What’s your favorite part of Naz? Is it the beautiful, Harry Potter-esque buildings? Is it the fact that if you really wanted to, you could go months without stepping off campus…or outside (thanks, tunnels)? As a freshman, I may have picked the events and traditions we have throughout the year. But now after finishing my four short years, I can confidently say my absolute favorite part of Naz is the aspect of civic engagement. More specifically, one event: Project Homeless Connect.
Project Homeless Connect is an annual event held every fall in Rochester. It is staffed completely by volunteers from the community, but the majority come from Nazareth. Vendors, such as dentists, doctors, Department of Motor Vehicles, shelters, and recreation all come together to help people experiencing homelessness get the resources they desperately need. Additionally, every participant gets a winter coat and a meal. If this alone isn’t enough, I’ve made a list of other reasons this event is a “Do NOT miss!”
Socialization.
In my time at Naz, I think I’ve made so many new friends while volunteering with different programs. Over the course of the day, you’ll meet so many new and interesting people, and a lot of them will be Naz students! You’ll bond with most of these students throughout the day, and when you return to campus you’ll have so much to talk about.
Two words. Volunteer. Credit.
Are you in some sort of program, club, or group that requires you do some sort of service? Well good news, odds are this counts! Plus, you get to decide how long you help out. Typically, volunteers work in three-hour shifts. If that’s too long, or too short, don’t worry! There is no actual time limit.
You get to learn about Rochester.
One thing that makes Project Homeless Connect so cool is that it takes a chunk of the Rochester community and puts them in one place for an entire day. You’ll get to see this happen, and you’ll help make it happen! You’ll get to learn about the resources we have, and how they help us grow; even at Nazareth. You’ll get to see just how diverse of a community we live in, and you will meet the best people you could ever hope to know.
You are making more of a difference than you can ever imagine.
I’m a sucker for “cheesy” sayings, so bear with me as I melt some Velveeta. A lot of the people you’ll work with want to talk to people. Some of them haven’t held a conversation in months, and some haven’t heard their name in years. By helping out, you’ll help them by fulfilling that desire. You’ll be able to help them find resources they desperately need, and you (in some cases) could even save their life.
If any of these reasons appealed to you then I definitely recommend signing up for Project Homeless Connect! Nazareth Students can volunteer through the Social Work department.
