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Cornellians in British Columbia participate in Cornell Cares Day by volunteering at their local Salvation Army.

 More than 550 Cornell alumni and students have come together in 33 cities in North America so far for the Public Service Center's Cornell Cares Day events over winter break through Jan. 26. These events tackle community service projects and allow students and alumni to network while connecting with their hometown communities.

The purpose of the Cornell Cares Day events is to connect alumni with students while serving communities through such direct, hands-on service as stocking food banks, working with children at schools, cleaning up zoos and volunteering with retirement communities.

For example, during the weekend of Jan. 5, when Cornell Cares events took place in 24 cities, more than 60 alumni and students volunteered at a food bank, the Lost Dog Animal Rescue and Arlington Food Assistance in Washington, D.C.

At the Houston Food Bank, for example, 19 Cornell Cares participants prepared 6,358 meals, saving the Houston Food Bank almost $4,000 in labor costs. In Philadelphia, 29 volunteers processed 13,595 pounds of food donations at the Philabundance Hunger Relief Center.

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Cornell volunteers work at the Houston Food Bank in Houston, Texas.

In Central Valley, Calif., alumni and students worked to replenish food supplies for those in need at an event coordinated with the Young Farmers and Ranchers of Tulare County Farm Bureau. In St. Louis, teams of Cornellians organized donated clothing and household items at a thrift store. In Santa Barbara, Calif., Cornell volunteers completed two years worth of tasks by assembling surgical kits for Surgical Eye Expeditions International.

And in San Diego Jan. 7, "We made 720 meal boxes for elderly San Diegans that are part of this worthwhile program. We put together 12 pallets of 60 boxes each. The lead program supervisor stated afterwards that for a group our size, that was excellent output," said Matthew Semmer '01.

In New York City, volunteers helped Hurricane Sandy relief efforts by removing sand and debris; discarding water-damaged furniture, appliances and other household items; and tearing out moldy drywall and tile. Others helped clean areas of the Ronald McDonald House and organized and inventoried its kitchen. In New Jersey volunteers spent time with seniors living in an assisted living facility, making crafts and playing games.

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Volunteers pitch in for Hurricane Sandy relief.

Cornell alumni also volunteered at the Abbot House in White Plains, N.Y., which serves children and families in need and people with developmental disabilities. Alumni helped children paint and decorate pictures and T-shirts; baked more than 75 cupcakes; and painted 700 square feet of their laundry and recreation rooms.

And in Ithaca Jan. 26, a group of Cornellians will paint rooms and provide office maintenance at the Ithaca Free Clinic.

As part of Cornell Cares Day, the Cornell Club of Ithaca and the Public Service Center will host "A Life of Public Engagement: Cornellians in Ithaca," Jan. 16 at the Hilton Garden Inn in Ithaca, with panelists Joanne Florino '75, executive director, Triad Foundation Inc.; Ken Schlather '98, executive director, Cornell Cooperative Extension; and Nathan Shinagawa '05, Tompkins County Legislature. The panelists will explore how Cornellians live and work in a life of public engagement, problems they face and how to get involved.

The Cornell Public Service Center piloted the event in 2001 in New York and Boston. The PSC works with Cornell regional alumni clubs to implement the program, often finding agencies at which participants may volunteer and alerting student volunteers who will be in their hometowns during winter break.