Although holiday volunteer opportunities are over, there are still many ways for Mercer students to donate their time to the Macon community this spring.
MerServe Opportunities
MerServe, Mercer University’s board for service-leadership, coordinates service opportunities for students along with the Center for Community Engagement. MerServe hosts a monthly event for students to volunteer called Service Saturdays.
Service Saturdays are an opportunity for students to serve the community through programs such as Backpack Buddies. Backpack Buddies is a program where volunteers pack bags to feed local elementary school students that school faculty notice are underfed, according to the MerServe Instagram page.
MerServe has also worked during Service Saturdays with the Fuller Center for Housing Macon. The Fuller Center is an organization started by the founders of Habitat for Humanity. The Macon partner of the Fuller Center works to provide low-income housing in Bibb, Twiggs, Jones, Monroe, Crawford and Houston counties, according to the Fuller Center Macon website.
The Fuller Center Macon allows students to learn new skills to build homes while serving, according to the MerServe Instagram page. Students assist with tasks like construction, painting, and lawn maintenance on lower-income homes in the community.
The next Service Saturday will be on Feb. 24. Students will be able to sign up through a link posted on the MerServe social media accounts. The link to sign up will be available closer to the event.
Students can follow the MerServe Facebook and Instagram pages @mercermerserve to keep up with upcoming service events.
MerServe is also hosting a week of events during spring break called Spring Break for Service, and it will be March 4-7. More information about Spring Break for Service will be released as the event gets closer, according to the MerServe social media accounts.
Mercer Habitat for Humanity Opportunities
The Mercer Habitat for Humanity chapter also has opportunities for students to volunteer this spring. Mercer Habitat’s biggest spring event is “Act, Speak, Build” Week, said Jasmine Tapper, president of the Mercer University Habitat for Humanity chapter.
The purpose of “Act, Speak, Build” Week is to “raise awareness about housing disparities” on an individual, local and policy level, Tapper said. The event is for Habitat for Humanity’s international week of service.
Activities during the week will include an annual faculty and staff luncheon, mural coloring and a panel discussion featuring state representatives, county commissioners and others working in housing, Tapper said.
The annual faculty and staff luncheon is Habitat for Humanity’s largest fundraiser of the year, Tapper said.
The “Act, Speak, Build” Week will take place from April 8-14. Information about how to sign up for the event will be released on the Mercer Habitat for Humanity chapter’s social media accounts.
Students looking for a more hands-on opportunity with Habitat for Humanity can sign up for a Saturday build. Saturday builds allow students to help work on in-progress houses in the community, according to the Mercer Habitat for Humanity Instagram page.
Builds are held every Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon. Students can sign up for a Saturday build through a link on the Mercer Habitat Instagram page.
Students can watch for places to volunteer this spring by checking with the Center for Community Engagement and MerServe.
