Through the Social Action program, Stone Ridge girls have no trouble dedicating themselves to community service during the school year. As summer approaches many students express a desire to continue their service during their time away from school. While it requires more effort and thoughtful planning since Ms. Brownlee won’t be around to help, there are certainly ways to engage in community service during the summer! Here are some great options for any Goal 3 oriented student looking to stay aware and active in those hot summer months!
- Volunteer at S.O.M.E. Located in downtown D.C., So Others Might Eat is an organization that strives to feed the poor and homeless in our nation’s capital by providing breakfast and lunch every day of the year, as well as other emergency services. A small group of Stone Ridge students go to S.O.M.E. as their social action site, but individuals can volunteer there on their own time as well. The organization needs 15 volunteers for each meal, some of whom serve the food while others pour drinks and clean the tables after each visitor. S.O.M.E. places a big emphasis on their youth volunteers, striving to get as many young people involved in their mission as possible!
To learn more or to sign up, visit the volunteer page on S.O.M.E’s website: http://some.org/volunteer/dining-room/
- Work with Rock Creek Conservancy in order to protect and preserve the park. Rock Creek Conservancy is dedicated to preserving the lands, waters, and parks of Rock Creek Park, located in Washington D.C. They rely heavily on volunteers, as both advocates for the environment and for actual labor. They hold many volunteer events throughout the year, all of which can be found on their online calendar. On June 18 and June 25 they will be holding Bush Honeysuckle Removal Events and can use all the help they can get! If you are looking for something more long-term, they also offer internships.
Learn more about the different volunteer opportunities here:
http://www.rockcreekconservancy.org/get-involved/volunteer
- Help children develop their literacy skills at Horizons Greater Washington. With the aid of several host schools throughout the area, including Maret and Norwood, Horizons strives to imbue young students with a life-long passion for learning. Placing a special emphasis on literacy and reading comprehension, the six week summer program is open to economically disadvantaged elementary students enrolled in public schools. Volunteers are highly appreciated, generally serving as teachers’ aids or working directly with the children. While a two week commitment is ideal, there are various volunteer opportunities throughout the year.
Learn more about how you can volunteer at Horizons on their website: http://www.horizonsgreaterwashington.org/volunteer/
- Donate gently used clothing and household goods to Purple Heart. Summer is a great time to take inventory of all the miscellaneous clothing and household items in your closets, some of which you may rarely use. If this is the case, and if the items are in good condition, you can donate them to Purple Heart, an organization that sells your contributions and uses the funds to support their nationwide programs for veterans. They provide veterans with financial, emotional, and medical support. If you would have items you would like to donate, you can schedule a pickup on their website.
Request a pick-up below:
http://www.rockcreekconservancy.org/get-involved/volunteer
- Make sandwiches for Martha’s Table. If you’re looking for something to do with friends or family, get together for a sandwich making event! Martha’s Table distributes 500 sandwiches a day to people in need, including hundreds of homeless individuals. They hand out two types of sandwiches: peanut butter and jelly and meat and cheese. If you make over 500 sandwiches, Martha’s Table will coordinate a pickup. If you make less than that, you can drive them down yourself and have the opportunity to see their kitchens. Please note that they have specific guidelines for how to make and deliver the sandwiches. You can find more information, including guidelines, on their website: http://marthastable.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/2014SandwichandFreshFoodDonationGuidelines.pdf
