On May 9, Yale Day of Service will embark on its 12th year of making an impact on local communities around the world. And now you can sign up to take part in this annual celebration of service.
Registration is now open for the 2020 Yale Day of Service. Volunteers can learn about the opportunities in their area and register for a project by visiting the Day of Service website.
More than 2,500 alumni, family, and friends participated in Yale Day of Service in 2019, in 17 countries, 36 states, and at 225 service sites. This means there is bound to be a service site near you. And if not, the Yale Alumni Association, which coordinates Yale Day of Service in conjunction with alumni co-chairs Paul Broholm ’78 and Elizabeth “Betsy” Sullivan ’74, ’76 MA, is still accepting service site registrations, so there is still time to launch an event in partnership with a local organization in your area.
“There are many ways Yale alumni serve every day across the world,” Broholm said. “Day of Service highlights all these efforts and reminds current and future alumni of the importance of serving the common good and using our talents to help make the world a better place.”
Added Sullivan: “It's an honor to be co-chairing the effort this year as we look for ways to expand and enhance our impact around the corner and around the world.”
While Yale Day of Service is officially commemorated on May 9, alumni are welcome to host events throughout the spring and all year long.
In fact, the YAA has already partnered with the Yale-China Association and United Way of Greater New Haven for service projects in 2020, and many service projects develop into year-round endeavors and some even grow into full-scale operations. Such was the case for Juan Carlos Salinas ’03 MFA, who is serving as this year’s honorary Day of Service co-chair alongside Newborns in Need founder Brenda Penner ’76 MSN. Salinas’ Day of Service project evolved into Y Tu También, a nonprofit organization that works to increase access to higher education for Latinos, first-generation students, minorities, and students in need.
“Big things have small beginnings,” Salinas said. “As Yale alumni, we are always encouraged to create positive change in the world. If someone had told me that a Yale Day of Service project in 2010 would go on to become a nonprofit organization that would be the turning point for over 800 high school students, I'm not sure I would have believed them.”
For those looking to make their mark in 2020, and to learn more about Yale Day of Service, visit the
Day of Service website at yaledayofservice.org.
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Mara Balk contributed reporting to this story.
