On Saturday, April 30, 2016, Center for Leadership and Service (CLS) hosted the all-day service event, Cougar’s That Care. Students and alumni of Kean University came together to help those in need in many ways, whether it be accompanying an elder for a few hours, help building a house for a family or sorting food. The goal for that day was to get as many people to serve on the same day.

That day, students and alumni had a chance to get to one of the many volunteer opportunities, which included Habitat for Humanity, Community FoodBank, Atria Senior Living and Adopt-A-Park. During this year’s Cougar’s That Care students also had the chance to paint a room for a Salvation Army Soup Kitchen in Elizabeth, New Jersey.

Students and alumni participating in Adopt-A-Park
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The reason is “to bring awareness of all service projects to students and try to get as many people as involved as possible,” comments Shannon Brown who is a CLS specialist. Brown is a sophomore majoring in recreational therapy pre-occupational therapy (Pre-OT).

During Habitat for Humanity, students—along with two alumni—dedicate their time to help complete the following tasks: applying stucco on the concrete areas of the house, planting bushes, preparing some areas of the house for siding and raking away rocks so bushes can be planted and grass seeds can be spread across the yard.

Students and alumni participating in Habitat for Humanity
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“I volunteered for Habitat for Humanity because I wanted to encourage the general body of the Psychology Organization,” comments senior Brandon Gooden who is majoring in psychology. “My favorite part of the day was being able to go on top of the roof to help set up the walls to put on the siding,” he continues to say, mainly because of what he learned that day.

While at the Community FoodBank of New Jersey, volunteers helped with sorting food into different categories that will eventually be sent out to mobile food pantries and other food banks.

Students and alumni participating in Community FoodBank
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Volunteers, while at Atria Senior Living in Cranford, New Jersey, conversed with elders while giving them manicures or helping them create hats. Another set of volunteers helped clean debris from a park in Union County, while volunteers from Kean Ocean cleaned the ocean front.

Students and alumni participating in Atria Senior Living
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About 90 people served that day, impacting many lives.

Gooden comments that he “would do [Habitat for Humanity] again…it was great to see that the work you did would directly go towards making the life of a family better.”

The best part is CLS will be doing this all-day service event again.

“We will be doing this again in the fall,” Brown says, “and hopefully more people will attend.” So for of all those who were unable to attend the event there is no need to worry. Cougar’s That Care will be happen again in October, so be on the lookout for the date. For those who are graduating, no worries, alumni are welcomed too.

Students and alumni come together to serve their community
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