The Loyola Center for Community Service and Justice (CCSJ) held an open house on Jan. 24, to provide students with information on service opportunities during the spring semester. After setting a record for attendance during their fall service fair, this open house served as a follow up to keep the Loyola community involved and interested in service within the community.

CCSJ has many different categories of service, including opportunities in healthcare, youth education, food services, immigration, and the York Road Initiative.

One example of these programs is Soccer Without Borders, a youth education program designed to help refugees integrate into the Baltimore community using “the universal language of soccer,” as Maggie Gillen ‘19 calls it. Each week, CCSJ sends students to a service site to help refugee youth with their English language development. First, they help facilitate soccer practices, run drills, and act as support for the teams’ coaches. After practice, Loyola students tutor the kids and help with projects or language exercises. Gillen said that she has been involved with this program since freshman year and has enjoyed getting to know the young refugees in their everyday lives.

Another program is CARES. CARES works with two different dynamics: building career connections and working in a food pantry. Through career connections, Loyola volunteers help clients locate and keep jobs, build and maintain resumes, and assist with online job searches. While working with the food pantry, volunteers help those in need by finding food and creating a nutrition plan for the week or month.

These are only two examples of the 14 programs CCSJ provides the Loyola community with.

“A critical component of coming to Loyola is getting involved off campus,” said CCSJ Director Erin O’Keefe ‘03. She explained that CCSJ provides service opportunities through classes, like service learning, as well as by volunteering weekly. She also mentioned the possibilities of getting involved in immersion experiences during winter, spring, and summer breaks.

Assistant Director for Student Supervision Andy Choi ’12 added that he believes “one of the most beautiful parts is the relationship part,” because students can meet people in the community and get to know them through service every week.

Both Choi and O’Keefe emphasized that “all are welcome at all times” at CCSJ to get involved with the service opportunities provided through the organization, whether it be daily, weekly, or even just once.

If you want to get involved, you can find CCSJ in Humanities Suite 142, or email [email protected].