joe mertz center sponsored programs
Adopt-a-Grandparent
Spend time with an elderly man or woman at a local nursing home. You could do things like taking them on a walk outside, playing a game, or watching television. Visit once a week (or every other week) on your own schedule.
Bingo Buddies
Visit and play bingo with elderly residents at a local nursing home every Wednesday night from about 6-8:30.
Boys & Girls Club
The Huntington Boys and Girls Club is open Monday-Friday, 2:30 to 7:30. It provides a safe place for youth K-12 to come, participate in games, clubs, gym activities, get homework help, and have a free meal. Volunteers can spend time with homework help, helping in the game room, building relationships, and being a positive role model for club members.
East Side Family Outreach:
Play and be a role-model for the children who come.
Girl Scout
Become a troop leader for the girl scouts! (Sorry boys, girls only)
Habitat/Re-store
Help build houses on Saturdays or help run the Re-store throughout the week!
Habitat for Humanity
H4H helps build homes for underprivileged families. Students can help out on Saturday morning work days from 9-12. Get together with your floor or a group of friends and go together to help out this organization!
Hispanic Ministry
It is a ministry outreach to area people who speak Spanish. The group meets every week, but works on a bi-weekly schedule. On Monday nights they meet to play a pick-up game of soccer. The mission is to create relationships with the community. Every other Monday the group meets to have devotions in Spanish and play games. The mission is for the community to hear the Word of God in their first language. If you don't know Spanish, but have a heart for this type of ministry please come out! If you are only interested in soccer or vice versa you can attend only one; you don't have to commit to both!
Huntington Kid's Club
Huntington Kid's Club is an outreach program to unchurched 8-12 year olds in the Huntington community. College students and adults from the community build relationships with the kids by meeting in small groups on Monday nights from 6-9 and once a month for an activity outside of the club.
HU Tech Squad
The HU Tech Squad sends pairs of students with varying levels of computer skills to non-profit organizations in the Huntington community to help them with various technology needs.
JAG
Mentor at-risk teenagers at the local high school.
Love INC
Volunteer at a local food pantry and thrift store sorting goods and helping clients shop!
Love Church
Love Church in Fort Wayne has a Thursday night children's program that needs volunteers to spend time with kids from the inner-city, teaching them about the Bible and playing games with them.
Meal Ministry
Meal Ministry provides a hot meal once a day to those who need it in the Huntington community. It is an outreach of New Life Fellowship, and dinner is served every day from 4:30-6:30. Students can go and help serve dinner, work in the kitchen, and interact with the people who come.
MOPS
MOPS is a program for mothers to get together or for parents to have a night out while students provide childcare for their children at a local church. It is one Tuesday a month (from 7-9pm) and one Saturday a month (from 4-9pm).
Open Door
Deliver meals to elderly shut-ins and families in need! Organized by St. Mary's Catholic Church, volunteers stop by the church to pick up food and get assigned a route to which they deliver that day's meal.
Powerhouse
Powerhouse is a place for teens to come on Friday nights and have a positive place to hang out. Students can help by coming and building relationships with the kids, participate in games, dancing and many other activities.
United Way
Help different community organizations with events throughout the year!!!
Upward Basketball/Cheerleading:
Coach elementary and middle school youth basketball or cheerleading from January to March.
Victory Knoll
Visit retired nuns at a Victory Knoll any time during the week. Listen to stories from retired missionaries about their ministry in foreign countries or in the States.
Volunteer 911
Have a need? This program responds to the various calls that the JMC gets from local residents and/or organizations that are in need of immediate assistance. Volunteers will be immediately rallied to respond to the specific need. Services range from raking leaves to babysitting to shoveling snow to running errands for the elderly, etc. Contact JMC@huntington.edu
Current Students: The Joe Mertz Center’s organization, Volunteer 911, was created for Huntington University students just like you! The intention of this organization is getting students who have a little extra free time to help out members of the community or not-for-profit businesses who are in need of assistance. The commitment is minimal, and students can volunteer whenever they have time. Joining our group does not mean you will be harassed and forced to help with every request that comes in!
When we have a request come in, we will post it to this group page in the form of an event, and everyone who is a member will be invited. All you have to do is assess your free time, and simply reply to that you will or will not be attending the event.
It’s easy to get involved, and even easier to help make a difference for others by getting involved with Volunteer 911! Facebook-Volunteer 911
YFC-Campus Life
Campus Life is an outreach ministry to middle-school and high-school students. Clubs usually meet on Monday nights or Monday mornings.
Special Events
Plunge
Community service event involving new students during orientation weekend.
Work Days
All-campus community service event held each semester.
Mission Trips
There are five trip leaders that plan trips during the year: one during J-Term, three during Spring Break and one Post-Graduation.
Blood Drives
A quick, but necessary thing. Giving your blood can save a lot of lives, and we have three blood drives a year--spaced out so you can give blood at each!