Last Saturday, I volunteered for Into the Streets with a group of other Rose House residents. We went to the Greater Ithaca Activities Center and did some yard work there because the facilities employees who can only work limited hours are unable to tend to the outdoor areas. We finished the job pretty quickly as there were a lot of volunteers from Rose House and the space was fairly small. I enjoyed the experience and it’s important that we find ways to give back to the Ithaca community. As I spend most of my time on campus, I often feel very isolated from the town and I can’t help but think how, despite our proximity, we are very distant fro the Ithaca community. We have over 14,000 undergraduate students yet we do so little for the community we live in.

The GIAC is an incredibly important resource for families and children in the area. It provides tutoring for students as well as STEM programs. The GIAC receives funding from the city of Ithaca because of the need there is for its services in the community. The GIAC is committed to helping its students succeed and collaborates with the neighborhood schools to address student needs. In the past, Cornell students have received university funding to set up programs at the GIAC, but these programs no longer exist because of a lack of students willing to sustain and continue them throughout the years. If you are interested in helping out and giving back to the community, the GIAC accepts volunteers all year round.