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Community Engagement and Service

Community Engagement and Service (CES) in the Hub for Spiritual Life is a place where you can connect to meaningful service opportunities. Through regular service projects, long-term partnerships, community collaborations, and special service events, volunteers with us explore how service can be practiced as a spiritual discipline. Rather than serving out of convenience or viewing service as what we do with “leftover” or extra time, we incorporate service into the regular rhythms of life.

Participation with Community Engagement and Service provides concrete ways for individuals to apply their knowledge, skills, and abilities to create community impact. We focus on incorporating humility and curiosity into service work and community building efforts.

We have regular volunteer opportunities with local nonprofits, including the Westminster Free Clinic, About My Father’s Business, the Malibu Community Assistance Resource Team, Hand in Hand Foundation, and the Malibu Community Labor Exchange. Reach out to us for more information!

We are also happy to customize service projects for your club, organization, or other University group.

Contact Us

Director: Christin Shatzer Román, EdD, ext. 7757

Assistant Director: Jadyn Gaertner, ext. 4359

Location: TCC 230

Upcoming Events



Pepperdine students volunteer at a service event

Upcoming Service Opportunities

Stay up to date with all upcoming volunteer opportunities. 

 

Shemesh Farms Logo

Shemesh Farms Service Project

Tuesdays and Wednesdays

Shemesh Farms is an enterprise that is built upon a foundation of sustainability, inclusion, and interconnectedness. When you volunteer to help harvest, garden, and craft spice blends, honey, and other organic products, you help them hire more young adults with diverse abilities. 

Join us for volunteer opportunities on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Space limited. Transportation provided. 

Contact Justin Choi at justin.choi@pepperdine.edu for more information.

Path logo

PATH Cooks Service Project

We are so excited to continue our partnership with PATH in Spring 2023! PATH Cooks is a volunteer program providing home-cooked meals to the residents living in PATH’s interim housing facilities. Join us every other Wednesday.  

No previous volunteer experience is required, and transportation will be provided from campus. Sign up using this link or contact Maddie Beadle at maddie.beadle@pepperdine.edu for more information.

Malibu C.A.R.T. logo

Malibu C.A.R.T

Every other Tuesday from 8:30-11:30am

Malibu C.A.R.T. (Community Assistance Resource Team) is a group of people that serves our unhoused neighbors in Malibu by providing home-cooked meals for them on a weekly basis. Just 10 minutes away at Serra Retreat, Pepperdine students will be able to participate in cooking and preparing meals for 30 people on selected Tuesdays from 8:30-11:30, with an option to hand out lunches until noon. Fill out the sign up form or contact ryan.locascio@pepperdine.edu for more information. 

 

Hand in Hand logo

Hand in Hand

Monthly Activities


Hand in Hand is an inclusion program that connects people of all abilities in a socially integrated program. They provide participants with disabilities an opportunity to socialize with their peers without disabilities, learn new skills, and have fun. One of the biggest challenges for people with disabilities is finding programs that provide the support they need, while also providing opportunities to make friends and expand their world in a safe and fun environment.

We will host monthly activities for the participants on Sunday afternoons. Contact Justin Choi at justin.choi@pepperdine.edu  for more information. 

Malibu Labor Exchange logo

Malibu Labor Exchange

Thursdays and Saturdays: 8 - 10 AM

The Malibu Labor Exchange is a nonprofit organization that links primarily Spanish speaking immigrants with local job opportunities. It also provides a safe and convenient place for people to wait for day jobs and connects members with prospective employers. Our job as volunteers is to engage with members of the community and give them a chance to practice their English with us.

Our presence is much appreciated by members of the Labor Exchange community and it is a great opportunity for students to practice their Spanish! Join us Thursday or Saturday mornings 8-10 AM or reach out to Maria Fe Saito at maria.saito@pepperdine.edu for more information. 

About My Father's business logo

About My Father's Business

February 10/11, 24/25, March 9/10, 23/24, April 6/7

About My Father's Business is a local nonprofit that meets with and provides services and supplies to unhoused people in the San Fernando Valley. Pepperdine volunteers will be trained in conducting outreach with experienced volunteers on designated outreach days. Outreach and prep days will happen on select Saturdays and Sundays in the spring. Transportation will be provided!

To sign up, fill out this Google form or for more information, contact Maggie Bendle at maggie.bendle@pepperdine.edu.

 

Explore Recent Events

  Fall 2023
Step Forward Day logo

Step Forward Day Sept. 9th 2023

The Pepperdine community will serve together during the 35th annual Step Forward Day on Saturday, September 9th, 9am to 2pm! This event is about connecting with the community where we come together to serve our neighbors in Malibu and beyond. Step Forward Day showcases local, ongoing service opportunities that you can connect with even throughout the school year.

