Civic Engagement & Service
Civic Engagement and Service (CES) at Santa Fe College promotes community involvement and civic participation through campus-community partnerships, student leadership opportunities, service projects, volunteer networking events, public forums, and social advocacy. Through CES, students can find personalized guidance and resources to empower themselves and their community and create a more just and equitable world.
Volunteer work
Days For Girls
Days for Girls is a nonprofit organization which has reached more than 1.7 million women and girls in more than 125 countries with DfG kits and menstrual health education. Many women and girls in developing countries stop doing their basic activities such as going to school when they get their first menstruation because of a lack of resources.
During my time working with days for girls, I have the opportunity to build and assamble the menstrual kits that are later send to these countries.
Grace Marketplace
Grace Marketplace is a nonprofit institution that offers various services to homeless people such as shelter, education, and food.
During my time volunteering at Grace Marketplace, I had the opportunity to work at its Cafe 131, preparing, cooking, and serving food to those in need. This experience helped me to participate in the Gainesville community.
House of Hope is a religious nonprofit organization that provides shelter and education to men and women whose lives have been devastated by crime, drugs and alcohol.
During my time at House of Hope, I had the opportunity to learn the stories of each house member. We worked with an ex convict, and help him to create an email account and to write its resume and a presentation letter for a job application.
House of Hope
Lutheran Social Services
Lutheran Social Services is located in Jacksonville, Fl. It serves children and families, youth and teens, adults and elderly, refugees and immigrants, and victims of natural disasters through various programs ranging from substance abuse and mental health to education.
A group of students volunteer during spring break in the Lutheran Social Services. It was a life-changing experience. We helped building the furniture for the houses of incoming refugees, we provided tutoring to kids that are adapting to the American school system, and we restock and serve food through a program that works as a food pantry for those in need.
Alachua County Human Society
The Alachua County Human Society is a nonprofitable organization that focuses on pet rescue. The shelter provides food and house to many animals. After the animals are educated and up-to-date with vaccines, they are adopted.
At the Alachua County Human Society, I had the opportunity to work with dogs and cats on their training. Furthermore, we helped cleaning the cages and plates of the animals.
Santa Fe River Cleanup
The Santa Fe River houses a rich diversity of plants and animals. In the last years the river has been threatened because of human activity that contaminates it. Therefore, a group of Santa Fe students each year go to the river and clean any waste that might endanger the lives of the ecological diversity. We cleaned and appreciated the importance of the Santa Fe River.
Wish Upon a Star
Each year the Santa Fe College participates in Wish Upon a Star christmas presents collection. Santa Fe students and faculty pick one of the candidates of the project that are children living in poverty. The project focuses in bringing joy to the families during holidays. I was able to collect funds for the gifts, buy them, and give them to the foundation.
Bread of the Mighty Food Bank
Bread of the Mighty Food Bank is a non-profit organization whose goals is to fight hunger. It collaborates with supermarkets, restaurants and others to provide free food to those in need. While volunteering in this institution, we collected and separate by date of expiration donations. We also restock the food pantry.
Volunteer and Disability Awareness Fair
The volunteer fair at Santa Fe College which is hold every semester is a great place to find new volunteer opportunities and learn from others. During each volunteer fair or event, I was able to table for the CES club and help with the organization of the event. We helped the presenters and the speakers.
Card Creation Station for Veterans
During club rush in Santa Fe College the CES club organizes a card creation station that allows students to design and paint cards that are later send to veterans. During this activity, I was able to organize and help students.
Operation Reach Out
Because of the pandemic and social distancing measurements, volunteer opportunities decreased. Nevertheless, Santa Fe College focused on helping its student to overcome the anxiety and difficulty of the transition from in-person classes to online classes. The Operation Reach Out was created to provide a support to all Santa Fe students. I volunteer making phone calls to students to see how were they doing and to help them in anything they need.
