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Notre Dame Club of Greater Cincinnati

Community Service Committee

Notre Dame’s three core values of Faith, Learning and Service form the foundation of the Club’s efforts in connecting our alumni with the University, our communities, and one another.

Here in Cincinnati we are blessed with a long history of Community Service, and we have been nationally-recognized by the Alumni Association for the breadth and depth of our program.

 

Currently, the Committee spearheads the following events and activities:

• Tender Mercies. On the second Sunday of each month, we prepare and serve meals for the residents.
• Quarterly Service Projects. Each quarter, a different project is selected for our alumni to do some manual labor. From general clean-up, to leaf-raking, to gutter cleaning, to painting and other basic efforts, we are able to assist other nonprofit organizations, as well as the elderly and those unable to maintain the outsides of their homes.
• Prince of Peace. We support this local CISE elementary school by assisting in fundraising, sending teachers to Notre Dame’s Excellence in Teaching program, tutoring students, providing enrichment opportunities, giving assistance to parents in financial or legal matters, and yes…more manual labor.
• Kids Against Hunger. Our annual effort to support the poor in Haiti involves raising $12,500 and providing 200 volunteers to help package 50,000 meals—each of which provides one day’s nutrition for a child.
• Urban Plunge. Each January, we host between 8-12 students for two days in which they are immersed in inner-city activities. These include Mass at a parish, serving food, working with children, meeting with community activists and church organizations, and learning and writing about their experiences.
• Summer Service Learning Program. We sponsor scholarships for one or two students each summer to work at LeBlond Boys and Girls Club. Students earn a stipend, receive college credit, and provide immeasurable support and enthusiasm to the kids they serve.
• Hesburgh Month of Service.Each May, we hold a number of activities around the city where alumni and families can sample ways to serve the community. We’re always looking for new activities and people to staff them.

 

Plans for 2011-12 include:

• Expansion of the Tender Mercies concept, to provide meals in one or two other Cincinnati-area locations.
• Increasing the number of volunteers in each current activity.
• Working on a “build” for Habitat, tentatively scheduled for November 12.
• Developing a relationship with Big Brothers/Big Sisters to determine what kinds of support our members can provide them.
• Providing service activities as a component of most of our other Club events, where possible.

 

What can YOU do to participate?

Alumni, family and friends are encouraged to join in one or more of the above. Most are family-friendly, many require as little as a couple of hours, and all are fun and provide valuable services to those in our communities (local and worldwide) who truly need our help.

In addition, if you are involved with and passionate about other service opportunities, we can certainly add to the list of our service opportunities…if you’re willing to chair the effort, we can provide the support and help turn out volunteers.

Please contact Paul Dillenburger (dillenburger@alumni.nd.edu, 677-2226) or Nick Schrantz (nickmegschrantz@aol.com, 791-6496) any time!

 

“Service to our community is a hallmark of an ND education.”