I Serve LA--Make It Count

You’ve already been putting in the volunteer hours. Now let’s keep track.

I Serve LA logo

 
 

 

Cal State LA wants to know about the good work you do in the community. Help the Center for Engagement, Service, and the Public Good track the number of hours that faculty, staff and students spend volunteering each year.

HOW IT WORKS

Report your hours by filling out the I Serve LA Tracker. Submit any time spent volunteering on and off campus during the 2020-21 academic year. For your convenience, this form is also accessible through Cal State LA’s GETmobile app.

Save the email receipt to keep a record of hours submitted.
Use the #IServeLA hashtag to contribute to our collection of stories on social media.If you lose track, contact the Center for Engagement,
Service, and the Public Good at [email protected]
for a report.

WHAT SERVICE COUNTS?

Cal State LA bases its service hours on the definition of community service established by the federal government’s Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS):

Community service activities may include but are not limited to: service-learning, volunteer activities, work-study community service and paid community service internships. Community service includes both direct service to citizens (e.g., serving food at a soup kitchen) and indirect service (e.g., assessing community nutrition needs or managing a food bank).

 

Here are some examples of what counts as service:

  • Donate Medical Supplies and Equipment
  • Pro-bono professional and/or medical services provided to a non-profit organization
  • Give Blood
  • Stay in Touch – Check on your neighbors, friends, and family.
  • Volunteer from Home
  • Donate to Non-Profits
  • Donate or Volunteer Safely with Food Banks and Pantries
  • Serving on the board of a Non-Profit
  • Volunteering remotely with a nonprofit or similar organization (e.g., nursing home, school)
  • Organizing and preparing for a service project
  • Organizing or participating in a charity fundraiser
  • Participating in Cal State LA Gives Back days
  • Virtual Service-learning activities
  • Virtual Internships with non-profit groups that serve the community
  • Service-related federal work-study hours coordinated through the Center for Engagement, Service, and the Public Good and the Career Development Center (e.g., DC Reads, Jumpstart, AmeriCorps, PeaceCorps, Human Rights Watch)

WHAT DOESN'T COUNT?

Unfortunately, not all volunteer opportunities meet the service challenge guidelines. The following examples do not count as community service:

  • Paid employment (e.g., babysitting, service-related work tied to current employment)
  • Any activity related to the proselytizing of a religion or campaigning for an elected candidate or policy
  • Internships with companies or organizations that do not provide a direct service to the community (e.g., issue advocacy group, government or congressional office)
  • Participation in non-service university-related events (e.g., working at commencement)
  • Board service for which you are paid

WHY SHOULD I PARTICIPATE?

Community service participation is meaningful and valuable on its own. But there are other benefits to logging volunteer hours in the I Serve LA Tracker. We’ve created levels to help make tracking more fun:

Bronze Level – 50 hours per academic year
Silver Level   – 200 hours per academic year
Gold Level    – 350 hours per academic year

Participants who reach the Bronze Level or higher can earn additional perks, like listing their community service status on résumés or applications for scholarships, internships and graduate school; receiving acknowledgement on the Center for Engagement, Service, and the Public Good’s website; and receiving a letter from the Center regarding their service hours.

Participants who log in their service hours can also be entered into monthly drawings for a #ISERVELA T-shirt and a $20 Gift Card.

STORIES

The Center wants to know about our campus community service experiences of people who are dedicated to volunteering to post on the Center’s website and social media platforms. To share we would appreciate hearing your stories. Please visit this link to upload your story. You are giving the Center for Engagement, Service, and the Public Good permission to use your story.

Don’t forget to continue tracking your hours and keep up the great work!