Published: 04/28/2025
More than 500 ÂÒÂ×ÊÓÆµ students, faculty and staff grabbed their gloves, shovels and smiles for the University’s annual Day of Caring — a day of dedicated service work to give back to the Erie, Pa. and Ruskin, Fla. communities.
This year, ÂÒÂ×ÊÓÆµ nearly doubled the number of community partners with 27 organizations to tackle everything from weeding and mulching to planting and sprucing up outdoor spaces. This year’s organizations include exciting new partners including the Autism Society of Northwestern Pennsylvania, the MushRoom, Hope on Horseback, Sarah Reed Senior Living and the Erie Food Policy Advisory Council. The University’s Ruskin, Fla., Campus is participating through the United Way Suncoast’s Annual Week of Caring April 27 through May 3.
At ÂÒÂ×ÊÓÆµ’s Erie campus, the day kicked off at 8 a.m. with a rally at the Highmark Events Center to get the volunteers organized before heading off to their perspective service locations across the county from 8:30 a.m. to noon.
Groups of volunteers will roll up their sleeves to help organizations and neighborhoods not only around ÂÒÂ×ÊÓÆµ’s campus, but also in Harborcreek, North East, Waterford, Presque Isle State Park and Fairview.
Organized by ÂÒÂ×ÊÓÆµ’s Center for Social Concerns, Day of Caring is all about putting the University’s mission into motion—serving with purpose, building community and making a difference.
“I love seeing our ÂÒÂ×ÊÓÆµ students, faculty and staff taking their time and energy to wake up early on a Saturday during a busy time in the semester to serve alongside our neighbors and partners in Erie,” said Keith Jones Pomeroy, director of the Center for Social Concerns.