Programs

INDEPENDENCE ADVOCACY

Ability Advocates is a CCO program that works with and strives to empower people with disabilities. This program volunteers with Cottonwood Inc.  and Transition to Postsecondary Education, non-profits in Lawrence that work to maximize the independence of people with disabilities through advocacy, peer support, and community education. We strive to integrate all individuals into the community through our programming. To do so, we currently host monthly events with Cottonwood and are looking forward to increasing one-on-one peer support with their consumers next year.

Email aadvocates@ku.edu with any questions or concerns.

The Ability Advocates logo means “connect” in American Sign Language (ASL).

Program Coordinators: Aarthi Aruna, CJ Hewins, Hannah Loub, and Saif Malik

Office Hours: Tuesdays 5:30-6:30pm

CONCERNED ACTIVE & AWARE STUDENTS

CAAS (Concerned, Active, and Aware Students) develops advocacy programs, events, and activities to raise awareness of issues facing KU, Lawrence, and global communities.

CAAS currently hosts a monthly advocacy series called Activism 101, each revolving around a different issue facing communities. One Activism 101 had the founder of KC for Refugees educate students about the current refugee crisis and how we can help new refugee families in our community through service. Like “Center for Community Outreach” on Facebook to stay up to date with upcoming Activism 101 events!

Click here to view all available opportunities with CAAS or email caas@ku.edu to get involved!

Follow CAAS on instagram @caas_cco

Program Coordinators: Bhavya Gupta, Sahar Baha, Arsalan Zafar, and Wazi Asjad

Office Hours: Tuesday 6:00-7:00pm

ARTS ENGAGEMENT AND EDUCATION

Create aims to promote arts education, engagement, and advocacy in the Lawrence community. We use art to connect with community partners such as Van Go and the Lawrence Arts Center. Additionally, we work to connect students with art in their daily lives on campus through events such as card-making, painting, and journaling.

Click here to view available opportunities or email create@ku.edu to get involved.

Follow us on Instagram @create_cco

Program Coordinators: Rebecca Suku, Trisha Nair, and Mahnoor Siddiqui

Office Hours: Thursdays 3:00-4:00pm

ENVIRONMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY

EARTH (Environmental Action to Revitalize the Heartland) hosts events that promote environmental sustainability practices and provide many different points of engagement. EARTH offers these opportunities both on and off campus, one of them being in the KU community garden.

Click here to view available opportunities or email earth@ku.edu if you are interested!

Interested in getting involved in the KU Student Garden? Become a KU Student Gardener!

What is KU Student Gardeners?

KU Student Gardeners program run by our EARTH program allows students to take on more responsibility as a volunteer in the Campus Garden. The EARTH Campus Garden is a 1,600 square foot garden on West campus that is designed to produce food for KU. All the produce goes to the campus cupboard and becomes available to our KU community for free. 

What do I do as a KU Student Gardener?

KU Student Gardeners will be trained in basic gardening skills (what to harvest and when, weeds vs vegetables, ect.), and expected to garden without the supervision of the EARTH coordinators. Tasks will include: watering, weeding, harvesting, planting.

KU Student Gardeners are not required to attend all the garden work days on our website, but ARE required to complete the hours signed up for each week and maintain a consistent schedule during their active dates.

Why should I apply to be a KU Student Gardener?

Gardening has many positive benefits! Some of the things you will find working with us include:

• Getting involved on your own terms: You can create your own schedule for working in the garden. This is great for busy college students who might not be able to attend events, but still want to get involved in their campus
• Helping a worthy cause: you will be helping us provide food to the KU community and fight food insecurity
• Stress reliever: many people find the ability to be outside and working with their hands stress relieving. Studies have even shown that it can help fight depression. 
• Valuable skills: the things you learn as a KU Student Gardener can help you with indoor plants, vegetable gardens of your own, eating healthy and sustainability, and so much more.
• Gain outdoor experience and expertise: you can put this on applications or resumes to help show your qualifications and experience in a horticulture setting. 

If you have any questions or concerns, please email us at earth@ku.edu. We can’t wait to garden with you!

Follow us on Instagram: @earth_cco

Program Coordinators: Paige Deeken, Sarah Reuben-Hallock, Jivanjot Whar, and Nidia Lazos

Office Hours: Monday 6:00-7:00pm

FOOD SECURITY

Food Flawk is a program that works to decrease food insecurity and promote food recovery among the KU student population. Food Flawk was formerly known as Campus Cupboard and worked exclusively to support food insecure students, faculty, and staff. Beginning in 2023, the program expanded to decrease food waste and promote sustainability.
Please email cupboard@ku.edu if you are interested in volunteering or have any questions.

