Service projects are organized by distance from campus. Before you register, please pay special attention to the dates as projects take place throughout April, National Volunteer Month.
St. Mary’s City, MD (Campus) – Saturday, April 20
Where: St. Mary’s College of Maryland | 47645 College Drive, St. Mary’s City, MD 20686
Organization: SMCM Office of Sustainability
Project Leader: Kaitlin Aaby ’18 | sustainability@smcm.edu
The Office of Sustainability manages St. Mary’s College’s green initiatives including the Kate Chandler Campus Farm, the St. Mary’s Arboretum, and more. Volunteers will clean up debris on campus and along the College’s shoreline before it makes its way into the St. Mary’s River, and a second group will plant a butterfly garden to support native wildlife and pollinators. Youth volunteers are welcome to participate with parental supervision.
St. Mary’s City, MD (HSMC) – Saturday, April 20
Where: Historic St. Mary’s City | 18751 Hogaboom Lane, St. Mary’s City, MD 20686
Organization: Historic St. Mary’s City
Project Leader: Lara Holmes ’18 | leholmes@smcm.edu
Historic St. Mary’s City, a National Historic Landmark since 1969, is the site of Maryland’s first capital and features a reconstruction of the original colonial settlement, living history area, and museum complex. Volunteers will take on a variety of tasks to clean up and beautify the grounds, with details to come soon. This project is not suitable for youth volunteers.
Hollywood, MD – Saturday, April 27
Where: Historic Sotterley Plantation | 44300 Sotterley Lane, Hollywood, MD 20636
Organizations: Historic Sotterley Plantation
Project Leader: Katherine Humphries ’06 | humphries.katherine@gmail.com
Historic Sotterley Plantation’s mission is to preserve its historic structures and the natural environment, and use powerful stories of our land, lives, and labor to bring American history to life. Volunteers will count spat, test the water quality, and check on the progress of the oysters set out in the fall. Youth volunteers are welcome to participate with parental supervision.
Annapolis, MD – Saturday, April 27
Where: St. Luke’s Episcopal Church | 1101 Bay Ridge Avenue, Annapolis MD 21403
Organizations: St. Luke’s Restoration of Nature
Project Leader: Erin O’Connell | erinoconnell45@gmail.com
St. Luke’s Restoration of Nature is a four-acre comprehensive watershed restoration and environmental learning center located in the heart of Eastport on the grounds of St. Luke’s Episcopal Church. Volunteers will partner with Back Creek Conservancy and St. Luke’s Restoration of Nature to create conservation landscapes by planting beautiful native plant species and beautifying the grounds for Greenscape Day. Youth volunteers are welcome to participate with parental supervision.
Washington, D.C. – Saturday, April 13
Where: Anacostia Waterfront | 1918 Martin Luther King Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20020
Organization: Anacostia Watershed Society
Project Leader: Matt Schafle ’10 | matthew.schafle@gmail.com
The Anacostia Watershed Society (AWS) protects and restores the Anacostia River and its watershed communities by stopping pollution, restoring natural systems, and reconnecting the community to the river. Volunteers from SMCM will partner with volunteers from AWS to clean up the shoreline by this stretch of the Anacostia River. Youth volunteers are welcome to participate, with parental supervision.
Baltimore, MD (Downtown) – Sunday, April 7
Where: Downtown Sailing Center | 1425 Key Highway, Baltimore, MD 21230
Organization: Repair the World Baltimore
Project Leader: Marie Snyder ’10 | marie@suresalesgroup.com
Repair the World is a national organization that works with local nonprofits to engage millennials in hands on volunteering and learning about social justice issues. Volunteers (of all ages, not just millennials!) will support the Healthy Harbor Initiative for the third year by cleaning, repairing, and building oyster cages, picking up trash along the shoreline, doing water testing and oyster measuring, and assembling data collection kits.
