By Steve Seepersaud
Alumni Global Days of Service is a tradition that brings Binghamton University graduates together for service to humankind while showing Binghamton pride and the power of mass volunteerism.
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Alumni Association cannot encourage people to gather for community volunteer projects. However, a new service opportunity is available.
This year, the association is partnering with The Sharing Tables of the USA, an organization providing free food, toiletries and cleaning supplies to community members in areas such as Metro New York and Los Angeles, and it's quickly expanding to other regions. Alumni Global Days of Service will launch in April.
From wherever you are, you can set up a Sharing Table with bins of food, toiletries and cleaning supplies at an accessible outdoor location such as your front yard, a place of worship or community center. Visitors can take what they need and, if they're able, leave items for someone else.
If you'd like to host a Sharing Table, join our Facebook group. If you're not able to host a Sharing Table, consider contributing items to one in your region. See a list of Sharing Tables in the Facebook group.
"My 6-year-old daughter Ruby and I started a Sharing Table in my front yard at the end of November 2020 and, just three months later, we've grown into a not-for-profit corporation with more than 40 Sharing Tables on Long Island, in Queens, the Hudson Valley and Los Angeles," said Mary Kate Tischler, founder and CEO of The Sharing Tables of the USA.
"A Sharing Table is a community space where neighbors help neighbors," Tischler said. "It's not like writing a check to a charity and you're not sure where the money is going. Instead, with a Sharing Table, you can leave a box of cereal and know that your neighbors will likely be eating it for breakfast the next morning. It's a simple and effective way to help people who are financially struggling during the pandemic. And it operates on the honor system with nobody standing behind the table, as a way for those in need to preserve their dignity. We've been rapidly expanding, and we're incredibly excited to partner with the Binghamton University Alumni Association so we can reach more people in more states."
"We're very excited to partner with The Sharing Tables of the USA as part of Alumni Global Days of Service," said Kim Faber, executive director of alumni engagement. "What a great opportunity for our alumni to give back to their communities while keeping safe during this pandemic! When I saw on Facebook what Mary Kate was doing on Long Island, I reached out to see how our alumni could help with this effort. This will be an easy way to make sure our neighbors have access to food and necessities during these trying times."
You can still be part of Alumni Global Days of Service if you aren't hosting a table or donating items. Just as in previous years, alumni can engage in independent service. Giving blood, donating food to a local pantry, walking dogs at an animal shelter, cleaning a local park or similar volunteerism all count. Complete this form to share information about your service.
If you have questions about Alumni Global Days of Service, contact Megan Borovicka in the Office of Alumni Engagement.
