April's Angel's

by: Vanessa Ingram

                               April’s Angels: Small Time, Big Change

Many non-profit organizations in the Spokane community are dedicated to improving the dilapidated homes that are in need of immediate repair. Unfortunately, help often takes a long time to arrive and supplies are often limited and many cannot afford to make the repairs on their own. In response to this problem and in the spirit of the Jesuit Mission, CCASL created a program called April’s Angels.

Originally founded to assist local parish schools in the Spokane Community, today April’s Angels is a collaborative venture with Rebuilding Together, a nationally recognized non-profit dedicated to “providing critical repairs…and upgrades to low-income homes and community centers at no cost to service recipients.” In this new venture, April’s Angels has been fortunate to work with a local community center, houses for the developmentally disabled, and a retirement community within walking distance of campus. For the 2013 school year the program is looking to get back to its roots, with an announcement in the coming weeks about our service site. 

As a one-day service blitz, this program is great for students who would like to make a big impact on the Spokane community in a small amount of time. No long term commitments are required, just simply submit an application to CCASL and mark your calendar for April 13^th, 2013. Applications for student volunteers will go out on Thursday, March 21^st, and will be due back to CCASL on Thursday, March 28^th.  Students are expected to attend at least one pre-service orientation meeting and will commit six hours of service on the project date. Additionally, there is a $5 charge that covers transportation, project supplies, lunch, and a t-shirt for the event. Participation is open to anyone, including alumni. This makes April’s Angels a great networking opportunity for students who wish to build relationships and contacts with Gonzaga alumni.

Though the experience may be short, this program has a long-lasting impact on both the community and students who volunteer. “As an undergrad I went for three years straight and had a blast every time.” said Jeb Berg, CCASL’s Coordinator of Student Engagement and 2008 Gonzaga graduate, when asked about what students should expect from the program. If you would like any more information on this program, please contact aprilsangels@zagmail.gonzaga.edu , or contact Jeb Berg at bergj@gonzaga.edu

Important: CCASL has recently updated their site. As a result, some pages may display an old application for April’s Angels but please be aware that this is not the application for the 2013 April’s Angels event. All current and updated information will be located on this page on the CCASL website:  http://www.gonzaga.edu/student+life/Community-Action-and-Service-Learning/StudentEngagement/Aprils-Angels.asp