Service Opportunities

What

Students, staff, and faculty who want to perform service, but are unable to make a semester-long commitment, have the opportunity to participate in a half-day of service at a local organization.

When

Every month during the school year, Civic Engagement sponsors at least one opportunity for service. Transportation is provided to and from the service site.

How

Civic Engagement student coordinators typically plan and organize these one-day service events, and they are always open to suggestions from Bryn Mawr or the broader community.

Questions? Contact Amanda Moser-Shick at amosershic@brynmawr.edu.

Adelante is a STEM-focused college-bound program that works with middle school students and their parents from the Norristown Area School District. Through this program, students engage in college-prep workshops and STEM-related activities to develop the necessary skills to become competitive college applicants and graduates.

Where

The majority of sessions take place at ACLAMO Family Centers in Norristown on Saturday mornings between 10 a.m. and noon and occasionally on Friday evenings from 5 to 7 p.m.

Weekly Meetings

Bryn Mawr College volunteers meet weekly for an hour to plan and prepare each Adelante session. Each volunteer is asked to make a commitment of one academic year.

Skills

Throughout the program, volunteers will have the opportunity to develop:

• Strong public speaking and presentation skills
• Experience working with school-aged children
• Ability to plan, organize, and facilitate activities
• Interest or background in STEM disciplines

Fluency in Spanish and eligibility to become van certified is a plus!

Questions? Contact Amanda Moser-Shick at amosershic@brynmawr.edu.

Ardmore Community Tutoring: ACT

Ardmore Community Tutoring (ACT) is an America Counts and America Reads federally funded work-study program developed as a partnership between Civic Engagement and the local community through the Spring Avenue Generational Educational Services (SAGES) and Zion Baptist Church in Ardmore, Pa. 

What

The program helps elementary, middle, and high school students improve their reading and math skills. In addition to providing homework help, it empowers children through academic enrichment and actively engages them in their own education.

Where

Tutors assigned to ACT will work one-on-one with one or two tutees who live in the Ardmore community area and attend elementary or middle schools in the Lower Merion and Haverford Township School Districts.

When

Four to six hours per week.

How

There are many different ways to spend a tutoring session, but the primary focus is on working with the child to complete their homework. Following homework time, the tutor plans activities for each session in advance. 

Questions? Contact Ellie Esmond, eesmond@brynmawr.edu.

What

Bryn Mawr Buddies is a volunteer program that matches international students from Bryn Mawr College with immigrant elementary school students who speak the same language as they do. Volunteers assist their little buddies to adjust to school life in the U.S. Recent volunteers spoke Chinese, Korean, and Turkish.

Where

Merion Elementary School.

When

From Monday to Friday. Students can volunteer for as much time as possible, usually an hour or more each week.

How

Volunteers mentor their little buddies by being a positive influence as they join them in class, on the playground and for other school activities. Join us if you speak Chinese, Korean, Turkish, or Japanese!

Questions? Contact Amanda Moser-Shick at amosershic@brynmawr.edu.

Learn more about the BMC Garden! Feel free to stop by the garden anytime to harvest and/or help weed.

What

The Greens Garden Committee founded the Bryn Mawr Community Garden in the spring of 2010. Since then, we have successfully grown a variety of fruits and vegetables, such as lettuce, onions, spinach, corn, pumpkin, bok choy, squash, watermelon, turnips, celery, tomatoes, blueberries, and herbs.

Where

The Garden is located in the plot between the New Dorm Dining Hall and the Wyndham Alumnae House parking lot.

When

The garden committee organizes harvesting and planting days each semester, during which students are encouraged to volunteer. Students can drop by and help out anytime during garden work days!

How

Much of our produce is used in dishes in the New Dorm Dining Hall, Wyndham Alumnae House restaurant, and Batten House, and we encourage those who use our produce to be involved with the planning and maintenance of the garden. We also organize gardening events on campus and coordinate with other clubs on campus to host events and share resources.

Questions? Contact Amanda Moser-Shick at amosershic@brynmawr.edu.

Bryn Mawr College has a long-standing partnership with Overbrook Elementary School. Under the school's guidance, BMC student volunteers provide art instruction once a week to classrooms for an entire semester.

What

The Overbrook Arts Program is a source of arts education for children at Overbrook Elementary School. Volunteers and Coordinators make weekly trips to the school, providing a one-hour art class to different elementary classrooms. The coordinators plan projects, and the volunteers help the children make crafts by handing out supplies, answering questions, spending time with the children, and doing the project alongside them. Volunteers don’t need any previous experience with teaching or making art.

Where

Overbrook Elementary School, 2032 N 62nd St, Philadelphia, PA 19151. BMC student volunteers travel to the Overbrook Elementary School in a College van.

When

Fridays from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m.

You Should Know

Volunteers are asked to commit to this program for the semester and, ideally, for the entire academic year. All volunteers must also provide background clearances and an FBI fingerprinting report. Civic Engagement will cover the costs of the fingerprinting report. A mandatory training and orientation session will also be for all new and returning volunteers.

Contacts

Student coordinators: overbrookartprogram.bmc@gmail.com

Staff supervisor: Amanda Moser-Shick, amosershic@brynmawr.edu

The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program recruits volunteers to work with CADCOM, an agency in Norristown, PA with a mission "to mobilize the human and financial resources of Montgomery County by initiating, developing and administering community and economic development programs designed to provide the tools needed to achieve self-sufficiency."

To learn more about VITA and how you can become involved, contact Ellie Esmond at eesmond@brynmawr.edu.

