More than 600 Cal State San Bernardino students, joined by faculty and staff members, volunteered for 17 local non-profits and community centers for the fourth annual CSUSB Coyote Cares Day on April 16 as part of National Volunteer Week.
This year’s volunteer day had special meaning for the university, said CSUSB President Tomás D. Morales, who dedicated it to the city of San Bernardino and its people in the wake of the horrific terrorist shooting Dec. 2 at the Inland Regional Center in San Bernardino, where 14 were killed and 21 others were wounded.
“This is an important event for our university as we actively demonstrate our commitment to service to San Bernardino and its residents,” said Morales in addressing the students at a breakfast kick-off rally.
“We are all acutely aware that Dec. 2, 2015, was a difficult day in San Bernardino, when the acts of a few tragically impacted the lives of many,” Morales said. “Today, we show the world that we are ‘SB Strong’ by demonstrating our unity and care for this community through service.
Morales and his wife, Evy, joined the many volunteers who worked at various locations in in environmental clean-up, beautification and restoration projects.
The volunteers completed more than 2,400 hours of service work, said Diane Podolske, director of the university’s Office of Community Engagement. The locations were CSUSB volunteers lent a hand included:
- Central City Lutheran Mission
- Family Service Association of Redlands
- Generation Now
- Helping Hands Pantry – Redlands Garden
- Helping Hands Pantry – San Bernardino Warehouse
- Incredible Edible Community Garden
- Mary's Mercy Center Inc., Mary's Table
- Northeast Sterling and Belvedere Neighborhood Association
- Option House
- Salvation Army – Emergency Shelter
- San Bernardino City Mission
- San Bernardino Neighborhood Association – Wildwood Park
- SOAR Charter Academy
- S. Forest Service – Lytle Creek Ranger Station
- Veteran's Exploration Garden in San Bernardino and
- Wildwood Park Neighborhood Association
Work was also done on campus as students, alumni and faculty boxed non-perishable food for needy families for the Community Action Partnership of San Bernardino County, Podolske said.
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, Alumni Relations and Sodexo all supported the annual event.
Visit the CSUSB Office of Community Engagement website, or call (909) 537-7483, for more information on Coyote Cares Day and other community projects.
About California State University, San Bernardino: Set in the foothills of the beautiful San Bernardino Mountains, Cal State San Bernardino is a preeminent center of intellectual and cultural activity in inland Southern California. Celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2015-2016, CSUSB serves more than 20,000 students each year and graduates about 4,000 students annually. 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.