This summer holds the potential to make an impact on the Tuscaloosa community through the numerous volunteering opportunities available throughout the city.
The Boys and Girls Club of Tuscaloosa is an after-school club that has been present in the Tuscaloosa community for 49 years and provides a place for children to play and learn. Over the summer, they provide a day camp for the children in the community.
The Boys and Girls Club provides services for about 130 kids over the summer, which is a much larger group than they serve during the school year. Ellis Taylor, the community service director at the Boys and Girls Club said volunteers are always needed.
“We are looking for volunteers that are goal-oriented, positive, relatable and who can set an example for the kids,” Taylor said.
Taylor also said college students often make good role models for the young students at the Boy and Girls Club.
The University of Alabama offers volunteering opportunities through the Community Service Center, which is located on the third floor of the Ferguson Center. This resource provides many volunteering opportunities in Tuscaloosa, as well as throughout the state.
Through the Community Service Center one can also find out about SL Pro, a service learning website that connects students and faculty to volunteer opportunities in Tuscaloosa.
Once a profile on SL Pro is created, one can find new volunteering opportunities in his or her area of interest using a search button that narrows down the options and also tracks the number of hours volunteered.
Browsing through a variety of service projects taking place in many locations is also possible on SL Pro. Projects include river clean-ups, an alternative interim service trip to Chicago, Meals on Wheels and volunteering with senior citizens.
Kayla Rhodes, the Alternative Break assistant director at the Community Service Center, is active in the volunteering community.
“Students benefit from volunteering because they connect with the community on a different level,” Rhodes said. “Serving others is a very humbling experience and allows the students to open their eyes to the real world around them.”
Rhodes has helped with numerous projects throughout Tuscaloosa, including helping build the Habitat for Humanity house in the spring. Rhodes also took part in an alternative spring break trip to Chicago, where she volunteered at a homeless shelter, as well as at an after-school program in the inner city.
Rhodes participates in volunteer activities throughout the year and said she believes more people need to volunteer during the summer months.
“I think it is important for college students to continue volunteering over the summer, because the need for service doesn’t end with the school year,” Rhodes said.
