For Students

Civic Engagement Projects On & Off Campus 

TITAN PANTRY:

The pantry is located in the Hansen Student Center in the lockers by the main floor restrooms. It is available during open building hours.
Using the pantry is anonymous and all items are free.

Non-perishable food and hygiene items are collected throughout the year to keep the pantry well stocked. Here is a link to the Amazon Wish List for easy donations from anywhere. 

Please contact Courtney Turnbull (cturnbul@iwu.edu) in OSI with questions or if you want to host a collection drive.  

IWU PEACE GARDEN:

The Peace Garden is located just east (about 1 1/2 blocks) of the Welcome Center at the corner of Evans and University Avenue. The garden includes vegetables, fruits, herbs, flowers, and honey.

Our mission is to spread education about gathering and do our part to address the food desert situation in Bloomington. We grow vegetables, fruits, and berries which are sold at an on-campus farmers' market or get donated around the area. We also tie in cultural activities, as the earth and environmentalism encompass many cultures.

Contact: peacegarden@iwu.edu

 

Semester of Service Fall 2024: 

Sept 2: Labor Day parade

IWU volunteers walk in the Labor Day parade with the West Bloomington Revitalization Project's Book Bike giving away books to kids instead of candy! Must be able to walk 2 miles. Transportation provided. 

Parade is on Monday, September 2. Parade starts at 10am but line-up is at 9am. We will depart from the Memorial Center at 8:50am to help with set-up at the Downtown Bloomington staging area. Parade walks to Miller Park. Rides will be given back to campus when the parade ends. Sign up with this google form. 

Sept 17: Voter Registration Day 

The 2024 Election is Tuesday, November 5. Look for the Titans Vote table in the Dug Out from 10am - 2pm to register to vote, learn about the candidates, and find ways to support causes that matter to you! 

If you are eligible to vote, make sure you are registered. If you are registered, make a plan to vote. Help is available to figure out where and how to cast your ballot. Visit the Titans Vote page for resources

Oct 4-6: Winter Wear & Career Clothing Drive                      

Celebrate Homecoming & Family Weekend by bringing a donation from your closet. We will accept winter clothes (coats, scarves, gloves, and hats) to give to our students from warm climates. We have a goal of 35 coats this year. Our new Career Closet at the Hart Career Center will take basic items in neutral colors in all sizes. Last year we ran out of ties! Professional clothing prepares students for interviews, class presentations, and internship fairs. We will collect all items in the Hansen Student Center from Friday Oct 4 - Sunday Oct 6. Look for the collection area to the right of the bookstore on the first floor. Thank you for your kind donation. 

Oct 11: Fall Break Day with Habitat for Humanity

The local chapter of Habitat for Humanity needs your help on Fall Break Day. We will take a shift in the ReStore sorting donations and organizing merchandise. ReStore is a thrift store for construction materials as well as household items and clothing. We can take 10 volunteers. Transportation provided to and from IWU. Sign up with this link by September 27. 

Oct 24: Midwest Food Bank

A shift at the Midwest Food Bank is meaningful AND fun. Bulk food items are repackaged for easy distribution through food bank networks.Great opportunity for a group. Up to 25 volunteers allowed.  Volunteers must be able to stand for a couple of hours. Sign up with this link by October 11. 

Nov 11-15: Holiday cards for McLean County Nursing Home

Create a festive card to brighten the day of a McLean County Nursing Home resident. All materials provided. Available in the Center for Engaged Learning whenever the library is open. We hope to make 100 cards this year. Gather your friends and come by to make a card. No RSVP needed. Hot chocolate provided! All are welcome! 

Dec 2-6: Food Drive for Titan Food Pantry

The Titan Food Pantry, located in the lockers across from the Office of Student Involvement in the Hansen Student Center, is available year-round to all members of the IWU community. Non-perishable items such as macaroni and cheese, granola bars, instant ramen, peanut butter, and rice are available anonymously and at no cost. Students that stay at IWU over the holiday break appreciate the extra support and food. Drop off donations at the student desk in Hansen whenever the building is open. Groups are encouraged to host drives for this special collection week.  

 

Volunteer: If you are looking for other volunteer opportunities, click here to see list of Bloomington-Normal not-for-profit organizations, categorized by area of interest. You'll need to be logged in to your IWU e-mail to view this list.

If you'd like to talk about volunteer opportunities in person, email Deborah Halperin (dhalperi@iwu.edu) to set up an appointment.