About 675 CSUSB students, faculty, staff and alumni volunteered at local community centers, schools and at the Coyote Den for the 5th annual CSUSB Coyote Cares Day on April 29 as part of National Volunteer Week.

Coyote Cares Day is a day of volunteer service in area communities that provides CSUSB students with an understanding of the work of nonprofit organizations, and engages the students by giving them the opportunity to provide services to disadvantaged residents, said Diane Podolske, director of the university’s Office of Community Engagement.

The CSUSB volunteers participated in environmental clean-up, beautification and restoration projects and completed more than 3,000 hours of service work. At the Coyote Den, about 100 of the volunteers packed more than more than 1,000 boxes of food totaling more than 17,000 pounds, said Brandon Romano, program manager for the Food Bank of San Bernardino County.

“It’s fantastic to have the volunteers all committed to make a difference especially to be able to get a large army from Cal State San Bernardino to come together to be able to pack and make a difference,” Romano said.

Some of the places where Coyote Cares volunteers will be in the city of San Bernardino include:

  • Central City Lutheran Mission;
  • Helping Hands Pantry – San Bernardino Warehouse;
  • Northeast Sterling and Belvedere Neighborhood Association;
  • Option House;
  • SOAR Charter Academy;
  • Salvation Army – Emergency Shelter;
  • San Bernardino City Mission;
  • Terrace West Neighborhood Association;
  • Pioneer Cemetery; and
  • Wildwood Park Neighborhood Association.

The university’s Office of Community Engagement, Associated Students, Inc., Office of Student Engagement, Recreation and Wellness, the Office of Special Events and Guest Services and Sodexo are all supporting the annual event.

Visit the CSUSB Office of Community Engagement website, or call at (909) 537-7483 for more information on Coyote Cares Day and other community projects.

For more information about Cal State San Bernardino, contact the university’s Office of Strategic Communication at (909) 537-5007 and visit news.csusb.edu.