Service Opportunities

Get Involved with Campus Ministry

Campus Ministry encourages all students to stop by to simply say a prayer or hello and to engage in any way possible. With local, global, and even virtual options students can engage in various collaborative leadership and service opportunities at Marywood University and beyond.

Alternative Break Service Trips

Service: For over 20 years, Marywood has partnered with service organizations across the country and the globe to extend a helping hand and bring hope to people who need it the most.

Education: Participants prepare for each trip by thinking critically about poverty, social concern, peace, justice, diversity and current topics. When students return from a trip, they give both formal and informal presentations about their experiences and newfound understanding.

Culture: Through food, music, language, dance and recreation, every destination becomes an adventure!

Leadership & Teamwork: Student leaders support, motivate and educate all participants work together to challenge themselves, take risks, communicate, build trust and grow more committed to working for social justice.

Faith & Values: No matter what faith tradition to which you belong, serving others can be an expression of the religious and personal values we share in common. Reflection, discussion, and prayer are integral aspects of service trips that allow us to connect in meaningful ways to grow in knowledge, respect and unity with one another.

Fun: Service trips are about building relationships, self-discovery, skill-building, reaching goals and learning something new. And when you do it all while serving others, what could be more fun?

MORE INFORMATION FOR CURRENT STUDENTS

Service Trip Expectations

  • Submit a complete application
  • Be interviewed by trip coordinators
  • Pay a non-refundable fee Participate in fundraisers
  • Attend group meetings and activities before, during and after the trip
  • Participate actively in reflection, prayer and service Have an open mind Be your best self and have fun!

Questions & Contact

Stop in the Office of Service-Learning and Community Service, Swartz Center for Spiritual Life.

(570) 961-4593 | alternativebreak@m.marywood.edu

Rice Bowls

Pray, Fast, Learn, Give: Pick up a Rice Bowl in any Campus Eatery or outside the Marian Chapel. Look for donation bowls around campus! Donations will be sent to Catholic Relief Services for people in need overseas and at home.

All donations will be sent to Catholic Relief Services to fight hunger and poverty around the world. Thank you for helping our most vulnerable brothers and sisters during this Lenten season.

Visit CRS.org

KIDSTUFF

This annual mini-carnival is for children ages 4-8 who are served by United Neighborhood Centers and Friends of the Poor. The children are invited to campus for an afternoon of games, activities, entertainment, and food. Nearly 25 student clubs and organizations sponsor games and activities, and up to 100 student volunteers assist with food and become the the children’s “buddies” for the afternoon.

Easter Baskets: Campus Ministry sponsors an Easter basket collection during Lent. Baskets filled with tags for children of all ages are displayed in:

  • Regina Hall
  • Nazareth Student Center
  • McGowan Center

Anyone interested in putting together an Easter basket for a local child should take a tag, prepare a basket with candy or other age-appropriate items, and leave the basket at Campus Ministry by the specified deadline. Easter baskets are donated to Friends of the Poor.

Project SMILE

Spread Marywood’s love by doing random acts of kindness.

  • Writing cards/notes for essential workers, nursing home residents, housekeeping staff, kids in the hospital, etc.
  • Leaving positive sticky notes, making bubbles, sending thank you notes and happy sidewalk chalk anytime!

Email via@m.marywood.edu to be a part of this effort.

Pacer PantryPacer+Pantry+Logo_cbt.jpg.png

Food pantry for students and staff located at the rear of Emmanuel Hall. Stock shelves, take inventory, and clean.

PacerPantry@marywood.edu

Learn More

Marywood Heights Residence

Connect with seniors living at Marywood Heights by sending them a note or letter, entertaining them outside of their windows or participating in a virtual group chat on a specific topic or virtual group activity. Be creative! C

Contact Lisa Blaker to discuss appropriate ways to connect at lblaker@marywoodheights.org

Weeding the Wetlands

Clear overgrown vegetation on the environmental grounds at the IHM Center, on the road past Marywood’s gym.

Email Sr. Donna Korba, korbad@sistersofihm.org.

Fair Trade Coffee

Fair Trade Coffee is available year-round in Campus Ministry.

Our coffee comes from San Lucas Mission in Guatemala, where our students have gone on service trips and helped pick coffee beans.

Volunteers in Action (VIA)

Volunteers in Action (VIA) is a club for students interested in community and on-campus service. Students gather with others who have similar interests,  learn about and sign up for service opportunities, and assist with planning events sponsored by the club. Everyone is welcome.

President: Angelina Balestino

Vice President: Megan Stanton

Secretary: Paige Zona

Advisor: Amy Fotta

Contact via@m.marywoood.edu to get involved or complete our form.

Food Recovery Network

7 Days a Week
Monday-Friday: 8 a.m.-9 a.m., Weekends 11:30 a.m.
All Dining Locations to St. Francis Soup Kitchen

Join the largest student movement against hunger in changing the norm from food waste to food recovery. Address food insecurity by delivering leftover food from campus to the St Francis of Assisi food pantry.