Our History
Food Flawk was originally founded in 2009 as the Daily Bread program of the CCO, partnering with Just Food and the Ecumenical Campus Ministries (ECM) to develop a food pantry for KU students called the Campus Cupboard. In March of 2015, the Campus Cupboard was relocated to the Westwood House in the Lutheran Campus Ministries (LCM). In the 2016-2017 academic year, Ike Uri, the Executive Director of the CCO, surveyed second-, third- and fourth-year undergraduates as part of their honors thesis and found that 54% of respondents could be considered food insecure under U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) guidelines, with 35% exhibiting very low food security, the department’s most severe category of food insecurity. This realization initiated an immense effort to expand the Campus Cupboard partnership with Just Food to expand its services on KU’s campus.
In September of 2018, the Campus Cupboard was successfully opened in partnership with KU Student Affairs on the fourth floor of the Kansas Union, where it currently serves all KU students and faculty. This move was a prime example of the University’s response to food insecurity, which had been driven by students but was increasingly backed by administrative buy-in. Largely responsible for the move were Katie Phalen and Insia Zufer, the 2017-2018 Co-Directors of the CCO. During Phalen and Zufer’s tenure, the CCO also joined a new effort headed by KU Student Affairs, the Food for Jayhawks committee, made up of staff, faculty, students and community members.

Currently, the group works to address food insecurity on campus by improving student access to healthy food through collaborations with KU departments and community agencies. Food Flawk partners with Campus Cupboard to distribute take-home food bags before each academic break. In addition, Food Flawk collaborates with the  Ecumenical Campus Ministries to support their needs for Veggie Lunch prep and service.

Program Coordinators: Jeannine Lopez, Mia Reddy, and Ali Khan

Office Hours: Thursday 2:30-3:30pm

HEALTH EDUCATION AND WELLNESS

Hawks for Health strives to:

• Empower local communities through health education.
• Collaboratively advocate alongside local health departments and agencies.
• Meaningfully engage in health promotive services

Marketplace Insurance: During the Open Enrollment Period (OEP) of Marketplace Insurance, we will be assisting consumers, small businesses, and employees in employing healthcare coverage and affordability programs. This initiative will be equipping low socioeconomic individuals with access to healthcare coverage within the Douglas County community.

SNAP/Housing Assistance: A recent partnership with the Lawrence Public Library, assistance will be provided to local community members within Lawrence for enrollment within SNAP (food stamp) programs, alongside assistance with housing/utility subsidies through state and nationwide programs.

COVID Monitoring: Another initiative we have is to prioritize public health within the campus and the community of Lawrence. We offer COVID testing drives several times throughout the year with several incentives in order to keep students aware of their physical health. Drives will be coordinated on a need-based agenda (if cases are high during the time or if there is a break upcoming).

Here is a list of independent health-related volunteering opportunities in the Douglas County area:

• Lawrence Memorial Hospital
• Heartland Community Health Center
• Health Care Access Clinic
• Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center
• Lawrence Douglas County Health Department

For more information, email the coordinators at h4h@ku.edu.

Follow us on Instagram: @hawksforhealth

Program Coordinators: Samson Mah, Fatemeh Farassati, Anjali Singh

Office Hour: Friday 3:30-4:30pm

Marketplace Training Video

HELPING UNITE GENERATIONS

HUG establishes connections with older members of the community. HUG strives to build intergenerational relationships through service and support for older residents in Douglas County. HUG coordinates Meals on Wheels trainings, Tech Help Tuesdays, and special events at retirement homes to connect members of all generations throughout the community. Come support all ages in Lawrence by volunteering with HUG!

Current opportunities include volunteering with the Senior Resource Center, Meals on Wheels, and Vermont Towers.
Click here to check out these opportunities or email hug@ku.edu if interested!

Follow us on Instagram @hug_cco

Program Coordinators: Aditya Vargheese, Marina Bontrager, Deeshana Nilaweera, and Shahru Malik

Office Hours: Fridays 11:00 am – 12:00 pm

ANIMAL ADVOCACY AND EDUCATION

The mission of Jaypaws is to empower the Douglas County community, in collaboration with our community partners Prairie Park, and Loving Paws Animal Therapy, with the knowledge and compassion to respect and advocate for the safety and well-being of all animals.

Program Coordinators: Mali Vincent, and Alexa Magstadt

Office Hours: Tuesday 1:00-2:00pm

Instagram: @jaypaws_cco

COMMUNITY BREAKFAST PROGRAM

Jubilee Cafe provides breakfast for in-need community members in a restaurant-style environment. The volunteering program runs from 6:15AM to approximately 8:15AM Tuesday and Friday mornings at the First United Methodist Church, 946 Vermont Street.

