Community Service

The goal of this committee is to promote volunteer opportunities by designing and sponsoring projects of service to our campus and the community.

See our calendar for an up-to-date listing of activities and programs.

Purse Collection Drive for Casa Esperanza (Feb. 2009)

The mission of Casa Esperanza Homeless Center is to help homeless individuals and families achieve self-sufficiency, by helping as many as possible to access the services they need to transition to stable employment and housing. Since we just recently heard that there is a shortage of purses and socks regularly donated to the homeless center, if you have any extra purses or socks(or know someone who does), please drop off your donation with Monica Moreno-Hornsleth in the College office (Cheadle Rm 1117) and the collected items will be sent along to Casa Esperanza. If you would like more information about the organization, please visit http://casa-esperanza.org/cm/Home.html. Thank you for your support!

Holiday Gift Drive and Isla Vista Kindergarten Party

Every year around the holiday season PWA sponsors a holiday party at IV Elementary and the two other state-funded pre-schools in the Isla Vista community. With the support of the UCSB community and generous donations from the UCSB Bookstore PWA is able to bring Santa, individually wrapped presents, goodies, and a teddy bear for each child to 78 kindergarteners and 72 pre-schoolers. Santa may be different every year (the red suit alternates between Vice Chancellor Michael Young and Executive Vice Chancellor Gene Lucas), but the gratitude from both students and teachers in Isla Vista never changes. This year the Holiday Party has been scheduled for December 11, 2009.
If you would like to participate in our 15th annual holiday gift-drive for kindergarten and pre-school students just follow these three easy steps:

1) Please submit your information:
Your name, Department, Extension, E-mail, Mail Code, Number of Wish Lists Desired
Please highlight or bold your desired drop off location:
EOP Office in SRB or Visitor Center in SAASB
To Berenice Manzo & Brenda Curiel
via e-mail at: service@pwa.ucsb.edu

2) Buy your present:
Once you have submitted your information we will deliver the child's or children's personally decorated wish lists by Monday, November 23, 2009. Once you have received your student's wish list and information we ask that you purchase an age appropiate gift for your girl or boy. We suggest you stay within a price range of $10.00 to $15.00.

3) Wrap and Drop off your Present:
Please wrap your gift and deliver it no later than December 2, 2009 to the drop off location you indicated. ***If you are dropping off at EOP in SRB please ask for Nellie.

If you are interested in participating please email service@pwa.ucsb.edu as soon as possible. Thank you!

• Here are some sample thank you's from the students at IV Kindergarten:

Spring Service Days

As in the past, we are excited to offer opportunities to get involved with existing community organizations by helping them out in the Spring-time with our "Spring Service Days!" As we solidify our events, check this site for updates and specifics on dates, time, and locations. The organizations that we are currently researching to find out what their Spring-time needs are include:

• Casa Esperanza – serving food for dinner-time meals – March 19, 2008
  ** We need 5-8 volunteers 5:30-7:30. Please email service@pwa.ucsb.edu if you are interested in volunteering.
• Family Service Agency – Children’s Day – May 17, 2008
• CALM (Child Abuse Listening & Mediation)
• SB Rape Crisis Center
• Braille Institute – assisting with community events
• Transition House – Volunteer Family Picnic
• Alpha Resource Center – gardening around the center

While you wait for these great opportunities, we would like to encourage PWA members to volunteer their time at the existing UCSB United Way Volunteer Day! This is a great opportunity to support the institution that you work for along with a deserving community organization – Isla Vista Youth Projects! Here’s the details – make sure you contact Joel or Julie to sign-up!

3rd Annual Volunteer Day:
On Saturday, March 1, 2008, volunteers will help paint, clean, and improve the Isla Vista Youth Projects from 9 am to 1 pm. If you would like to volunteer or have any questions, please call Volunteer Day Coordinator Joel Dinan at (805)965-8591 or Julie Miller at (805)893-7382. We hope to see you there!

Co-Chairs:

• Berenice Manzo, Admissions
  E-Mail: service@pwa.ucsb.edu
  Extension: 2775
• Brenda Curiel, Financial Aid Office
  E-Mail: service@pwa.ucsb.edu
  Extension: 2697