Nearly 1,300 Johns Hopkins students, faculty, and staff turned out on Oct. 11 to assist Baltimore nonprofits on the annual President's Day of Service. It marked the largest turnout of volunteers in the history of the event, which was established in 2009 by President Ronald J. Daniels.
"This day is about impact—the collective impact that our students, faculty, staff, and community partners can make on our city," Daniels says. "Baltimore is our home, and it's essential for us to do our part. Hopefully this day sparks a lifetime of community engagement for our students."
Activities at the nearly four dozen locations included planting trees at Wyman Park Dell, painting at the 29th Street Community Center, gardening at the Baltimore Animal Rescue and Care Shelter, weeding at the Charles North Co-Op Garden, removing debris in the Stony Run Stream Valley, and preparing meals for the homeless at the Weinberg Housing and Resource Center
The volunteers included nearly 500 first-year students and more than 200 athletes. Provost Robert C. Lieberman; Ed Schlesinger, dean of the Whiting School; and Beverly Wendland, interim dean of the Krieger School, were also among the volunteers. Daniels and his wife, Joanne Rosen, visited two sites, including the 29th Street Community Center, where they painted alongside students.
The President's Day of Service is organized by the Johns Hopkins Center for Social Concern and funded by the Johns Hopkins Parents Fund.
Coinciding with the event was a similar effort in East Baltimore, where representatives of the schools of Medicine, Nursing, and Public Health volunteered with several organizations, including Project PLASE, the Living Classrooms Foundation, and Yo! Baltimore. Also, Johns Hopkins Alumni Association chapters across the country took part in service projects in their cities.
The Peabody Institute conducted a day of service on Oct. 19.
