SJU Acts
Current Students
SJU Acts
Events
SJU Acts is an initiative of St. Jerome's University Campus Ministry in which students connect to our community partners (St. John’s Kitchen- a Working Centre project, and Tiny Home Takeout) through weekly volunteering opportunities in the Fall and Winter terms. In the Spring term, students support the Tiny Home Takeout Garden on an ad hoc basis. The purpose is to engage students in acts of service as a means for their own personal transformation and in support of our community partners. This program is one way that we seek to live out our mission to develop compassionate and courageous leaders.
Students who participate in SJU Acts get out of the campus bubble and gain valuable experience in a not-for-profit setting. Students learn about the social justice issues that face people experiencing homelessness, substance use, and mental health challenges in our community. They learn from long-time volunteers and program coordinators at each location and develop important skills like how to work with vulnerable populations, how to take initiative in fast paced or uncertain environments, and the essential importance of empathy and presence. Students also learn about the dignity of each person, the importance of solidarity, and the role they can play in their own communities by sharing their time and talents.
Students who participate in SJU Acts sign up for afternoon or evening volunteer shifts of 3-4 hours on Fridays. Students can choose to sign up for a single shift or recurring shifts as suits their schedule throughout the Fall and Winter terms. Students will select one of 3-4 possible spots for each shift and travel as a group to the volunteer location, accompanied by a staff or student leader. Any University of Waterloo student is welcome and encouraged to sign up and participate.
For more information please contact Erika Toffelmire at eetoffel@uwaterloo.ca.
St. John's Kitchen
(The Working Centre) Fall & Winter terms (1:00-4:00pm)
St. John’s Kitchen is a gathering place for a diverse community in downtown Kitchener including people who are experiencing homelessness, at risk of homelessness, or street involved. During an afternoon shift student volunteers might package takeout meals, wash dishes, serve community members lunch or takeout items, or cleanup the space.
Tiny Home Takeout
(with St. Mary’s Church) Fall & Winter terms (4:00-8:00pm)
Tiny Home Takeout creates restaurant quality meals for people from all socio-economic backgrounds in downtown Kitchener. During an evening shift, student volunteers might make calzones, run food from the kitchen to the Tiny Home serving window, pack meals for satellite locations, or serve guests from the Tiny Home Takeout window.
Tiny Home Takeout Garden
Spring term & early Fall term
Get your hands dirty at the Tiny Home Takeout garden which supplies produce for their restaurant quality meals. Student volunteers might participate in a planting or weeding afternoon, or sign-up to water the garden on a regular basis.