Hound Square was filled with lively music and excited students as members of the Office of Community Outreach and Service Learning (COSL) came together to help end world hunger on September 12. The event was in partnership with the international hunger relief organization Rise Against Hunger. Volunteers at the event included COSL, CUNY Service Corps, and AmeriCorps students along with members from The Red Hook Community Justice Center in Brooklyn, New York. “In total, we packed 10,153 meals during community hour,” said Declan Walsh, Director of COSL. “Over the last few years we have packed close to 250,000 meals that have been sent to different parts of the developing world.”

The meals, explains Walsh, are part of an education program that helps ensure children in developing countries are both mentally and physically nourished. “The meal becomes an incentive for parents to send their child to school to collect the package. With the side benefit being that the child gets an education,” said Walsh, who added that John Jay students find great joy in volunteering. “Our students love helping communities, near and far. They love what they do, so they’re always ready to lend a helping hand.”

Students have also proven to be some of the greatest ambassadors for COSL and its mission of helping communities. “What we’ve learned is that by holding events in a public space like Hound Square, students who don’t know about the work our office does, are more likely to ask their peers what they’re doing and want to join in,” said Walsh. “Peer-to-peer engagement is among the best ways we recruit students. I’m proud of our students and the work they put in. They’re helping create tangible and meaningful change in the world.”  

More scenes from the event: