Hands-on Programs

Baked Love

Baked Love works to provide a consistent relationship, food, and comfort to our community while striving to be as sustainable as possible. The program hopes to educate families on resources they can utilize in the community and to educate the SMC community on what we provide to the Burlington area.

Volunteers meet to bake food together with the intent of reducing the need, reusing food, and sharing resources. They collect donations from local organizations, including community gardens, and also works with UVM's Campus Kitchens Project, preparing and serving a meal at a local community center.

For more information about the Saint Michael's College volunteer program Baked Love, feel free to contact Samantha Chapplle '14.

Cause for Paws

It is the mission of Cause for Paws to advocate for the dignity of animals, raise community awareness of animal injustices, and inspire action that goes beyond the Saint Michael’s community.

Cause for Paws allows volunteers to work at the Northern Greyhound Rescue, All Breeds Rescue, and the Chittenden Humane Society. The main focus of this program is to promote animal awareness, and to help local shelters and non-profits. The coordinators take volunteers three times a week, and a person can volunteer once, or throughout their time at Saint Michael's. Come stop by MOVE to learn more!!

The basic types of work that volunteers can expect include cleaning, walking dogs, and providing tender loving care to the animals (many of whom need special attention before they can be put up for adoption).

For more information about the Saint Michael's College volunteer program focused on animal rights and service, feel free to contact Ashley Lincoln '13.

Habitat for Humanity

Students who volunteer from Saint Michael’s with Habitat for Humanity program cover a broad range of building and restoration projects in our community.

The program works with local individuals in need of assistance with various projects, at all stages of completion. This includes painting, gardening, and reconstruction.

Saint Michael’s Habitat for Humanity partners with Vermont’s Green Mountain Chapter of Habitat for Humanity on building projects as well as to fundraise.

The program also communicates with other programs run through MOVE to assist in miscellaneous construction projects.

Volunteers may offer one-time service, or can join multiple times throughout the year. The amount of volunteers needed and amount of times offered for service depend on the needs of the site.

For more information about the Saint Michael's College volunteer program Habitat for Humanity, feel free to contact Nicole Buckley '14.

Outdoor Volunteer Efforts

The mission of Outdoor Volunteer Efforts is to inspire the SMC community to appreciate and respect the natural environment through participation in service work and learning.

Outdoor Volunteer Efforts (OVE) is about getting your hands dirty; OVE gives students the opportunity to work in our own community garden or team up with local organizations focused on helping us conserve and interact with our natural environment.

OVE has a partnership with the local Intervale Conservation Nursery, where Saint Michael's College volunteers work with staff to help raise native species of trees for stream bank restoration projects. OVE also does trail maintenance with a variety of organizations including the Green Mountain Club, Mad River Glen, and Wichland Woods in Keene, NH.

Most of the service experiences offered are day trips, however, once a semester there usually is an overnight service option.

For more information about the OVE program at Saint Michael's College or to find out how you can get involved, please contact Mike Brown '14.

Special Events

Special Events is a program that encompasses numerous and varying service opportunities. The Special Events program coordinates on-campus blood drives with the American Red Cross, raises funds for local benefit walks to support COTS (Committee on Temporary Shelter) as well as other organizations. The Special Events program also holds an annual Serve-A-Thon seasonally, as well as hosting new student apple picking in the fall. Volunteers can help in a wide variety of ways. Below are descriptions of each of the program’s events.

New Student Apple Picking

At the beginning of the fall semester, Special Events puts on one of its most popular events, new student apple picking. On one Saturday at the beginning of the semester, new student volunteers sign up to pick apples at a local orchard, and then donate the apples to the Chittenden County Emergency Food Shelf. Students depart from Saint Michael's by provided transportation. This is a great opportunity to meet fellow first-year students as well as provide fresh produce to those who rarely get fresh Vermont apples.

CROP Walk

This walk takes place in the fall semester. The CROP walk is an annual walk sponsored by the Church World Service to raise money and awareness about hunger in the United States and in the local community. Saint Michael's students can volunteer their time by walking through downtown Burlington or by helping to raise money for this organization. Transportation is provided and students are able to sign up on the MOVE board a few weeks ahead.

American Red Cross Blood Drives

Three blood drives are put on throughout the academic year - one in the fall semester and two in the spring semester. These last for the entire day. Students can volunteer in a variety of ways. Blood donors are always needed and appreciated by the American Red Cross. If students to not wish or are unable to donate blood they can volunteer to be a donor aid, help work the registration table, or work at the canteen station. Sign-ups are posted on the MOVE board the week before the blood drives.

Vermont Family Walk/Roll-a-thon

This annual fundraising event takes place usually in the middle of the spring semester. Students can help the Vermont Family Network by participating in bi-weekly meetings to plan the actual event. If students are looking for a shorter volunteer opportunity, they are encouraged to raise money and create walking teams for the actual event. Students can also volunteer their time by running one of the children’s arts and activity tables, food tables or the registration table. This is a great event that helps local families and is a lot of fun! It takes place right on campus at the Ross Sports Center.

Serve-a-thon

This is an annual spring semester event. It is a chance for the Saint Michael’s College community to come together and dedicate a day to service. This event usually lasts about four hours. During this time, students are split up into different events and go out into the community and volunteer in a variety of ways. Transportation and lunch are provided for. Sign-ups are located on the MOVE board prior to the actual event.

COTS Walk

This event takes place towards the end of the spring semester. It is a final chance for students to volunteer their time before the school year is over. Students are asked to either raise money for the COTS organization or to just come to the event and show their support for by walking in this annual walk. Transportation is provided and students are able to sign up on the MOVE board.

For more information about the Saint Michael's College volunteer program dealing with Special Events, feel free to contact Jacob Pelletier '14.