Transportation, a light breakfast, and lunch will be provided to participants. Spots are limited, so please sign up early via the registration form or contact jadyn.gaertner@pepperdine.edu for more information. 

 

 

  Spring 2023
PS Science logo

PS Science Service Squad
Saturdays: February 11, 2023 and March 11, 2023 9:30-11:30 AM

PS Science is a nonprofit organization that works with elementary schools in Los Angeles to provide weekly hands-on science instruction to children in underserved communities. 

Join us in setting up science classrooms for children to learn and become more passionate about science! Transportation will be provided. Sign up or contact matthew.aizawa@pepperdine.edu for more information.

Project Serve logo

Project Serve 2023
Spring Break (February 26-March 4)

Save the date for Project Serve 2023! Join Community Engagement and Service for a three day alternative spring break at one of our local nonprofit partners.

Details and dates are still being finalized, but if you are interested in receiving more information, please fill out this form. For more information, contact  maggie.bendle@pepperdine.edu

Baby2Baby logo

Baby2Baby Service Project

Select Thursdays, 2-6PM

Baby2Baby is a nonprofit organization and diaper bank providing children living in poverty with diapers, clothing, and other basic necessities.

Join us the following Thursday each week or as your schedule allows: 1/26, 2/23, 3/9, 3/16, 3/30 and 4/6. No previous volunteer experience is required, and transportation will be provided from campus. Sign up or contact Stella Zhu at stella.zhu@pepperdine.edu to learn more. 

Los Angeles Food Bank

Stock the Pantry at LA Regional Food Bank

April 1st 7:30 AM - 1 PM (Breakfast and snacks provided!)

Are you a Pepperdine International Student? If so, this project is for you! Join us to help provide LA's food-insecure community with food by volunteering at the country's second largest food bank. Volunteers will help in boxing, sorting and gleaning food that is later distributed through a network of more than 600 agency partners to neighbors in need. Spots are limited to the first 10 students to sign up! Transportation will be provided from Malibu's campus, along with breakfast and snacks! Contact Sharon Wakio at sharon.wakio@pepperdine.edu  for more information.

Painted Turtle logo

The Painted Turtle

April 1st (All Day)

The Painted Turtle is a seriously fun camp for kids with serious medical conditions that provides children and their families the joy of camp at no charge. Pepperdine students will be serving at their Rheumatic Diseases Family Day on April 1, 2023 as Family and Activity Pals, creating the camp experience for campers and their families. Transportation will be provided. Complete the sign up form or contact maggie.bendle@pepperdine.edu or maddie.beadle@pepperdine.edu  or more information! Note: volunteers must be 19 years of age or older to participate in this opportunity, and the deadline to sign up is March 13.

Disability Awareness Week Logo

Disability Awareness Week 2023

Mark your calendars for Disability Awareness 2023! On the week of March 13th to March 17th there will be events open to all schools on the Malibu campus to learn about Disability  and Allyship. We will be partnering with other on campus offices to bring you a variety of events. Here is a link to our events schedule!

From a live speaker to free ASL classes, there is so much to do and so much to learn!  If you are interested in volunteering or being involved in any way please contact Maddie Beadle at maddie.beadle@pepperdine.edu. 

 

  Fall 2022
Westminster Free Clinic logo

Westminster Clinic
Every Tuesday, 4 -9 PM

Join us every Tuesday to serve families in Oxnard. The clinic is a non-profit community care center serving the working poor and uninsured of Ventura County.

The clinic serves as a safety-net for those with no other affordable options and fills gaps as needed. No previous experience or skills required to volunteer, but Spanish-speaking volunteers and individuals interested in the healthcare field are welcome. Transportation will be provided from campus. Join us each week or as your schedule allows! If you'd like to learn more, please contact Charlie Markham at charlie.markham@pepperdine.edu. This is NOT an opportunity for Seaver 200 make up credit.

PATH logo

PATH Cooks Service Project
Select Thursdays, 4 - 8 PM

PATH Cooks is a volunteer program providing home-cooked meals to the residents living in PATH’s interim housing facilities. Join us on the following Thursdays: 10/6, 10/13, 10/27, 11/3, 11/10, 12/1, and 12/8.  If you'd like to learn more, please contact Maddie Beadle at maddie.beadle@pepperdine.edu.

Baby2Baby logo

Baby2Baby Service Project
Select Mondays, 2-6PM

Baby2Baby is a nonprofit organization and diaper bank providing children living in poverty with diapers, clothing, and other basic necessities. Join us the following Mondays each week or as your schedule allows: 11/07, and 11/28. No previous volunteer experience is required, and transportation will be provided from campus. Sign up, or contact Maggie Bendle at maggie.bendle@pepperdine.edu to learn more.

