About the CCO

Our Mission

Our programs provide meaningful service opportunities for students, address various needs through collaborative partnerships, and strengthen our community through education and advocacy.

Our Values

• Integrity – acting in a morally just fashion
• Service – assisting the community and others in their needs
• Collaboration – working together towards common goals
• Respect – treating others with the consideration and kindness you desire

Our Impact

The KU Center for Community Outreach encourages ethical volunteerism in our local and global communities. We engage students by providing meaningful service opportunities, responding to community needs, organizing semi-annual days of service, developing volunteer management skills, and supporting community initiatives and non-profits through collaborative partnerships. Through volunteer trainings, speakers, workshops and our volunteer resource library, we hope to raise awareness of issues within our community.

Our Programs

Food insecurity, youth mentorship, language literacy, and community health are a few examples of the 13 unique interest areas our student-run programs respond to on a local and global scale. Our programs coordinate daily, weekly, monthly and semi-annual service opportunities through either independent or collaborative action with either campus or community agencies. We empower students to become engaged citizens and bridge the gap between our campus and community.

Our History

Founded in 1990 as an initiative for all students to directly access and serve the Lawrence community, the CCO works with a variety of student groups, organizations and local non-profits to address the needs of our community. Each program added to the CCO has grown as a response to students’ passion for the arts, sustainability, food insecurity, mentoring, animals, advocacy, education, and more.