UA’s largest day of service — ‘Make A Difference Day’

The ninth annual "Make a Difference Day" at The University of Akron was held Saturday, Oct. 26. Combined with the previous eight years of service, University students have provided opportunities to more than 5,100 volunteers and have dedicated more than 19,500 hours of service to Summit County on this one day of volunteering.

In correlation with the current minimum wage, the service provided by University students on Make a Difference Day amounts to more than $153,000 of volunteer work!

Typical service projects include community clean ups, repairing homes, painting, minor construction, trash clean up, landscaping and much, much more.

A committee of 11 work to plan Make a Difference Day, starting in April, on behalf of the University. The Department of Student Life – Civic Engagement Programs is responsible for the program organization and execution.

Nationally, more than 3 million people participate in Make a Difference Day activities in their own communities, accomplishing thousands of projects in hundreds of towns. UA was proud to support the more than 60 service project sites and 35 local nonprofits that were part of this year's Make a Difference Day.

More than 900 students preregistered to work on Make a Difference Day. They represented 42 student organizations as well as Student Success Classes and residence hall floors that  participated as groups. An additional 70 "in-house" student volunteers provided help with internal logistics — check-in, room set-up, day-of logistics, distribution of materials and transportation assistance.

The time, talent, energy and dedication of these students demonstrate how these volunteers are champions of service in our community!

Local sponsors included the Aramark, First Student, Interfraternity Council from the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life, Residence Hall Council/Residence Hall Program Board, UA Parking Services, Akron YMCA, Summa Health Systems and the Chapel.

Here are UA's 2013 partner agencies and nonprofit organizations:

• Akron Dog Park
• Akron Metropolitan Housing Authority
• Akron Rotary Camp
• Akron Summit Community Action, Inc.
• Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank
• Battered Women's Shelter
• Chaff's Foundation Concordia
• Cuyahoga Valley National Park
• Lutheran Church
• First Grace UCC
• Good Samaritan Hunger Center
• Goodwill Industries of Akron
• Habitat for Humanity of Summit County
• Holy Trinity Lutheran Church
• Junior Achievement of North Central Ohio
• Keep Akron Beautiful
• Let's Grow Akron Mobile Meals, Inc.
• My Neighborhood Our Akron
• North Hill Community House
• Off-Campus Student Services
• Ohio & Erie Canalway Coalition
• Park United Methodist Church
• Redeemer United Church
• RePlay for Kids
• Rockynol Retirement Community
• Ronald McDonald House of Akron
• Safe Landing Youth Shelter for boys
• Safe Landing Youth Shelter for girls
• Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens
• Summit County Historical Society
• The NEOhaus Institute
• Trinity United Church
• Valor Home of Summit County
• Williard United Church of Christ

Media contacts: Sarah Lane,330-972-7429 or slane@uakron.edu, or Laura Massie, 330-972-6476 or massie1@uakron.edu.