22
Apr 2014
In 2012, Greenville Technical College established a community service initiative. Called Greenville Tech Gives Back, the effort brings faculty, staff, and students together three Fridays a year to work with community organizations. The first year, 80 volunteers helped with Gardening for Good, a network of community gardens that improves the health of residents and neighborhoods. Since that initial service day, the college has sent a total of 580 faculty, staff and students into the community to build houses with Habitat for Humanity, sort donated clothing at the Safe Harbor Resale Shop, prepare and deliver food with Meals on Wheels, sort and package canned goods and non-perishables at Harvest Hope Food Bank, and other activities. On March 28, 2014, 150 volunteers signed up to participate in three different activities. Teams went out for the third year in a row to prepare soil for planting with Gardening for Good, a group picked up trash and debris at a local lake through the River Sweep initiative, and a third team volunteered at Harvest Hope Food Bank. The activities fill quickly. Students are able to meet community service requirements in particular classes through the activities while getting to know employees in a casual setting. Employees enjoy the team building aspect of the activities and spending time with people from other offices and departments.