It’s all about volunteering at the upcoming Community Service Fair to be held Wednesday, Sept. 19, from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. in the Williams Center. Helping to lead the effort is SUNY Fredonia alumnus Steven Bonanno, an AmeriCorps VISTA employee of the Office of Campus Life and Office of Volunteer and Community Services for the 2007-2008 academic year.
This is the second year the campus has been awarded an AmeriCorps (Volunteers in Services to America) VISTA grant. Steven, who graduated with a double major in English and Spanish, will work to link student groups to the community during his year at Fredonia. VISTA was founded in 1964 by President Lyndon Johnson and became part of the AmeriCorps Initiative under the aegis of the Corporation for National and Community Service in 1993. The goal of the grant awarded to SUNY Fredonia is to increase the ability of community organizations in meeting the needs of impoverished populations through a partnership with the university.
Sponsored by the Office of Volunteer and Community Services in conjunction with the Volunteer Services Advisory Committee, the fair seeks to build connections between the campus and community. The purpose of the event is to educate the campus community about what agencies do and what their needs are. Agency representatives will be distributing literature about what their organization offers and will speak with students, faculty and staff who might be interested in volunteering.
Some of the agencies participating in the fair include: United Way, Meals on Wheels, Compeer for Youth, Boys and Girls Club, LDA/Learning Disabilities Association of Western New, Lakeshore Humane Society, Troopers Toys for Tots, Chautauqua County Rural Ministry, Literacy Volunteers, Centaur Stride, American Red Cross, and the Chautauqua Blind Association.
Student groups, faculty or staff who have interest in volunteering in the community can contact Steven in the Office of Campus Life by telephone at 716-673-3763; or Joyce Harvard Smith, coordinator of the Office of Volunteer and Community Services at S-126 Williams Center, by phone at 716-673-3690.
