Hope College
EN-13: Community Service

In the Hope College Employee Handbook it states:
20. COMMUNITY OUTREACH
https://hope.edu/offices/human-resources/employee/handbooks-policies/faculty.html#community-outreach
Hope College sponsors, maintains and staffs a number of educational programs for children of the community. These constitute a significant service to the Holland community and serve to enhance the College’s reputation in the community, as well as the community’s acceptance of and support for the College. The following are the most significant of these programs and also those of longest standing: PATH, CASA, Upward Bound, ExploreHope

Other important events include: Hope hosts an annual event of "Day of Service" in which it brings together students, faculty, and staff when they spend a day serving others all around the globe, sharing the spirit of compassion and giving that is present during our years on campus.

According to an Economic Impact Study completed in 2011, "In a year, Hope employees and students spend more than 127,000 hours in service to the local community, the equivalent of one person working around the clock for over 14 years."
http://www.hope.edu/news/2011/11/02/hope-college-economic-impact.pdf

Also various departments will pick a activity for their team to do an example is from February 2018 - "As part of a recent community service project, Physical Plant employees teamed up to assemble more than 570 supper packs for Kids’ Food Basket!" https://www.kidsfoodbasket.org/locations/holland/

**It is important to note that due to the pandemic many of the organizations our campus community typically supported in the past did not allow outside organizations to come into their buildings so this reduced our volunteer opportunities**

In coordination with our “Volunteer Services Team” we had an email and google form sent out to groups asking about numbers and hours their respective groups did over the past year. Over 10,000 student hours were listed through student groups like Engineers Without Borders, Green Hope, Hope Advocates for Sustainability, Greek Life, Women of Color United, Fly Fishing Club, Chem Club, Dance Marathon, Time to Serve, and Campus Ministries. Over 450 hours were listed for staff/faculty volunteers. These numbers do not include all organizations on campus that volunteer locally or globally.

We are probably giving a low estimate of Hope College students that annually volunteer because most students are involved in a student athletic team, club, or organization and most of them host various types of volunteer opportunities for their members. We are also probably giving a low estimate for the number of hours per student as some students are involved in multiple groups and volunteer frequently.

—-The “Time to Serve” program is designed to help new students learn about service while helping and getting to know their community and becoming better acquainted with one another. The project began in the fall of 2000 with 10 projects and about 100 participants. From working in a community garden to organizing library books, from re-stocking shelves in a food pantry to caring for animals at the Critter Barn, there are a variety of ways to get involved during Hope's Days of Service. Some students work alongside children with special needs, while others reach out to the elderly. Some groups beautify the yards of individuals who are home-bound, while others volunteer at large community centers. Whatever your interests or skill set, we have a place for you! The annual Time to Serve follows fall Orientation and provides an opportunity for Hope freshmen to connect with their new “hometown” in a meaningful way. Although first-year students make up the majority of volunteers, many upperclassmen elect to come back as group leaders and to volunteer for another year. All are welcome at Time to Serve! In September 2022 over 200 students participated in the annual event.
Article: https://hope.edu/news/2022/campus-life/hundreds-of-hope-students-to-spend-day-volunteering.html
Photos: https://hope.edu/news/2022/campus-life/time-to-serve-2022-photos.html

—-The Hope College Campus Ministries Team also organizes immersive trips for students, faculty and staff. They offer domestic and international opportunities to serve. "We are not sent to save the world but to serve the world in the name of the God who saves." In 2023 they are sending about 175 students (15 more adults) on immersion trips. The volunteers will spend a week in service.
https://hope.edu/offices/campus-ministries/integral-mission/index.html

—-Dance Marathon is another example of our campus coming together and serving our community. “Dance Marathon is a year-long fundraiser for the Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital that culminates with an annual 24-hour dance-a-thon in March. Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital in Grand Rapids, Michigan, provides exceptional and lifesaving medical care to infants, children and adolescents. By supporting the hospital through fundraisers and awareness-building events throughout the year, we help it provide crucial programs and services that directly impact the children and families it serves.” In the past 22 years, Dance Marathon has raised over $3 million for the kids! https://hope.edu/offices/student-life/dance-marathon/

—-Hope College is a member of Michigan Campus Compact, a statewide association that promotes the education and commitment of college students to be civically engaged citizens. https://compact.org/

—-Hope College also offers opportunities for giving and sharing with our community throughout the year with annual events such as: Angel Christmas Tree (gifts for local children), Soles 4 Souls, multiple food drives, can collections for various non-profit organizations, coat drives, backpack drives, and Donations of Hope our Annual Move-Out collection event.Our staff and students are always so supportive.
In 2018 and 2019 our Hope College student groups Knitting Club and Hope United for Justice hosted a Craft-A-Thon where they made hats, scarves, etc... for Holland Rescue Mission. https://hollandrescue.org/

Hope Serves takes place annually in January, in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Participants join the day across all grade levels, and the event is led as a joint effort between Volunteer Services and Hope’s multicultural student organizations.
Volunteer opportunities are shared on the following websites:
https://hope.edu/offices/student-life/volunteer-services/
https://hope.edu/offices/student-life/volunteer-services/faculty-staff.html
https://hope.edu/academics/center-exploratory-learning/hope-student-opportunities/volunteer-opportunities.html