About Community Service Day
Community Service Day is an annual event that takes place during Welcome Week for incoming first year and transfer students. It is an opportunity for new Seawolves to participate in service activities both on and off campus for the day.
Over 300 volunteers gathered together at the Community Service Day kickoff.
Students cleaned the West Meadow Beach with the Alternative Spring Break Outreach club, picking up trash and microplastics.
Students participated in several gardening and sustainability projects, including helping the new Community Garden Club.
Students packed 300 gift bags and decorated cards for the Little Saint Nick Foundation to be donated to pediatric patients at local hospitals and spread cheer.
Students packed over 500 snack kits for the Long Island Coalition for the Homeless to distribute to those in need.
Students supported Red Cross disaster relief efforts by cleaning 160 emergency cots used to aid people in crisis.
Students brightened residents' day at the Long Island State Veterans Home by beautifying sidewalks and joining the Recreation Department for engaging activities.
Community Service Day 2026
For Students: Register for specific Community Service Day projects on GivePulse.
For Campus and Community Partners: If you are interested in collaborating or receiving Stony Brook student volunteer support during Community Service Day, please contact us at communityservice@stonybrook.edu for more information.
Community Service Day 2026 Projects
Powering Up the Seawolves Pantry
Interested in supporting social justice causes like hunger and food insecurity? Process supplies donated to the campus Seawolves Pantry. Assist with the collection, sorting, and inventory of donations to benefit Long Island and Stony Brook community members facing food insecurity.
Serving America's Heroes: Chalk Art
Be of service to those who served! Join Stony Brook University’s Office of Military and Veteran Student Services at the Long Island State Veterans Home to decorate along Patriot's Road. Create designs that will honor and thank the Veterans living in the Veterans Home. There are hundreds of veterans, spouses, widows, and Gold Star parents who are cared for daily by the team at the LISVH. Brighten their day and beautify their residence
Serving America's Heroes: Adult Day Program
Be of service to those who served! Join Stony Brook University’s Office of Military and Veteran Student Services at the Long Island State Veterans Home to support LISVH's Adult Day Program. Participate in a game day and engage with veterans enrolled in the Day Program.
Serving America's Heroes: House Recreation Program
Be of service to those who served! Join Stony Brook University’s Office of Military and Veteran Student Services at the Long Island State Veterans Home to support LISVH's Recreation Program. Participate in a game day and engage with veterans to support the recreation team's activities.
Brighten the Brook (Southampton)
Contribute this Community Service Day by beautifying our Southampton campus and supporting the FoodLab's horticulture efforts! The FoodLab's mission is to study challenging food-related issues, including how to feed a growing population facing climate change and diminishing natural resources. Transportation will be provided for this off-campus trip. Volunteers must wear closed-toed shoes and are strongly encouraged to wear a hat and sunscreen. Please note that this project involves active, hands-on outdoor work that can include manual labor such as digging, lifting, and planting.
Brighten the Brook (East Campus)
Support the Stony Brook Heights Rooftop Micro-Farm's "farm to bedside" concept, which uses organic gardening methods to grow vegetables and herbs that supplement patient meals at Stony Brook Medicine. Students will be painting signs to label the plant beds in the micro-farm.
Brighten the Brook (West Campus)
Contribute this Community Service Day by beautifying campus! Stony Brook University hosts a robust Planting Program designed to manage its tree care and beautify the campus. Plant bushes, trees, and flowers cultivated in the greenhouse on West Campus and clean up areas in need of support. Volunteers must wear closed-toe shoes and are strongly encouraged to wear a hat and sunscreen. Please note that this project involves active, hands-on outdoor work that can include manual labor such as digging, lifting, and planting.
Hearts and Hooves: Support the Warrior Ranch Foundation
The Warrior Ranch Foundation invites veterans of the military and first-responders to attend clinics and workshops to learn about how to work with horses in a number of capacities from experts. Participants receive benefits from working with these animals including lower stress levels. Support the maintenance of the Warrior Ranch through activities such as painting, landscaping, and more. Volunteers must wear closed-toe shoes. Transportation will be provided for this off-campus trip. There will be moderate physical activity involved with this project.
Saving the Shoreline: Beach Clean-up with Atlantic Marine Conservation Society (AMSEAS)
Join the Atlantic Marine Conservation Society (AMSEAS) for a meaningful day of service supporting local marine wildlife and coastal ecosystems. AMSEAS works to preserve and protect marine mammals and sea turtles through rescue, rehabilitation, research, and education efforts across Long Island. Students will gain insight into marine conservation while making a positive environmental impact in the local community. Volunteers will assist with beach clean-up. Volunteers must wear closed-toe shoes and comfortable clothing suitable for outdoor activities. We recommend bringing sunscreen and a refillable water bottle. Transportation will be provided for this off-campus trip.
Build a Home, Build a Future: Habitat for Humanity of Long Island
Join Habitat for Humanity of Long Island to build safe, affordable homes for Habitat families. This is a hands-on opportunity to build with a construction team on a worksite. Students will have the opportunity to watch a wall go up, use a hammer, put up sheetrock, install siding, and many other construction tasks. Thick-soled, closed-toe shoes like work boots are mandatory to participate. Transportation will be provided for this off-campus trip. Moderate physical activity to be involved.
Farm for the Future with Island Harvest
Interested in fighting hunger and food insecurity on Long Island? Join Island Harvest to learn about food justice and sustainability, and make an impact through service. Students will help harvest and prepare fresh produce at the Healthy Harvest Farm. All produce collected will be donated to Island Harvest to support local food insecurity efforts across Long Island. Volunteers are encouraged to wear weather appropriate clothing they don't mind getting dirty, closed-toe shoes, layers, long sleeves, hats, and sunscreen, as this project involves outdoor work. Work gloves are provided. Be advised that allergens like pollen, poison ivy, bees, and peanuts are present on the farm.
Snack Kits for Support with Long Island Coalition for the Homeless
Join a volunteer event supporting the Long Island Coalition for the Homeless, which provides essential food and supplies to people experiencing homelessness. Help assemble snack kits that will be distributed to those in need.
Deliver Cheer to Children with Little Saint Nick Foundation
Small bag, big impact: Join the Little Saint Nick Foundation, a nonprofit agency that delivers cheer to children in need, to pack gift bags that will be donated and distributed to patients at local Children's Hospitals.
Cultivating Community with the SBU Community Garden
Meet the Community Garden at SBU, a student organization dedicated to sustainability, health, wellness, and science through hands-on learning. Throughout the growing season the club leads activities such as seeding, upkeeping seedlings in the Life Sciences Greenhouse, transplanting and maintaining plants, and harvesting food grown. Help the Community Garden team with several needs during Community Service Day, including weeding, thinning out plants, potting, harvesting plants, and organizing and cleaning tools. The produce grown in the garden will be donated to the Seawolves Food Pantry.
Waves of Change Beach Clean-up with ASBO
Join members of Alternative Spring Break Outreach to clean up the West Meadow Beach! Also learn about Long Island wildlife and how to support our community's coastal environments. A hat and sunscreen is recommended for outdoor activity. Transportation will be provided for this off-campus trip.
Crafts for the Kids with Wolfiethon
Join Wolfiethon to make keychains and paint canvases to donate to kids with childhood cancer. Wolfiethon is partnered with the Andrew McDonough B+(Be Positive) Foundation to support families that are impacted by childhood cancer and to raise awareness and spread positivity on SBU's campus.