Helping out the community is a great act of kindness but sometimes people just don’t know where to start. If students are interested in helping out their community, then they should look into Cougars Volunteers.
Cougar Volunteers is an organization within the Center for Leadership and Service. The organization consists of many students, staff and faculty members dedicated to helping their community on and off campus. The main mission of Cougar Volunteers is to collaboratively provide service and volunteerism whenever necessary.
Shane Gagnon, an Involvement Specialist on campus stated that “Cougar Volunteers' mission can best be described as leading, serving and learning."
“Students and staff embark on a leadership role when they take the initiative to sign up, serve the community when they donate their time and actively learn how important it can be to give back and think of others' needs in life besides their own” said Gagnon.
Cougar Volunteers have always contributed to their community. On and off campus, the organization has always found a way to lend a hand when needed. When it comes to Cougar Volunteers, there is always a way to give back.
“Cougar Volunteers participate in service-based volunteering,” said Gagnon. “This means anything associated with helping others whether it be from donating blood, going to the community food bank and preparing or packaging meals and even spending one day as a volunteer worker for Habitat for Humanity.”
Interested volunteers should understand that Kean isn’t the only place that needs help. The community outside of the university could also use volunteers to help them in difficult times. Participating in the community is an important act of service when it comes to volunteering.
“All Kean students made it to the university because other people helped them get there in the past and that help goes a long way,” Gagnon said. “Paying it forward with volunteering during on campus events or off campus still benefits the future of the Kean community.”
There are many benefits to be gained by helping those around campus and the community. By lending a hand, students can expect many takeaways from every act of service that they do. While students can gain service hours on their co-curricular transcript, there is something more to be gained from their volunteer experience.
“Volunteers have found that they takeaway a good sense of confidence and pride in the work they are giving to people they might have never met,” said Gagnon. “The feeling of knowing that you have done good in the world makes a person so happy and have a positive outlook on their own life.”
There are many ways to help out both on and off campus. Cougar Volunteers can help find interested pupils volunteer opportunities in Room 219 or by emailing them at serve@kean.edu. Volunteers can also look on Cougar Link for any upcoming events.
“For anyone interested in volunteering I would suggest looking into any of the Community Food Bank of New Jersey bus trips, because it is always a different task you are taking a part in or looking into any of the donation drive opportunities held on campus to sort clothes.” Said Gagnon.
