Monthly Service Opportunities

The Office of Student Activities offers a monthly service opportunity for traditional undergraduate students. Service is a component that fits directly into the Queens University of Charlotte motto which is “Non Ministrare, Sed Ministrare”, or “To Serve, Not To Be Served.” Following each outreach opportunity, students are given debriefing questions to reflect on their experience.

Aldersgate Retirement Community:  Aldersgate is a United Methodist affiliated continuing care retirement community located in Charlotte that houses hundreds of senior citizens.  Volunteers are given an opportunity to interact with the seniors through arts and crafts and interactive games.

Charlotte Emergency Housing:  A local "house" shelter which can hold up to fourteen families at a time with the privacy of individual bedrooms and bathrooms and shared kitchen area. This shelter relies heavily on volunteers to help provide meals and fun activities. 

Classroom Central:  A local non-profit that provides a free store for teachers who work at low income schools.  Teachers are given an allotment from which they can purchase supplies for their students and classroom space. Volunteers are needed to assist with teacher checkouts, loading teacher’s cars and sorting merchandise in the warehouse. 

Crisis Assistance Ministry:  Crisis Assistance Ministry is a local non-profit agency which has a Free Store which allows Charlotte individual and families to shop for clothing, housewares, furniture and appliances at no cost.  Volunteers are needed to organize and inspect clothing and goods in the Free Store. 

Mecklenburg County Parks & Recreation:  Mecklenburg County boasts 210 parks and over 17,000 acres of parkland.  Queens students have been actively involved in beautifying various parks and greenways as well as build an all accessible playground. Queens students have a special connection to Freedom Park which is located within walking distance to campus.

National Down Syndrome Association of Charlotte:  Every year, this organization puts on a Buddy Walk for special needs children which features a moon bounce, arts and crafts, a d.j. balloon animal maker and many more fun activities.  Volunteers are asked to work at stations and interact with children and families. 

Room in the Inn: Queens opens its doors to neighbors from the Urban Ministry Center throughout January through March. These neighbors are homeless individuals from the Charlotte community who during the cold nights of winter have nowhere to stay. Every Tuesday, the faculty lodge/new Phi Kappa Sigma house becomes a cozy home for the night for six guests. Different clubs and organizations all over campus join together to help set up the lodge, prepare a warm, delicious meal, spend time with our guests, and then cook up a hot breakfast before returning our guests to the Transit Center. It is a campus wide effort that embodies our motto, "Not to be served, but to serve."

Second Harvest Food Bank:  Second Harvest Food Bank is warehouse which holds the primary source of food given to charitable agencies that assist people in need. Second Harvest focuses in particular on the 160,000 children and seniors who live in poverty. Before volunteers are assigned the task of sorting and organizing mass quantities of food/grocery items, a tour of the facility is provided. 

Uptown Men’s Shelter:  Uptown Men’s Shelter provides a safe, secure place for 268 men to live while experiencing a transition to more permanent housing. In 1985, Charlotte experienced an increase of homeless men which prompted the opening of this shelter. Volunteers are needed to assist the residents in resume building and basic maintenance of the facility. 
 
Urban Ministry:  Urban Ministry is a non-profit organization that provides a free lunch 365 days a year, hot showers, laundry, bus passes as well as counseling services.  Volunteers are asked to help serve a warm meal to the increasing number of Charlotte residents.  

Annual Service Opportunities

Guatemala Mission Trip
Annually, a group of 15-16 students and 3 advisors travel to Guatemala for spring break. There is a three fold mission that focuses on self awareness, the people of Guatemala, and God. Students prepare with a 3-hr credit semester long class that teaches about the history and the culture of Guatemala and begins to bond the team in preparation for the trip. During the 10 day trip, the group works on a physical work project, visits co-ops, and attends local churches and presentations. It is a trip centered around understanding and growth.

Northern Ireland
Students and staff embark on a Christian mission trip to Northern Ireland which focuses on reconciliation and conflict resolution. With the guidance of the Presbyterian Church, the trip employs a service learning model closely mirroring Queens' emphasis on education and service. Educationally, participants take a walking/driving tour of Belfast, visit organizations that work towards solidifying peace (Corrymeela, an Intergrated school, etc.) and meet with people who experienced life during the violence. The second phase of the trip focuses on service through physical work projects such as painting, gardening or cleaning up in low income area and possibly even leading a vacation Bible school.