More Volunteer as Berkeley Project Grows

More than 1,500 students and community members volunteered this Saturday in the second annual Berkeley Project Day, working at 58 sites across the city.

Based on requests from the city and other organizations for community improvements, the project’s student coordinators assigned volunteers to work on a variety of tasks including gardening at Willard Park, painting a mural at Live Oak Park and sending books on behalf of the Prisoners Literature Project, according to the project’s spokesperson Mark Matsumoto.

This year, sign-ups for Berkeley Project Day had to close early because more people signed up than the organizers could accommodate, said Executive Director Edward Pao. Nearly 2,000 people signed up and an estimated 1,500 showed up to volunteer, Pao said, adding that organizers had accounted for this discrepancy in their planning.

“I think it’s important for places to be claimed by the community, not individuals,” said Jenny Cooper, the community outreach director, who helped coordinate the Live Oak Park project where volunteers painted a mural over graffiti on a bridge.

The first Berkeley Project Day was held last fall, with a turnout of 1,000 volunteers. UC Berkeley alumnus Peter Do said fellow founder senior Andrew Rowland got the idea when he heard about The Detroit Project, organized by students at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor for volunteering in the Detroit area.

“I just met with (Cooper and Rowland) and I just kind of politely nodded my head … but they kept coming at me and finally I committed on behalf of the city,” said Berkeley Assistant City Manager Jim Hynes.

Volunteer materials, transportation and food were donated and supplied by the campus, city and outside organizations. City officials arranged for buses and free BART passes for volunteers.

Local stores donated food for volunteer meals, and organizers received $15,000 in donations from the campus and various local businesses, Pao said.

Hynes said the day is a good investment for the city, which saves $100 for every dollar it invests in the project. If not for the project, the city probably would not take on the tasks completed by volunteers, he said.

Matsumoto said one of the project goals is to inspire individuals and groups to get involved in the community.

“It’s not a one-day event. It’s about promoting a culture of service,” Cooper said.

Leonora Bittleston, a member of the University Students’ Cooperative Association Board of Directors, said that the co-ops are planning a community service event with the Prisoners Literature Project, which they heard about through the project.

“We’re obviously very proud of these students and we really want to keep this up,” said Associate Chancellor John Cummins, who spoke at the opening ceremonies.

Tags: