W H A T ’ S H A P P E N I N G

This semester, Hamilton College’s HAVOC (Hamilton Association for Volunteering, Outreach, and Charity) is, once again, connecting with the surrounding community—from Clinton to Utica—through volunteer work. From public libraries to food pantries, HAVOC members are constantly eager to lend a helping hand, engage with the wider community, and make a difference. Amy James, Director of Community Outreach, appreciates the effort and impact HAVOC makes, noting how members “bring so much energy and enthusiasm to all of the sites they visit, whether it’s for a one time service day or for regular, sustained projects.”

Within HAVOC, Site Coordinators are assigned a location that they individually oversee, arranging volunteer groups, transportation, and, sometimes, volunteer activities. Below I will explore some of the volunteers locations Site Coordinators are involved in:

Dunham Public Library:

Located in Whitesboro, NY, the Dunham Public Library has hosted HAVOC volunteers for both weekly volunteer work and one-day service projects, such as this past MLK Jr. Day of Service on February 4th. This semester, HAVOC volunteers are running a Reading Buddy program aimed at improving literacy skills through one-on-one reading practice with elementary students. As the Site Coordinator for the library, I really enjoy working with the library community and sharing my passion for literature to help others improve.

Hope House:

Sophomore Sabina Feder works with the Hope House, a food pantry in Utica. There, HAVOC volunteers help out for dinner shifts— preparing, serving, and cleaning up food. Growing up, Feder was always working for food pantries, so she “jumped at the chance to help out at one here in Utica.” To Feder, the most rewarding part is