Mission Integration & Ministry

Community Service

“Volunteering really brings people together and makes you feel like you are helping out the community and doing well for others. It was a great experience, especially doing it alongside friends and teammates. Everyone is helpful and in high spirits, which makes it all the better. It makes you realize that others less fortunate around you can be easily helped with the help of the community, which makes you want to do more.” – Karen Casteneda, ’18

Men and Women for Others

Our Jesuit tradition informs our students’ commitment to service and progressive activism. Through Campus Ministry’s community service program, students have a wide array of volunteer opportunities to serve those in our community that are most in need.

Annually, more than 600 students volunteer on 50 or more community service projects at Saint Peter’s and in the Hudson County community. The results are astounding. During the past year, Saint Peter’s students contributed more than 10,000 hours of community service and supported various nonprofits in Hudson County.

America Reads

The America Reads Program is a federally funded tutoring and enrichment program began in 1997. Students who qualify for federal work-study may apply for a tutoring position. Tutors work in the afterschool enrichment program, Team Walker, at Public School # 22. Tutors work with children from grades 1-9, providing homework help, and enrichment. Tutoring shifts are Monday through Thursday, 4pm-6pm.

Junkyard Dogs

The Junkyard Dogs is a service group that seeks to foster pride and care in Jersey City by physically cleaning up its streets and spreading awareness of the need to maintain and respect Jersey City. Clean-ups take place monthly, weather permitting.

Campus Kitchen

The Campus Kitchen at Saint Peter’s University located on the 2nd floor of the MacMahon Student Center, recovers unused excess food from cafeterias and dining halls and repackages it into healthy meals to be delivered to people in Hudson County who are food insecure. Shifts occur in the afternoon on Monday through Friday, 2:30-5pm. Volunteers are needed to repackage food, deliver meals, and pick up donations.

Campus Kitchen
Campus Kitchen
Campus Kitchen

The Dirt on Jersey City: Campus Kitchen

Food Pantry and Clothes Closet

Saint Peter’s maintains a Food Pantry and Clothes Closet on the 2nd floor of the MacMahon Student Center. Weekly, students are able to visit the Pantry/Closet to receive nonperishable and perishable food, clothes, and toiletries. Additionally, the Food Pantry and Clothes Closet are open to the public by appointment on the 3rd Saturday of each month between the hours of 2pm and 6pm.

Community Service Calendar

In addition to the above mentioned projects, Campus Ministry schedules miscellaneous service events as needed by the Hudson County Community. Some of these events include:

  • Glamour Gals and Guys – Manicures and conversation with the residents of local nursing homes.
  • Rebuilding Together Jersey City – painting and landscaping low-income homes.
  • Hillside Foodbank visits – Sort and package food for soup kitchens and shelters.
  • Blood Drives – 4 drives a year.
  • Awareness Walks: Breast Cancer.
  • Captain Mark Lee Sr. Angel Giving Tree Angel Giving Tree – Purchasing and wrapping gifts for children in need.

Student Organizations/Athletic Teams

Campus Ministry also works with all student organization and athletic teams, coordinating service projects to satisfy their requirements.

For more information please contact:

Erich Sekel
Director of Community Service
(201) 761-7395
esekel@saintpeters.edu

Saint Peter’s was named on the President’s Higher Education Honor Roll by the Corporation for National and Community Service. The Honor Roll recognizes colleges and universities that help solve community problems and motivate students to pursue a lifelong path of civic engagement. Saint Peter’s was the only higher education institution in New Jersey to be recognized in all four categories: Community, Service, Interfaith Community Service, Economic Opportunity and Education.