Join the BIG Event on Saturday 

Saturday's BIG Event, a day of community service when UAlbany students, faculty and staff give back to the Capital District, will be online this year. (Photo by Paul Miller)

ALBANY, N.Y. (April 2, 2020) -- During this unprecedented time of COVID-19, it is more important than ever for people to feel they are making a positive contribution to the community

This Saturday's BIG Event will still go on, and has been switched to an online format. The BIG Event is a full day of service to the Capital District community.

"We cannot, and will not, allow COVID-19 to interrupt our commitment to help one another as we work to strengthen our communities, " said Martha Asselin, director for The Center for Leadership and Service. "Now, more than ever, we are needed to help others. Even the smallest act of kindness can make a BIG impact. Our communities depend on us."

With health and safety as top priorities, The Center for Leadership and Service has restructured the annual BIG Event into an online, remote and virtual volunteering day of service.

The BIG Event will begin at 11 a.m. on Saturday with opening remarks from President Havidán Rodríguez and Vice President of Student Affairs Michael Christakis. This will lead into the opening ceremony with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, followed by the opportunity to volunteer.

"We all can make a difference even if you cannot physically be present in the volunteer space. There is an enormous amount of social good that can be done over the internet, over the phone, in our own homes and through remote volunteering," Asselin said.

All members of the UAlbany community are called upon to commit to doing something BIG this Saturday. Simply log on to the EngageUAlbany platform and click on "University at Albany Login." Sign in using your campus identification and password. Here you can set up your personal profile and view the list of current 'needs' for volunteers. Volunteer for as many of these activities as you can. Record your activity by checking in to the volunteer opportunity and uploading a picture or video of your participation. You are also encouraged to share your BIG Event volunteer service on social media using #UAlbanyLeads and #BeBIGUAlbany.

Service opportunities include: supporting the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention; Capital Region Community COVID-19 Response; The MoonCatcher Project; The RED Bookshelf; food pantries; Friends of Jaclyn Foundation, and more. You can also volunteer to make a global social impact with agencies such as: Amnesty International Decoders; ACTNOW Climate Action Movement; DoSomething; 7 Cups; and Translators Without Borders.

Contact Martha Asselin or Cheryl Roundtree Simmons.

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