JUMP (Join Us Making Progress) is a program within SSU’s student-run Associated Students, where students are able to become involved with helping to provide for their local community. JUMP aims to provide community service opportunities for all students, giving them easy access to put their foot in the door for their community. 

JUMP is fully student-led and run, and the program is divided into two coalitions, including: Community Connections and Days of Service. The Community Connections coalition offers students semester-long service opportunities with local community partners, such as Rohnert Park’s Evergreen Elementary School and Santa Rosa’s homeless shelter, The Living Room. Days of Service offers one time volunteer events working with more community partners like, Goatlandia, Forget Me Not Farm Children’s Services, and Sonoma County Wildlife Rescue.

JUMP’s “Study Buddies” program is a part of the Community Connections branch, which is a semester-long volunteer program in which SSU students tutor Evergreen Elementary schoolers in the first-fifth grade. 

Victoria Lopez, a second-year Early Childhood Studies major and the Head Coordinator of Study Buddies, described how the program works, stating that, “during the first few weeks of semester, we table and contact students who are in need of community service hours. This semester, many people reached out to me and I developed a group of 15 SSU Study Buddy volunteers. We go to Evergreen Elementary twice a week and provide tutoring sessions and homework help for all subjects. We get a lot of volunteers who want to become teachers and are using these hours towards their teaching credential.”

 Lopez elaborated on why the program is significant by saying, “I want to be a special education teacher, so Study Buddies is very helpful in developing strategies for teaching other younger students. This program allows people to make long lasting bonds and connections, while getting students involved in their community. It gets students who plan to be teachers out into the field and they are truly giving back to these elementary students.” 

JUMP’s Community Service and Basic Needs Coordinator, Meredith Bates, is the professional staff member that assists JUMP students and oversees the program. She explained her passion for community service by stating, “I have always had a passion for educating myself on how to best show up for my community. My own experience with community service allowed me to gain life and leadership skills that helped me to grow both personally and professionally. As someone who needed support for basic needs growing up and throughout my college career, the support I had both inside and outside the classroom was crucial to my success. Now as a professional, I want to be there for students who also need that same holistic support as they navigate their own path to graduation.”

JUMP will be hosting its annual Hunger & Homelessness Awareness Week from Nov. 15-19. This is one of JUMP’s biggest events, with each weekday featuring multiple volunteer opportunities and activities. On Mon., Nov. 15, JUMP will host an on-campus blanket making and movie screening event from 6-9 p.m in Ballroom B. Students will be provided with materials to make tie blankets which JUMP will donate to local homeless shelters.  

On Tues., Nov. 16, JUMP will have a Pop-Up Pantry event in Seawolf Plaza from 12:30-2:30 p.m., which will provide free food items to all SSU students. On the same day from 5-6 p.m., JUMP will host a zoom session teaching students how to cook recipes using Lobo’s Pantry items and participants will even have the chance to win cooking equipment during the session. JUMP will also present a homeless-activist speaker panel, in which activists will share their experiences and address homelessness in the Rohnert Park community. This will take place on Wed., Nov. 17, on-campus in Ballroom B from 5-7 p.m. 

These are just some of the featured Hunger & Homelessness Awareness events and there will be more local volunteer opportunities throughout the week. JUMP will be tabling for Hunger & Homelessness Awareness Week outside the Seawolf Plaza the week of Nov. 8-14. Students can learn more by looking at JUMP’s webpage on as.sonoma.edu, as well as on the Engage@SSU website. 

Rhiannon Philippi, a third year Hutchin’s student and JUMP’s Community Connections Director, shared her experience working with JUMP and explained why the program is important. She said, “this is my third year with JUMP, and I can’t imagine my college career without it. I have had so many opportunities because of the work I have done with this organization. When students come to college, they are choosing to be a part of a community for at least four years. They should be an active member of that community by meeting new people, being exposed to new ideas, and learning about what their neighbors have to offer. JUMP provides students with real world experiences, and can lead to job opportunities. Students can learn more about JUMP by looking at our website, visiting the front desk on the second floor of the student center across from The HUB, or by emailing [email protected].” 

Bates gave her insight on why students should be involved with JUMP and provided more resources for students wanting information by conveying, “I believe students should get involved with JUMP as it is an opportunity to support your community, but also to grow your leadership. For students wanting to learn more about JUMP, you can reach out to me at [email protected] and I can connect you with the service program you are looking for. Follow us on instagram @as_sonoma for event updates or feel free to reach out to me via email.”