Jubilee Cafe is a popular volunteer activity and often operates at volunteer capacity during the academic year. In order to assure positive volunteer experiences and efficiently serve breakfast, Jubilee requires groups to reserve a date to volunteer. Open shifts can be found at this link!

Individuals can register by clicking the “Respond” button for the shift they want. Groups can also register as a team. Reservations are made on a first come, first serve basis, and all individuals who volunteer must be registered on volunteer.ku.edu If a shift is full, volunteers will need to make arrangements for a different day. Please be aware that you are not allowed to cancel your shift with less than 24 hours of advanced notice.

Email jubilee@ku.edu for more information.

Program Coordinators: Maddie Halabi, Vidur Pandiripally, Molly Kalthoff, and Faran Zufer

Office Hours: Thursday 4:00-5:00pm

MENTORS IN THE LIVES OF KIDS

MILK strives to connect KU students with the children of the Lawrence community and foster relationships that encourage both mentorship and service work.  Currently MILK partners with Boys and Girls Club, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Foster Village, and Nursery Care Services at First United Methodist Church. More information about each of these volunteer opportunities is described below.
The Boys and Girls Club
The BGC operates a mentorship program that works with students of all ages. Volunteers do a wide variety of activities with the kids, including reading with them and playing games.

Big Brothers Big Sisters
This program matches youth facing adversity with mentors in a one-to-one mentoring relationship. Bigs help inspire greater self-confidence, better academic performance, and dreams for the future that will change their life for the better, forever.
Bigs must be older than 18 years old and dedicate at least 1 hour per week, but times are flexible.

Foster Village
Foster Village is an organization dedicated to equipping foster parents with the support they need, connecting families to important resources and to each other, and advocating. Volunteers are “the hands, feet, and face of a community of support, helping foster families know they are not alone and meeting practical needs at the moment when support is needed most”.
Currently, MILK is helping recruit students to volunteer at their Mom’s support group which occurs on the second Monday of the month from 6:00 to 8:00 pm. Volunteers primarily help Foster Village with childcare during this event.

Nursery Care Services at First United Methodist Church
MILK assists First United Methodist Church in providing nursery Care during their Sunday services. Two volunteers are needed both at their West Campus location from 9:45 to 11:15 am and at their Downtown location from 10:45 am to 12:15 pm. Volunteers provide childcare to those 5 years and under.

If you have any questions, please email the MILK coordinators at milk@ku.edu.
Program Coordinators: Anya Asjad, Hoang Viet Le, Hamdan Tariq, and Kruti Nataraj
Office Hours: Tuesdays 6:00-7:00pm

MUSIC EDUCATION

KU student mentors teach free instrumental and vocal music lessons to junior high and elementary school students in Lawrence. Music Mentors focuses on providing music education to area students who would not otherwise be able to afford this resource.

If you are a KU student wanting to become a Music Mentor, click here

If you are a parent wanting your child to be matched with a mentor, click here

Contact the coordinators at mmentors@ku.edu with any questions or concerns!

Program Coordinators: Hassan Ahad, Abhi Cheedella, and Evelyn Gurske

Office Hours: Tuesday 11:30am-12:30pm

PREVENTING EXPLOITATION AND CREATING EMPATHY

Peace broadly focuses on promoting healthy relationships. This includes supporting individuals experiencing domestic and/or relationship violence, as well as initiatives to advance gender equity. Currently, Peace partners with #BeMoreLikeClaire to raise awareness of their workshops and to collaborate in hosting on-campus events.

Program coordinators: Inaya Khan, Shriya Gunturu, Isha Pirani, and Priyatam Nuney.
Email: hawksmind@ku.edu
Instagram: @hawksmind_cco
Office Hours: Tuesdays 5:30 – 6:30 pm

LITERACY ADVOCACY FOR ALL LANGUAGES

Who Are We

Project Bridge is a literacy advocacy group for all languages. The program focuses on placing volunteers at sites to either tutor or mentor English as a second Language (ESL) students. These sites include the Lawrence Public Schools.

What We Do

Use your passion for languages, cultures, and conversations to volunteer with Project Bridge! Volunteers serve as academic tutors and mentors at local Lawrence schools. For more information, please email the Project Bridge coordinators.

Click here to see all available volunteer needs that Project Bridge offers!

Email the coordinators at pbridge@ku.edu if interested in participating or volunteering.

Program Coordinators: Atrooba Hashim, Sumaya Ahmed, Jyoshika Padmanaban, and Nirali Patel

Office Hours: Wednesday 4:00-5:00pm