This Week in Service
Department of Community Service
Th e Week of May 11
Submit a quote or reflection to DCS!

We want to hear from you! Do you have a quote that you want to submit regarding your time with Waltham Group, being a part of a service club or working with the Department of Community Service? Submit it today and your quote might be featured on the DCS website! This is the best way for prospective students, community partners and alumni to learn more about our programs and hear about what is happening on campus! 
Make sure to follow us on Instagram and Facebook to keep up with all the available opportunities and programs we are sharing!

Are you hosting virtual programs? Fill out this form to let us know!
In this email:

  1. Win a $25 Amazon Gift cards if you take the Annual Dept of Community Service Survey
  2. Commitment to Service Award Spring Semester Countdown
  3. Brunch with the DCS Bunch
  4. Submit a Note of Appreciation to Faculty and Staff
  5. Virtual Open Mic Night *New Zoom ID*
  6. Volunteer Opportunity: Write letters and cards for the JF&CS Memory Café and Balancing Act
  7. Follow Waltham's Mayor Jeannette McCarthy's Coid-19 Updates
  8. Waltham Mutual Aid Network Volunteers Needed
  9. Teach for Summer HSSP 2020
Brandeis Community Opportunities
Win a $25 Amazon Gift cards if you take the Annual Dept of Community Service Survey
We are hopeful that all volunteers will take 5-10 minutes to complete the  Department of Community Service Annual Survey . This information will be used to inform our programs, training, and advance our work to meet the needs of our on and off-campus community. Folks who complete the full survey by Wednesday, May 20th will be randomly selected to win a  $25 Amazon gift card . Thank you in advance for your time 

Commitment to Service Award Spring Semester Countdown
The last day to log your service hours for the Spring semester is  Tuesday, May 19th ! You are only able to log your hours for the current semester, so it is crucial that you stay up to date with your hour entries and input all Spring semester hours by the 19th. 

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact  commitmenttoservice@brandeis.edu
Brunch with The DCS Bunch
The Department of Community Service (DCS) will be hosting  BRUNCH WITH THE DCS BUNCH  every  Wednesday in May from 12:00-1:00PM EST  via Zoom. We miss seeing you all around campus and are looking to create a casual space to be in community together over something that unites us all...food!

 There will be no set agenda, but an opportunity to share updates, ask questions and chat about life over breakfast, lunch or dinner based on your timezone.  Whether you are on campus, at home, or abroad, we also invite you to share your best food stories, such as food you grew up on, a favorite dish you like to make, or foods that bring you joy.  Pop in for 5 minutes or stay for a full meal. 

All are welcome, and no RSVP is required. You can join us on zoom through  this link .  If you have questions, please email the Director of Community Service, Lucas Malo at  lmalo@brandeis.edu .
Submit a Note of Appreciation to Faculty and Staff
Dear Graduating Seniors,

Each year we celebrate the faculty and staff who have made a positive difference in your lives during your time at Brandeis University. In lieu of the annual Senior Week Faculty-Staff Appreciation event, we invite you to submit words of appreciation to thank those who have assisted, mentored, and supported you throughout your college journey. We will share your remarks with those you have written about and/or post your remarks, if you would like us to do so.

Words of appreciation may be submitted via the Faculty and Staff Appreciation Form , Please submit a separate form for each person you are thanking.Forms will be accepted until May 20, 2020
Virtual Open Mic Night  *New Zoom ID*
7:00-8:30 p.m

Please join us Wednesday nights for our virtual Open Mic Night. We will have singing, poetry, and music. 

Please email  deanofstudentsoffice@brandeis.edu  for the new zoom information.
Community Partner Opportunities
*Please note that the Department of Community Service provides marketing and may not be in direct partnership with this organization. It is the responsibility of all members of this listserv to research all external community engagement initiatives and programs prior to involvement.
Volunteer Opportunity: Write letters and cards for the JF&CS Memory Café and Balancing Act
Brandeis University students have volunteered at the JF&CS Memory Café since its launch in 2014. Students have also made Valentine’s cards for participants in our Balancing Act support group. During these times of physical distancing, letters and cards have reemerged as very important means of social connection; a way to send a little cheer to our participants, and help them to feel connected with the community around them. Cards made by little ones don’t need to follow all of these guidelines below! I would suggest: draw a friendly/happy picture, leave space inside for staff to write in the salutation, and then sign it with the child’s first name and their age.

Feeling creative? Here are the guidelines:
 
Please mail your letters or cards to Beth Soltzberg, Director of the Alzheimer’s/Related Disorders Family Support Program, JF&CS, at this address: Beth Soltzberg, 303 Gray Street, Arlington, MA 02476.
 
Please include a blank envelope for each card or letter, if possible. (An envelope is appreciated but not required).

What kind of card or letter, you may ask?
  • Please use only sizes that accept standard postage. Please avoid cards that require extra postage.
  • Pre-made cards are fine.
  • Handmade cards are fine.
  • Plain paper is fine.
  • Written and/or drawn is fine.

Content to include or avoid:
 
  • Some people who live with dementia are not aware of their diagnosis or are ashamed of it, so please do not mention dementia.
  • Some of our guests with dementia are not aware of the pandemic, so it is best to avoid this topic.
  • Share a happy thought about a topic that is timeless and common to us all, such as springtime, or the value of being kind to one another. People living with dementia may have trouble recalling specific information, but they often will really respond to sensory details that you can describe: color, scents, sounds, etc. One idea is to look up quotes on topics such as these, write your quote on the card, and then include a brief personal message.
Follow Waltham's Mayor Jeannette McCarthy's Coid-19 Updates
Keep up with the latest COVID-19 facts with the Waltham Mayor Jeannette McCarthy. You can find previous videos as well as check back for any new videos each week.
Waltham Mutual Aid Network Volunteers Needed
The Waltham Mutual Aid Network is seeking volunteers who help support the Waltham community during the COVID-19 pandemic. We have a particularly high need for volunteers who can help people navigate applying for social services and volunteers who speak multiple languages (particularly Spanish).

To sign up, fill out this form .
Teach for Summer HSSP 2020
Do you want to develop your digital teaching skills while interacting with motivated middle and high school students? Did you teach for Splash and realize you wanted to teach students in even greater depth over the course of six weeks during the summer? Do you want to teach students whose learning is affected by this crisis? Want to spot some Highly Self-Similar Sharks on a Plane? 

If so, you should teach for Summer HSSP! Brought to you by MIT ESP (the people who run Splash), HSSP is a six-week program that will run 12–5 EDT on every Saturday from July 11th to August 15th. 

If you have any questions about the program or a class you’d like to teach, feel free to reach us at summer-hssp@mit.edu . Sign up to teach by May 13th! We will contact all teachers after they register to schedule informal 30-minute teacher interviews that will take place from May 11 to May 25 – we’d just like to get a sense of the topic(s) you’d like to teach, as well as your teaching style. 
Connect with us!
Department of Community Service
Shapiro Campus Center, Room 203
P: 781-736-3237

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