Volunteers needed. Contact frn@m.marywood.edu to get involved.

Food Recovery Network Video

FRN Daily Sign UP Sheet

FRN Pick Up Instruction Sheet

Big Friends/Little Friends

Children need mentors to help them become the best they can be. Help with homework and plan fun activities.

Contact bflf@m.marywood.edu or sign up in Campus Ministry to get involved.

Blood Donor Ambassador: Volunteer with the Red Cross at blood drives by greeting donors, taking their temperature, and providing support. Email Grace Palmer at gparecruitment@redcross.org or apply to volunteer here.  

Transportation Specialist: Volunteer with the Red Cross and drive donations from blood drives to their labs, and from storage facilities to hospitals throughout their community. Email Grace Palmer at gparecruitment@redcross.org or apply to volunteer here. 

Girls on the Run: Coach a small group of 3rd-5th grade girls in developing important life skills and healthy habits. Begins in mid-March, once or twice a week, for 10 weeks. The program ends in mid-May with a celebratory 5k. Email Dolores, dolores.everett@girlsontherun.org

CEO Weinberg Food Bank: Pack food for distribution to local families. Volunteer shifts are Monday - Friday, 9am-Noon & 1pm-4pm and Saturdays 9am-noon. The food packing address (near Pittston) will be shared upon registration. To sign up your club, team or group, email Grace Nava: gnava@ceopeoplehelpingpeople.org

United Neighborhood Center: Sort and stock food at Angel’s Attic food pantry. Contact the Community Services Director at 570-343-8835

Lackawanna River Heritage Trail: Help with trail clean-ups, office support, and more. Email Owen, oworozbyt@LHVA.org, or call 570-963-6730.

Keystone Mission: Assist with the intake, sorting, and distribution of clothes, Tuesdays from 10am-2:30pm, and the first and third Friday of each month, 10am-2:30pm. Help distribute food, Thursdays 10am-2:30pm. Contact Catherine Ashley, volunteer@keystonemission.org, or 570-871-4795, ext. 408.

NEPA Youth Shelter: Assist teens with virtual school, weekdays, 8 a.m.-3 p.m., and an afterschool program 3-6 p.m. PA Child Abuse History Clearance, PA Police Criminal Record Check, FBI Criminal Background Check required. Email Maureen Gray, nepayouthshelter@gmail.com

Meals on Wheels of NEPA: Over 500 meals are delivered each day throughout Lackawanna County and this would be impossible without wonderful volunteers!   Meals are delivered Monday through Friday, usually between 10 am and noon. Most routes take about an hour, and you'd be delivering meals to approximately 10-15 homes. Deliver as little or as often as you’d like! Call us today at 570-346-2421 to learn more! Or click here to sign up.

St. Cats and Dogs: We rely 100% on committed, dedicated, and diligent volunteers to fulfill our mission of improving the lives of animals in the Scranton area. Contact: 570-604-4008, Email: stcatsanddogsscranton@gmail.com Facebook Page: St. Cats & Dogs of Nay Aug Zoo

  • Cat care: feeding, cleaning cages, etc. (MOST needed and most common assignment!)
  • Housekeeping: laundry, sweeping, mopping, etc.
  • Event helper: hanging signs, set-up/clean-up, serving, etc.
  • Fundraising

Eastern Pennsylvania Coalition for Abandoned Mine Reclamation (EPCAMR): Volunteers help clean up local areas of land affected by past mining practices. Visit http://epcamr.org/home/

Disaster Action Team: Volunteer with the Red Cross and provide support virtually to residents who have experienced a home fire. Email Grace Palmer at gparecruitment@redcross.org or apply to volunteer here. 

Big Friends Little Friends: Remotely support local students in grades 1-5 with school supplies and notes and cards of encouragement. Email bflf@m.marywood.edu

STARS Program: STARS (Students Together Achieving Remarkable Success) needs student volunteers to virtually tutor and mentor middle school and high school students for one hour a week. While the STARS Program’s focus is on Latinx youth, the program is open to all students in grades 7 through 12, regardless of race, color, and national and ethnic origin. You do not need to speak Spanish or be an expert in any specific subject. If you are interested or would like more information, please email Jenny Gonzalez Monge at jkgonzalezmonge@maryu.marywood.edu. 

Boys and Girls Club Virtual Volunteers: Volunteers are asked to make a 5 minute video for kids. Topics can include field of expertise, read a short story, tell a joke, do an art project, perform an exercise or make a healthy snack. Learn more and sign up here.

