Jump jump jump around, jump jump up and get down for community service with the JUMP club, who are devoted to help the community. JUMP stands for Join Us Making Progress and is a “student-run, student-led community service organization” said senior Emily Langill, also the senior director of JUMP. Langill holds the highest position in the club other than the paid positions.
With more than five different collations, the club works with about 100 people and around 40 people held positions in JUMP. Youth Programs, Human Services, Sustainability, Days of Service and Alternative Spring Break are the five collations that make up the organization. Each collation targets a different program.
Human Services is for anyone who would help with food, homelessness and the elderly. Youth Programs is where Sonoma State students can help tutor their peers. Days of Service is a program where students can volunteer for a day to help specific areas of their choice.
Alternative Breaks is a program where students have the opportunity to go on multiple trips that help a certain area in need. Sustainability is a program that works with issues involving the environment.
Each program is split up into subdivisions in JUMP. Each collation has a director, a lead in each program and a paid coordinator position.
Langill has been with the club for three years, “I was a site leader within youth programs two years ago, and then I was the director for Youth Programs last year,” said Langill.
New faces and old faces surfaced at the info night for JUMP on Thursday, showcasing all the clubs that are available this semester. With so many options of community service, freshman Katelyn Medlin said, “My first impression was that JUMP is very helpful for the community, so many different things to sign up for.”
As a person new to this club, Medlin signed up for Human Services and for the Boys and Girls Club.
Part of the Sustainability division, SOUP-ER, Serving Our Unfed People Everyday Repackaging is trying to gain their club status again through JUMP, since this subdivision was cut off a couple of years ago. Tomio Endo, the director of Sustainability is trying to get this subdivision back up and running so that he can help out the Kitchens at Sonoma State as soon as possible.
As a veteran to the club, Langill has experienced many different parts of the club and how it works, she has many memories that she cherishes.
“I just love seeing so many people come together for a service project and working hard at one specific thing. And you’re all communicating with each other but you’re all still building relationships and doing a service, it just creates so many different relationships within that one service project,” said Langill.
In the past year, many different service projects created one of the biggest Alternative Spring Breaks. Students went to different places such as Los Angeles, Humboldt, Oregon and Arizona.
Alternative Breaks raised around $23 thousand just last year to help coordinate these trips. This year, there will be five spring break trips planned along with a trip during winter break.
Coming up this semester JUMP has many different opportunities for students to get involved in the community. Another info night will be held today so that more students have the chance to see what JUMP is all about. The info night is in the Erin Fisher room on the second floor of the Student Center at 7 p.m.
