Students at Sonoma State University can look forward to JUMP’s new and exciting volunteer events.
Join Us Making Progress, also known as JUMP is the community service program of the Associated Students INC. JUMP encourages students to strive for community building, by participating in various volunteer opportunities.
JUMP has four different coalitions; human services, youth program, days of service and jump sustainability.
The Human Services coalition is a semester-long commitment and a great opportunity for students to volunteer their time once a week (or more) in serving vulnerable populations around Sonoma County.
JUMP’s Human services coalition has six, semester-long programs, these include: Sam Jones Dining hall, Family support center, Lobo’s Pantry, Pop up pantry, the respite program and the living room.
Some of these jobs include working with those experiencing Alzheimer’s, feeding families in need of extra assistance, and helping female homelessness.
The Living Room is an organization that invites JUMP to bring Sonoma State students on site to help and gain experience working with those in need.
The Living Room, located in Santa Rosa, is a resource center that provides a safe space for women and their children experiencing homelessness. The organization offers tangible resources for women, such as tampons, food stamps, and clothing. The Living Room also provides resources for those who have mental health conditions. There are social workers on-site that cater to each individual’s circumstances.
JUMP provides transportation to Sonoma State students who participate.
“This is a weekly opportunity and commitment to volunteer in our community. The weekly activities JUMP volunteers to do for The Living Room is conversing lightly with the women who come in for help, or play with their children so they can have some time to themselves. We also organize all the donated items. It’s really a feeling of community,” says, Sophomore and coordinator of the Living Room, Sara Feinman.
For this Fall semester, students have the opportunity to volunteer three times a week.
The volunteer schedule begins Monday from 1:15 a.m. to 3:15 p.m., followed by Tuesday from 12 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., and finally Friday from 12 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Students may choose one out of three days to participate or volunteer two or three days.
In contrast, JUMPs days of service provides one-day volunteer opportunities.
JUMP has several days of service planned for this semester, which includes the Goatlandia event on September 14.
Goatandia is an animal sanctuary located in Santa Rosa that rescues farm animals and works to rehabilitate them.
Goatlandia is the perfect one-day event where students can assist farm animals, without having to commit to volunteering on a weekly basis.
Coordinator of Goatlandia and Sophomore Jenna Fairman says, “This will actually be my second time hosting and coordinating an event with JUMP, my first being with Bayer Farms. Goatlandia is great if you love animals because you really get the opportunity to interact with some adorable rescue animals. This time we’ll get to do things like feed the animals, paint the chicken coup, and just generally hang out with the animals. Last year there were also some baby goats that we got to interact with, so I’m really looking forward to seeing those adorable guys again.”
If students can not make it to the Goatlandia event and are still interested in helping animals, there is another opportunity.
Rohnert Park Animal Services is looking for volunteers on September 21, to assist with various tasks that the shelter needs. The tasks include weeding the garden, cleaning the storage shelters and interacting with the animals.
Coordinator Valerie enjoys helping the adorable animals on site. She has a deep admiration for assisting the sheltered animals in need and thinks that more students should participate in the amazing event.
Rohnert Park Animal Services appreciates any and all volunteer services as the many sheltered animals need positive attention and support.
Volunteering through JUMP allows for a humble experience.
“JUMP is a great way to meet new people and get involved on campus! I’ve been introduced to so many amazing people and been given such an incredible and rewarding opportunity to help out in our community that anyone on campus also has the opportunity to partake in,” says Jenna Fairman.