St. Joseph’s Center: Provide an educational talk/session via zoom on: healthy relationships, meal planning on a budget, healthy eating habits/nutrition/balanced diet, exercise plans, coping with stress, hazards of smoking, 2nd/3rd hand smoke illnesses, quitting, yoga, meditation/relaxation techniques, positive approaches to negative children’s negative behavior. View more info and respond here

St. Joseph’s Center: Record videos of interesting experiences, such as tutorials or unique opportunities. Due to current restrictions, Day Program clients are unable to engage in the special interest groups, such as fishing and cultural groups, that they were partaking in prior to the pandemic. Volunteers can video record the activity, or take still photos and edit creatively, or pass it along to the Community Outreach Coordinator, Jeanne, who can edit as well. View more info and respond here.

United Neighborhood Center: Virtually deliver a 20-30 minute presentation on a leadership topic, as part of UNC’s Immigrant Leadership Education and Development Program, any Wednesday, starting at 6 p.m. View more info and respond here.

Learn to Serve

Becoming informed about justice issues promotes understanding and action. Learning may be counted as service hours. 

Resources to learn more about important topics. »

When logging hours on the summary form, log the time you spent learning and type a comment about something that struck you or was memorable about what you saw or heard.

Catholic Volunteer Network

A directory of full-time, faith based volunteer opportunities.

Visit Website

Get Involved with Campus Ministry

Service Guidelines

STEP 1

Share your idea with us or get ideas for what will work for you! 

We’re here to help! 

Office of Service-Learning & Community Service 

communityservice@m.marywood.edu

570-961-4723

We can help you connect with these opportunities or get started on other ideas you have!

STEP 2

Community Service Approval Form

BEFORE starting the service project, submit this simple Google form so that we can (1) support you,(2) make sure someone else isn’t already doing the same thing, and (3) make sure that your project aligns with the Core Values of Marywood.

STEP 3

Complete the service project & take pictures of the volunteers! 

Share on social media #marywooduniversity

STEP 4

Community Service Completion Form

 AFTER the service is complete, tell us about it! How many volunteers? How many hours? How did it go? What impact did you make? This helps the University know how you, the students, are living out our values and helps future volunteers who may want to do something similar.

Service Guidelines for Individuals

  • Marywood’s Office Service-Learning and Community Service will continue to share information with students about how to engage in volunteer service safely
  • Marywood’s Office Service-Learning and Community Service will support community partners sharing volunteer opportunities, both in-person and remote/virtual
  • Individual student volunteers will observe all campus protocols related to face coverings and social distancing when serving in the community
  • Students who are at risk of complications of COVID-19 are advised to avoid off-campus, in-person service opportunities and seek remote/virtual service opportunities instead. 

Service Guidelines for Groups

  • Marywood Policies: All students must follow campus guidelines set forth in the Ready, Set, Forward! plan for the health, safety and well-being of our students, employees and those whom we serve.
  • Any group service projects will follow current guidelines from the CDC and PA Department of Education for group size; groups must observe all campus protocols related to face coverings and social distancing
  • Outside and remote service projects are recommended and preferred at this time. Marywood’s Office of Service-Learning and Community Service will provide support to assist student groups in identifying group service projects that take place outdoors, as well as in developing indirect, no-contact, or remote service opportunities for their members. Email communityservice@m.marywood.edu 
  • Transportation: In the event that student groups are approved to engage in off-campus service, all students must follow Marywood procedures for  transportation to off-campus service sites. Presently, no more than 50% vehicle capacity is allowed. Campus vans must be sanitized by the group when returning them to campus.

Community Service Approval

Any group or individual must submit a description of any service project or idea at least 2-4 weeks prior to the planned date of the project.

Approval is required before any arrangements are made. This is to ensure that service projects are not duplicated and that each project receives support and guidance from the Office of Service-Learning and Community Service in order to be most successful. 

All submitted service ideas will receive an answer within 1 week from the date of submission.

Fill Out Form

Community Service Completion

Complete this form to tell us about the service you completed.  Individuals, groups, clubs, alumni, and employees can all use this form! 

Tell us how many people served, how many hours they completed and tell us how this service made a difference to you and those in the community.

Fill Out Form

Information about obtaining clearances can be found at the links below

Clearances to Complete Service

Some community service agencies require volunteers to complete a PA State Police Criminal Background Check and Child Abuse Clearance. Typically, agencies require copies of the three clearances listed below. Be sure to have your Social Security Number available when you begin the process.
Pennsylvania State Police Request for Criminal Record
- Click on New Record Check (Volunteers Only)
Pennsylvania Child Abuse History Clearance
- Click on Create Individual Account
How to Obtain FBI Fingerprints and Criminal History
- Volunteers should enter Service Code 1KG6ZJ
- Then click on "Schedule or Manage an Appointment"
*The Legal Name you enter for this appointment must match exactly on all identification documents you plan to bring to enrollment (Driver's License or Permit, Passport, etc.)
*The Scranton IdentoGO location is about 10 minutes from campus, but expect metered street parking. The Clarks Summit and Archbald Fingerprinting locations are about 20 minutes away from campus. Please select an appointment that will allow you to get there on time.