 

Habitat for Humanity logo

Playhouse Build Blitz with Habitat for Humanity
7:00 AM -3:30PM,  Saturday, Nov 5

Habitat for Humanity is an international nonprofit volunteer organization providing affordable housing and housing-related services for those who need them. Join us in building, painting, and decorating 25 playhouses that we will distribute to veteran/military families at the end of the day. Transportation, tools, and materials provided. Sign up or contact Nick Yi at nicholas.yi@pepperdine.edu to learn more.

5Journeys logo

Regenerative Farming with 5Journeys!
Saturdays: Nov 12, Dec 3, 9:30 AM to 1PM 

Join us in restoring native plant life at 5Journeys Farm and other conservation efforts like cataloging plants and animals. Plan to dig, get dirty, work hard, and enjoy great greenspace not far from campus! Transportation and tools provided.

Sign-up for the November 12 session or contact Christin Shatzer Román at christin.shatzerroman@pepperdine.edu to learn more.

Hunger and Homelessness logo

Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week
November 14-18 

November 14-18 is Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week. Join us for a week-long event of learning about hunger and homelessness in our own hometowns, creating care kits for people in need, and advocating for greater protections for our neighbors with housing insecurity. Find us tabling at Joslyn Plaza and at Caruso School of Law. Contact Dacia Hannel for more information at dacia.hannel@pepperdine.edu. This is NOT an opportunity for Seaver 200 make up credit.

 

Step Forward Day logo
Step Forward Day

On Saturday, September 10, 2022, the Pepperdine University community celebrated the 34th annual Step Forward Day. The day connected students, faculty, staff, and alumni around the world to service opportunities within their communities. Volunteers had the opportunity to serve in one of 20 projects serving over 15 different community organizations. To learn more about how the Pepperdine community gave back, check out this article by the Pepperdine Newsroom!

American Red Cross logo
American Red Cross Blood Drive

Save a life by donating blood! 

Malibu Labor Exchang Participants
The Malibu Labor Exchange

The Malibu Labor Exchange is a nonprofit organization that links primarily Spanish-speaking immigrants with local job opportunities. It also provides a safe and convenient place for people to wait for day jobs and connects members with prospective employers. Our job as volunteers is to engage with members of the community and give them a chance to practice their English with us. Our presence is much appreciated by members of the Labor Exchange community, and it is a great opportunity for students to practice their Spanish! Join us Thursday or Saturday mornings 8:30-10 AM. You can find the sign-up here. Please, reach out to Maria Fe Saito at maria.saito@pepperdine.edu for more information.

  Spring 2022
Three volunteers posing at the CES tabling

Disability Awareness Week

Community Engagement and Service supported and contributed actively to the week-long awareness event on Disability and the need for Accessibility, planned by Emily Mcnutt. The event provided a week-long advocacy and education opportunity for Pepperdine students, faculty, and staff. 

Volunteers posing at the Sanctuary Far

Sanctuary Animal Farm

Stella Zhu (Yingfan Zhu) led a team of students on a project to serve the Sanctuary Farm in Santa Clarita. Sanctuary Animal Assisted Therapy is a nonprofit organization that rescues animals from abuse and neglect, rehabilitates them, and helps them trust and heal people in return. In this in-person volunteer opportunity, students helped with animal care, animal socialization, simple construction projects, and cleaning, as they enjoyed this fun day!

Hike for Haiti logo

Hike for Haiti

In the rural community of Marre à Coiffe, Haiti, students and families climb the equivalent of 200 flights of stairs every day from the bottom of a mountain to access clean water, healthcare, and education. This event will be a mile walk to raise awareness and donations to support these families! Contact Katie Ross for more information.

 

Two volunteers serving

Project Serve 2022

A three-day annual spring break event allowed Pepperdine students to engage in local volunteer opportunities. One group led by Wedu Ketema partnered with PATH (People Assisting the Homeless), an organization that is attempting to end homelessness for individuals and families by building affordable housing and providing supportive services throughout California. Another group led by Jesse Jacobs partnered with TASC (The Adult Skills Center), which provides innovative and proactive services that empower individuals with diverse intellectual, developmental, and mental health needs to achieve their highest level of independence and realize their greatest potential.

Student volunteers posing in front of Manna Conejo food truck

Manna Conejo Food Bank

Lauren Brajevich led a team of nine students on a project to serve the Manna Conejo Food Bank. In just one trip, the team of Pepperdine students sorted through 75 large crates of donations and organized ten bins of cans. Students left the project with a renewed sense of connection to community and heightened desire to give back to those in need right around them.