Where

Bryn Mawr College has been partnering with CADCOM since 2004 to help provide free tax-services to Norristown residents through the IRS-sponsored EITC-VITA program.

When

Bryn Mawr College volunteers are trained during the fall semester and complete an IRS tax certification program over winter break. Volunteering begins in late-January and continues through mid-April. 

How

In 2014-2015, 25 students volunteered with VITA performing 2,583 hours of service as tax preparers. Volunteers prepared 1,150 tax returns for Montgomery County residents, yielding total refunds in excess of $1,780,000. When adjusted for the savings on tax preparation services — since VITA tax preparation is a free service—and the federal community economic multiplier (1.59), our VITA site had a positive economic impact of $2,870,000 on the lower income residents of the greater Norristown region.

Questions? Contact Amanda Moser-Shick at amosershic@brynmawr.edu.

In celebration and recognition of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s life and legacy, organizations across the region and the county are participating in a day of service and learning. Join one of the opportunities below or connect with a local organization in your neighborhood.

Virtual Celebration of the Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. 

• The Main Line Martin Luther King Association, in conjunction with Bryn Mawr College, will hold its virtual celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s legacy on Sunday, Jan. 14, 2024, at 3 p.m. The program includes a Welcome by President Kimberly Wright Cassidy and a Keynote address by Joi Dallas, Assistant Dean for Intercultural Engagement.  

• Learn more and access the event link here.

Greater Philadelphia Martin Luther King Day of Service 

• The Greater Philadelphia Martin Luther King Day of Service, the largest King Day event in the nation, and Global Citizen, promotes year-round volunteer service and civic engagement. Local organizations across the region are hosting service and civic engagement opportunities and include a wide variety of issues.  

• Find an opportunity that matches your interests and availability on their website.    

African American Museum in Philadelphia 

• In honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. and through the generosity of Citizens, the African American Museum is hosting a weekend of activities, including performances, meaningful discussions, family activities, and access to exhibits. This year’s theme, "Shifting the Cultural Climate," illuminates our need to be change agents in confronting a culture of violence and injustice and celebrates the power of the individual and the collective to inspire change for their communities and the next generation while embracing love for our community, humanity, and ourselves. 

• Learn more about these events and reserve your museum entry on the organization’s website.   

Bethel AME Church of Ardmore: A History of the Civil Rights Act, a virtual teach-in 

• Participate in a morning of virtual teach-ins in observance and recognition of Martin Luther King, Jr. Sessions will include 9:00 am - A Historical Perspective of the Civil Rights Act from 1866 to 1964 (Presenter: Dr. Anthony Johnson); 10:00 am - Housing: Tangled Titles (Presenter: Charles Burrows); 11:00 am – Health Inequalities: The Impact of Structural Racism on People and Communities (Presenter: Rev. Dr. Miriam Burnett); and noon – Black Maternal Health and a Call To Action! (Presenter: Jamiylah Miller, M.Ed – Montco Mamas). 

• Learn more and access the event link here.   

Interfaith Philadelphia 

• Join Interfaith Philadelphia in partnership with Gesu School, St. Joe’s Prep, and others for a day of service honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The morning’s program will include service activities and discussions around social justice and gun violence.  

• Monday, January 15 – 9:00 am – 12:00 pm, Interfaith Philadelphia 

• For more information or to register, Contact River Mason: rm@interfaithphiladelphia.org 

Beth Am Israel 

• Join Beth Am Israel in meaningful hands-on service projects for all ages and engaging conversations around the Civil Rights Act. Events include hands-on service projects and Live Learning Opportunities at BAI in Ardmore.  

• Learn about the variety of events and opportunities on their website.  

Educational and Community Resources

Will you spend MLK Day of Service reading about Dr. King’s approach to community service and activism? Deepening your understanding of social justice theory? Reflecting with your favorite activist poetry? Consider buying your books at a local Black-owned bookstore: 

Uncle Bobbie’s Coffee & Books

 www.unclebobbies.com and bookshop.org/shop/unclebobbies  

“Uncle Bobbie’s Coffee & Books is a coffee shop and bookstore located in the heart of the Germantown section of Philadelphia. Founded by Marc Lamont Hill in 2017, Uncle Bobbie’s was created to provide underserved communities with access to books and a space where everyone feels valued. In addition to our specially curated book selection, we also serve high-quality coffee, food products, and other items like apparel and children’s games. We are also a community space with free author talks and dozens of other events, including weekly story time for kids and back-to-school drives.” 

Harriett’s Bookshop | harriettsbookshop.com and bookshop.org/shop/harriettsbookshop 

“Named for historical heroine Harriet Tubman, our mission celebrates women authors, artists, and activists.”  Harriett’s Bookshop is located on Girard Avenue in the Fishtown neighborhood of Philadelphia. 

Dr. King: In His Own Words

Spend time meditating on Dr. King’s many powerful messages by listening to recordings of his famous speeches: Five of Martin Luther King Jr.’s Most Memorable Speeches, compiled by PBS. Or explore The King Papers, “a comprehensive collection of Dr. King’s most significant correspondence, sermons, speeches, published writings, and unpublished manuscripts” compiled by Stanford University at the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Research and Education Institute.   

Additional Resources 

• The King Center 
• Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Biography 
• Volunteer Match—an online hub for finding volunteer opportunities across the U.S. 

Questions about these events? Contact Amanda Moser-Shick at amosershic@brynmawr.edu.