Service and Social Justice

Core VITA Service Sites
Alternative Spring Break - Service Trips
Community Service Orientation (CSO)
Service Learning Trips
Post College Volunteer Programs

VITA

VITA (Volunteers Involved Through Action) is a Campus Ministry student organization, housed in the Center for Just Living, which seeks to provide service and social justice opportunities for students. Areas of service include: Hunger and Homelessness, Peace and Justice, Youth Service, Geriatrics, and Health. Activities include a Homeless Sleep out, the Oxfam Hunger Banquet and more. VITA, which means "life," offers students experiences volunteering in the community and beyond.

A goal of VITA is to make it easy for students to volunteer. Whether you choose to volunteer at one of the Core sites, participate in a once-a-month opportunities, or just get connected to service and social justice projects through VITA, we are glad to help in whatever way we can! Transportation is provided for all VITA activities.

Core VITA Service Sites

Would you like to volunteer on a regular basis, perhaps even once a week? If so, consider signing up for a Core VITA service site. Depending on your availability, you can volunteer as often as you are able. VITA works with various agencies in the Duluth community to provide opportunities for service for students. Volunteering at a Core VITA site gives you the opportunity to build stronger relationships with those whom you serve, be an asset to the community you are serving, and learn more about social justice.

• Recent Core VITA sites around Duluth have included:
  • Arrowhead Juvenile Center
  • Benedictine Health Center
  • Boys and Girls Club
  • Loaves & Fishes Catholic Worker House
  • Habitat for Humanity
  • Park Point Manor Nursing Home

Contact VITA to get involved in a Core VITA site! New volunteers are always welcome.

Alternative Spring Break - Service Trips

Take advantage of an opportunity to expand your horizons and serve others in a new place with a great group of people. Look for more information on the Alternative Spring Break page and get involved!

• Recent alternative break trip sites include:
  • Operation Breakthrough, Kansas City, MO
  • Border Awareness Experience, El Paso, TX
  • Christian Appalachian Project, Lancaster, KY
  • San Lucas Mission, San Lucas Toliman, Guatemala
  • Rainy River Reserve-Ontario, Canada
  • Catholic Charities of Baltimore, MD

Community Service Orientation (CSO)

August 31 - September 4, 2009

Service is one of the Benedictine values at the heart of an education at The College of St. Scholastica. Community Service Orientation is an excellent introduction to that spirit of service. Great good comes from helping others. Our Community Service Orientation option is the perfect opportunity to work hard, learn about various issues, build community, develop new friends, and also HAVE FUN!

Past volunteer sites have included:

Loaves and Fishes Catholic Worker House
Hartley Nature Center
Boys and Girls Club of Duluth
Benedictine Health Center
Union Gospel Mission
Habitat for Humanity
Northern Communities Land Trust

CSO 2009 Coordinator: Holly Thompson
Contact Holly: vita@css.edu or 218-723-7025

Ready to Register? Follow this link to register for CSO 2009! https://www2.css.edu/epayment/CSO/index.cfm

Service Learning Trips

Service learning trips offered through Campus Ministry and the Center for Just Living give students the opportunity to participate in direct service, learn about social justice, experience a different culture, and travel.

Corazones Y Manos - Los Angeles - January Break Trip
Spirit & Justice - Mexico - January Break Trip
Alternative Spring Break (see above)

Post College Volunteer Programs

There are a wide variety of programs and opportunities available for students to volunteer after graduation. Click here for more information.