Student volunteers posing with food bins

Bowls of Hope Event for Many Mansions

Many Mansions is headquartered in Ventura, and its mission is to help the formerly homeless population to get back on their feet whether it be through offering meals at their facility, providing tutoring services for children, giving people a place to stay during interim periods, or helping with interview practice. Lauren Brajevich led a team of Seaver College first year students to volunteer at the event. The group got to cover a variety of tasks including serving soup, bussing tables, replenishing food, being dessert waiters, and even just being a friendly face at the welcome area.

 

Photo of CES tabling at the Joslyn Plaza

Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week

January 24th through the 28th, Community Engagement in the Hub for Spiritual Life hosted Hunger and Homelessness Week. This week-long event gave students and faculty the opportunity to participate in daily activities where they gained insight into issues related to hunger and homelessness in LA County and beyond, as well as gave them tools and resources to be part of the change they want to see. The service project was held at the Joslyn Plaza as well as at the School of Law. The service projects involved interactive maps, trivia, assembly of care kits, advocacy workshop, and a food pantry.

Three student volunteers posing with food bags

Hollywood Food Pantry with APLA

As a part of the Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week, Jesse Jacobs, a student representative for the Community Engagement and Service (CES) in The Hub for Spiritual Life, led a group of students to the APLA Food Warehouse in Hollywood, the largest HIV/AIDS relief warehouse in the United States. The service project was done in collaboration with the Housing and Resident Life (HRL). The students rode a shuttle to the location, where they received information about the organization, as well as instruction on how to process the food orders. There was a wet food pack, and a dry food pack time slot. Our students were working on the dry food pack. Overall, there were at least 144 food bags made in roughly 3.5 hours.

Painted papers, brushes and paint colors for craft

LA Family Housing

LA Family Housing is a transitional homeless shelter where families and individuals suffering from homelessness and poverty can receive the necessary resources and support to help find and maintain long-term housing. Chloe Edwards, a graduate assistant led a group of students to the service event where they spent time with the children currently living at the shelter playing games and doing crafts.

 

Minecraft design of Pepperdine' front view

MLK Day 2022: The Great March on Washington Virtual Minecraft Tour (LA Works)

Community Engagement and Service in the Hub for Spiritual Life partnered with LA Works to host a virtual educational and community engagement project to commemorate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his work. In this effort, LA Works, an organization promoting service and outreach events in the greater Los Angeles area, hosted a virtual tour of the Great March on Washington via Minecraft, a game where players can build their own 3D world one block at a time. Pepperdine student participants decided to build a replica of the Phillips Theme Tower from the Pepperdine Malibu campus to represent a commitment to faith and service.

 
 
  Fall 2021
Jeese Jacobs at Fly RISE event

Fly RISE

Student workers Jesse Jacobs and Chloe Edwards participated in the RISE event on behalf of Community Engagement and Service. When stopping by their table, students casted votes on different service opportunities that they were most passionate about participating in. 

Jesse Jacobs, Food Oasis Virtual Event

Food Oasis Virtual Food Drive

Jesse Jacobs, a student representative of Community Engagement and Service, coordinated a virtual food bank that consisted of contacting food banks, pantries, and hot meal programs open to the public. He and the other participating students contacted nine organizations and updated their contact information in the Food Oasis database. 

Chloe Edwards, Our Community LA

Our Community LA

In partnership with Our Community LA, Community Engagement and Service hosted a virtual event designed to update the WIN (What I Need) app. The app is designed to provide essential resources to individuals experiencing homelessness in Los Angeles. Participating students contacted and updated 21 websites for the app.  

 

Student volunteers

Step Forward Day

The 33rd annual university-wide day of service, Step Forward Day, was a success! Almost 350 student and employee volunteers served in 24 teams at 14 project sites. All projects benefited local nonprofit organizations. Volunteers packed over 300 lunches for the Midnight Mission, assembled 307 school supply kits for School on Wheels, and put together 400 hygiene kits for those experiencing homelessness. Additionally, Jumpstart received almost 300 bags of school supplies and the Midnight Mission received 272 hygiene kits.

Student volunteers posing beside PS Science poster

PS Science Service Squad

Jesse Jacobs, a student representative of Community Engagement and Service, coordinated a service project with PS Science, a non-profit organization that is dedicated to the improvement of elementary STEM education in Los Angeles county. Volunteers spent about 2 hours compiling craft bundles that would be used to create a lesson in the science class. One of our teams helped to build a basic structure of the eye, using materials such as glass beans, string, colored markers, and fuzzy sticks to create the exterior of the eye.