Community Service
Enhance your studies with community service
“The call to serve takes many forms in the life of a compassionate heart.”
— Maryanne Radmacher
The Office of Community Service promotes and facilitates service as an integral part of USJ’s teaching and learning experience and offers a variety of service opportunities throughout the academic year.
Participation in community service is one way to live the mission of USJ. Outreach opportunities include but aren’t limited to: working with children or the elderly, tutoring, mentoring, working in a soup kitchen or food pantry, organizing food drives, and meeting the needs of other vulnerable populations.
Service Learning Community Service Volunteer Request Volunteers Contact Us
Mission
Our goal is to fully engage students in the USJ experience and create interconnectedness between curricular and co-curricular service-learning opportunities. This allows for the application of classroom learning to further student success in the classroom and after graduation.
Service Learning
The Wellness Center on Church Street
Through this partnership with the Franciscan Center for Urban Ministry (via St. Patrick-St. Anthony Church in downtown Hartford), USJ students provide services to the underserved population, including:
- Blood pressure and glucose screenings,
- Health and nutrition education and referrals
See how USJ students engage with the Wellness Center.
Wellness Center Outreach Programs
- Mercy Housing and Shelter: Friendship Center serving breakfast and lunch to anyone in need
- Manna Community Meals: Offers a noon meal and support services, and Manna Assistance & Advocacy provides food and support services to people in need
- The Sandwich Ministry: Offers sandwiches & fellowship to people in need
- The Malta House of Care: A mobile health clinic offering free primary health care to the uninsured population
- The Malta House of Care/St. Justin’s Food Pantry: Enhances the health and well-being of those served by the pantry
Community Service Programs
Annual Service Events & Opportunities
- Mercy Week & Mercy Day of Service — Each September, USJ celebrates its Mercy roots with a week-long celebration of service and a day devoted to service at local non-profit organizations.
Ongoing Service Opportunities
- Saint Mary Home Light Keepers — Student volunteers spend an hour each week with an elderly resident in neighboring Saint Mary’s Home
- Catholic Worker House – Offering after school and Saturday activities for neighborhood children.
- Food share – Providing food to local agencies dealing with food insecurity issues.
- Hands On Hartford Backpack program – Providing weekend food for Hartford school children.
- Tutoring opportunities for students in local elementary schools.
Community Service
- Volunteering – Support the USJ community through community service. There are many opportunities to also integrate these services with the Office of Campus Ministry. Request volunteer support or become a community volunteer here.
- USJ Collaborative Agencies – See the full list of collaborative agencies affiliated with USJ.
USJ Collaborative Agencies
Our goal is to create an understanding of the impact GIVING has for those we engage. Below are a listing of collaborative agencies that support this goal. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to Lynnette Colón at [email protected].
Request Volunteer Support
If you are someone from the community looking for USJ volunteers, please complete the following form and someone will reach out to you with 24-48 hours: Request Volunteer Support.
Become a Community Volunteer
If you are a USJ Student or a USJ community member looking for community service, please complete the following form and someone will reach out to you within 24-28 hours: Internal USJ Community Service Request.
Contact/Visit Us
Lynnette Colón, M.A., LPC
Director, Campus Ministry & Community Service
[email protected]
860.231.5269
McGovern Hall 210