measure the effects and connections made through basic human interaction...
