More than 600 Cal State San Bernardino students, faculty and staff volunteers changed their school colors from blue to green for the day in celebration of Earth Day and sustainability efforts as part of the sixth annual Coyote Cares Day Saturday, April 21.
The group completed projects both on campus and off campus to benefit local nonprofit organizations and community agencies as part of Coyote Cares Day, which took place at the end of National Volunteer Week. Coyote Cares Day is a day of volunteer service that provides CSUSB students with an understanding of the work of nonprofit organizations, and engages the students through volunteer service, said Bryant Fairly, associate director of the university’s Office of Community Engagement, which sponsored the event.
Shuttles and buses took many of the volunteers to various locations to help area nonprofit and community agencies with tasks that included gardening, planting trees, fixing fences and assembling equipment.
At Lytle Creek Park in San Bernardino, the volunteers painted park benches and painted over graffiti, Fairly said.
On campus, for the third straight year, CSUSB Alumni Relations partnered with the Office of Community Engagement for the service efforts. More than 100 volunteers, many of them CSUSB alumni, worked in a type of production line, packaging more than 1,500 food boxes in less than two and a half hours, shattering last year’s record of 1,000 boxes.
The food boxes were for Community Action Partnership of San Bernardino, which will distribute the food to families in need throughout San Bernardino County, said Brandon Romano, program manager for the Food Bank of San Bernardino County. This year, the food boxes will be distributed in Big Bear, the Victorville area, the city of San Bernardino and in parts of Fontana and Rancho Cucamonga.
“I’m always impressed by the great job done by this group,” Romano said.
“We have extremely dedicated alumni who are happy to come back to help the community,” said Crystal Wymer-Lucero, director of CSUSB’s Alumni Relations.
Participating community organizations where the volunteers served included:
CASA of San Bernardino County;
Central City Lutheran Mission;
Family Service Association of Redlands;
Helping Hands Pantry – Redlands Garden;
Helping Hands Pantry – San Bernardino Warehouse;
Micah House;
Option House;
Ronald McDonald House Charities – Inland Empire;
Salvation Army – Emergency Shelter;
San Bernardino City Mission;
San Bernardino Habitat for Humanity – Brush of Kindness Project;
San Bernardino Neighborhood Association – Wildwood Park;
SOAR Charter Academy; and
Special Olympics.
The university’s Office of Community Engagement, Santos Manuel Student Union-Program Board, Student Recreation and Wellness Center, Alumni Relations, Special Events and Guest Services, and CSUSB Dining Services all supported the annual event.