Baltimore, MD (Essex) – Saturday, April 20
Where: The Fields at Renaissance Park | 99 Stemmers Run Road, Essex, MD 21221
Organization: Gunpowder Valley Conservancy
Project Leader: Lindsey Drysdale ’02 | ladrysdale@gmail.com
The Gunpowder Valley Conservancy (GVC) works with Baltimore County to run the “Adopt-a-Stream” program where community members adopt a 1/4 mile section of a local stream to monitor stream health and report major issues to Baltimore County. Volunteers will remove trash and debris from the stream bed which flows directly into Hopkins Creek. Youth volunteers (ages 7+) are welcome to participate with parental supervision.
Frederick, MD – Saturday, April 20
Where: Carroll Creek Linear Park | 121 North Bentz Street, Frederick, MD 21701
Organization: Color on the Creek
Project Leader: Kristi Jacobs Woods ’97 | kristi@frederickareahomes.com
Color on the Creek is an all volunteer inspired and managed water garden located in the Carroll Creek Linear Park which runs through the heart of downtown Frederick. Volunteers will help clean up the waterway, fertilize plants, relocate/add planters, remove algae, and more – all to ensure the successful growth of hundreds of lilies, lotus, and bog plants that make this waterway such an incredible landmark of Frederick. This project is not suitable for youth volunteers.
Philadelphia, PA – Saturday, April 20
Where: Hunger Relief Center | 3616 Galloway Street, Philadelphia, PA 19148
Organization: Philabundance
Project Leader: Lisa Jordan ’05 | lisa.mcquighan@gmail.com
The Hunger Relief Center is Philabundance’s hub of volunteer activity. Volunteers will help with various warehouse tasks and sort and pack donated food to be distributed through their programs and agency network. This project is not suitable for youth volunteers.
New York, NY – DATE TBD
Where: Details Coming Soon | TBD
Organization: Billion Oyster Project
Project Leader: John Haltiwanger ’10 | jchaltiwanger@gmail.com
The Billion Oyster Project works to restore oyster reefs to the New York Harbor through public education initiatives and collaboration with New York Metro communities. Volunteers will build oyster cages, prepare recycled shell for seeding, and sort and count baby oysters. Youth volunteers are welcome to participate with parental supervision.
Chicago, IL – Saturday, April 20
Where: DuSable and Monroe Harbors | 111 N. Lake Shore Drive, Chicago IL 60601
Organization: Columbia Sailing School
Project Leader: Katie Tinder ’13 | katie@colyc.org
Columbia Sailing School is a non-profit community sailing organization catering to sailors of all ages and skill levels. Volunteers will clean up debris around the lakefront area between Lake Shore Drive and Lake Michigan, from the Chicago River to the Shedd Aquarium. Youth volunteers are welcome to participate with parental supervision.
Miami, FL – Saturday, April 20
Where: Deering Estate | 16701 SW 72nd Avenue, Miami, FL 33172
Organization: Palmetto Middle School Green Team
Project Leader: Erica Watts ’92 | ericawatts2016@gmail.com
The Palmetto Middle School Green Team’s mission is to promote and improve environmental stewardship, teach civic responsibility, and nurture a passion for sustainable living practices in order to strengthen the local community. Volunteers will partner with the Palmetto Middle School PTA and students for a bay/shoreline clean up at Deering Estate in Palmetto Bay. Youth volunteers are welcome to participate with parental supervision.
Denver, CO – Saturday, April 20
Where: Colorado Pet Pantry | 2830 S. Zuni Street, Englewood, CO 80110
Organization: Colorado Pet Pantry
Project Leader: Alisa Ambrose ’85 | alisa.in.denver@gmail.com
The Colorado Pet Pantry temporarily feeds Colorado pets, allowing families to increase their ability to care for pets with the goal of keeping them out of shelters and with their families. Volunteers will receive a tour of the facility and then sort bags of food and other pet-related donations. This project is not suitable for youth volunteers.
San Francisco, CA – Saturday, April 20
Where: Excelsior, San Francisco | Location TBD
Organization: Friends of the Urban Forest
Project Leader: Kevin Whalen ’05 | kevingwhalen@gmail.com
Friends of the Urban Forest helps individuals and neighborhood groups plant and care for street trees and sidewalk gardens in San Francisco. Volunteers will help neighborhood homeowners plant trees in Excelsior while traveling from planting site to planting site by bike or walking. Youth volunteers are welcome to participate with parental supervision.