The Observer, September 15, 2006
Volume XXXIX, Issue 3
Students and staff give back
Throughout Case's time in University Circle, the university has benefited from Cleveland's riches in numerous ways. And just as Case has pulled on the resources of the area, it has also enhanced and contributed to the growth of the city's businesses and organizations.
Case for Community Day is one example of Case's dedication to improving the surrounding communities.
"Case for Community Day is just one event that demonstrates that the entire campus works together to provide service every single day in some shape or form," said Latisha James, the Center for Community Partnership Director.
Through the event and the university's other programs, members and businesses of the surrounding areas have benefited in a myriad of ways, receiving help with projects that many non-profits simply do not have the resources to complete.
This year's event, held this past Wednesday, began at 11 a.m. in Thwing Ballroom with boxed lunches provided by Bon Appetit. After lunch and a short program, the groups dispersed to attend to their various tasks.
This year's projects provided Case for Community Day participants with chances to create crafts with senior citizens, work with school-age children, perform office work, and perform badly needed maintenance work.
"The work is particularly needed and appreciated around the time of big events, such as Parade the Circle and the Chalk Fest, when a larger volume of guests frequent the gardens," said Joe Hrovat, one of the museum's groundskeepers.
In addition to supplying labor, approximately 60 participants also donated 120 pounds of food collectively. Bon Appetit, which provided all the boxed lunches at no cost, also organized the food drive and will donate the goods to the Cleveland Food Bank, a regular recipient of the company's superfluous supplies.
By taking such a significant role in this year's event, Bon Appetit allowed other participants to focus successfully on helping communities outside of Case.
Despite Case for Community Day being a relatively new event, started only four years ago, nearly 1600 members of the Case community have volunteered over 5600 hours of their time through the program, with close to 200 participants for this year's event.
"The original initiative of Case for Community Day was to enable staff to get involved in community outreach and service to campus with their bosses approval and without having to use vacation time," said James.
To further develop the outreach of the event, the program coordinators of Case for Community Day have decided to modify the days on which the event is held, to allow more student and staff involvement.
Starting next year, Case for Community will be held on Fridays, instead of Wednesdays, so those interested can at least donate the 90 minutes of Community Hour to serving their campus and community.
In addition to other programs which Case's schools, departments, and organizations administer is the Charity Choice Campaign, which was launched at the same time as Case for Community Day.
The Charity Choice Campaign makes it possible for Case's employees to help Cleveland's charitable organizations financially, by encouraging them to allocate a portion of their paycheck to the organization of the contributor's choice.
Since 2001, the Charity Choice Campaign has helped nearly 4000 employees give close to $1 million to different establishments through United Way, East Share, and Community Share.
Launching this year's campaign on the same day as an event as successful as Case for Community Day helped to bring in pledges and encouraged the Case campus to provide even more for the inhabitants and businesses of Cleveland.
