UMass Students Ready to Volunteer on Mass Impact Day Set for Oct. 5

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Hundreds of UMass students, faculty and staff are set to participate in the 7th annual Mass Impact Day of Service from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 5. Students will volunteer with local organizations or lead community service efforts to make a difference in the Pioneer Valley.

The one-day event gives students an opportunity to contribute their time, talent and energy to a host of organizations and projects. The day also gives students a chance to learn more about the communities UMass is part of and about the importance of giving back.

Student volunteers from more than 20 organizations will be performing different types of service. Some examples are helping Pioneer Valley Habitat for Humanity build a home in Northampton, mulching and weeding flower beds at the Ronald McDonald House in Springfield, fall garden clean-up and patio furniture staining at Cancer Connection in Northampton, seasonal farm work with Gardening the Community in Springfield, school yard clean-up and planting perennials at Pelham Elementary in Pelham, painting the interior of cabins at Camp Lewis Perkins in South Hadley and clean-up of tobacco waste materials on the UMass Amherst campus.

For community partners, it’s an opportunity to mobilize student volunteers for projects large and small. In previous years, community partners have worked with as few as one and as many as 80 student-volunteers on projects. Additionally, the event allows community partners to teach students about the importance of their work and perhaps forge ongoing relationships.

Mass Impact Day is sponsored by the Office of Student Activities and Involvement, a division of Student Affairs and Campus Life at UMass Amherst.

To participate in Mass Impact Day as a student-volunteer, a community partner, or to propose a project, contact Scott Bocchio at sbocchio@sacl.umass.edu.