August 30, 2024
The St. John’s University family will gather to serve neighboring communities throughout New York City in celebration of the 23rd annual University Service Day, to be held on Saturday, September 21.
Every year, University Service Day is held on the Saturday closest to the September 27th Feast Day of St. Vincent de Paul, whose compassion and zeal for service continue to inspire many to work toward social justice and the reduction of poverty. This special day is part of St. John’s Founder’s Week, a series of events and programs dedicated to deepening knowledge and understanding of the University’s Vincentian heritage.
“University Service Day perfectly underscores the event’s inspiring message of, ‘What a difference a day makes!’” said Alexia Dolamakian ’19TCB, Assistant Director of Social Justice, The Institute for Vincentian Impact. She is the lead organizer of Service Day, which strives to serve St. John’s surrounding communities locally, nationally, and globally.
The University looks to St. Vincent de Paul (1581–1660), founder of the Congregation of the Mission, for its vision and inspiration. Early in his ministry as a priest in 17th-century France, Vincent discovered that one finds God and oneself in service to others. His conviction guides the St. John’s community to use their education to help build a better world.
Students, faculty, administrators, staff, and alumni are invited to register for service opportunities in advance.
Previous Service Day volunteers visited residents at nursing homes, enjoyed time with children in the community, served the hungry in soup kitchens, cleaned and provided landscaping at area parks, painted rooms in nearby schools and community centers, and assisted in numerous other service-oriented projects.
Service opportunities this year will be offered through more than a dozen organizations and sites that include Juniper Valley Park, Kissena Synergy Park Clean Up, League of Yes, Midnight Run, St. Vincent de Paul – Friends of the Poor 5K Walk/Run, and the Sustainability Garden at St. John’s University.
Volunteer service activities will be held from 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Participants are invited to check-in at 8 a.m. at St. Thomas More Plaza, located on St. John’s campus in Queens, NY, where they will sign in, receive a T-shirt, meet their service site leader, and enjoy a light breakfast. They can then attend a ceremony at 8:30 a.m. on the St. Thomas More Plaza and a rally on the Great Lawn, where they can celebrate Service Day with music, meditation, and inspirational words before embarking on the service sites of their choice.