/ Student Life

Days of Service

Hope College students are an integral part of the greater Holland community. 

time-to-serveFrom working a community garden to organizing library books, from re-stocking shelves in a food pantry to caring for animals at the Critter Barn, there are a variety of ways to get involved during Hope's Days of Service. Some students work alongside children with special needs, while others reach out to the elderly. Some groups beautify the yards of individuals who are home-bound, while others volunteer at large community centers. Whatever your interests or skill set, we have a place for you!

The annual Time to Serve follows fall Orientation and provides an opportunity for Hope freshmen to connect with their new “hometown” in a meaningful way. Although first-year students make up the majority of volunteers, many upperclassmen elect to come back as group leaders and to volunteer for another year. All are welcome at Time to Serve!

Hope Serves takes place annually in January, in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Participants join the day across all grade levels, and the event is led as a joint effort between Volunteer Services and Hope’s multicultural student organizations.

For both Days of Service, all transportation is provided, along with a light meal. This experience is the perfect way to set the tone for the rest of the semester!

  • Three students are organizing materials in a room with colorful shelves. One student is holding a large sheet of paper with diagrams, while the other two are handling boxes.
  • Two female students are organizing and sorting through boxes of supplies, including light bulbs and other household items, on a wooden table in a room with shelves and a television in the background. One student, in a blue shirt, is reaching into a box, while the other, wearing an "Ithaca" t-shirt, is stacking items.
  • A student wearing a maroon t-shirt with Greek letters is organizing a stack of blue trays in a storage area with metal shelves.
  • A student wearing an orange t-shirt and jeans is crouched down while painting the lower part of a white wall with a small brush during Hope College's Days of Service.
  • Two young men are volunteering in a storage room. The man in the foreground is carrying a plastic bin filled with various items, while the man in the background is organizing and securing materials with a zip tie near a trash bin. The setting appears cluttered with equipment and supplies.
  • Two people painting a wall, wearing gloves and holding paintbrushes. One person is wearing a striped shirt and the other an orange shirt. They are kneeling on a drop cloth and working together to paint the interior wall.
  • A student stands on a ladder, smiling while painting a wall during Hope College's Days of Service. She is holding a paint bucket and wearing black gloves.
  • A student wearing an orange "Strong & True for the Blue" shirt is vacuuming the floor in a classroom. The classroom has a bulletin board with the words "We All Fit Together," shelves with books and supplies, a microwave, and various posters on the walls.
  • A student with long hair cleans a wooden kitchen cabinet using a white cloth, participating in a service activity. In the background, there are plastic cups, a spray bottle, and a sign reminding staff and volunteers to wash their hands.
  • Two students are cleaning round tables with cloths in a room with a bookshelf filled with books and a poster that reads "Stop Bullying" on the wall. One student is wearing a purple shirt and holding a spray bottle, while the other is wearing a green shirt with "VOLUNTEER" written on the back.
  • Two students are organizing and cataloging books in a small room. One student, wearing a red headband and a purple shirt, holds a book, while the other student, wearing a blue cap and a gray sweatshirt, writes in a notebook. The room has white walls, wood paneling, and office furniture.
  • A young woman with a braid and a green cap writes on a clipboard in a storeroom filled with boxes and supplies, participating in a community service activity.
  • Two students are organizing and re-stocking shelves in a storage room during Hope College's Days of Service. One student is placing items on a top shelf, while the other is bending down, holding a cardboard box. A sign on the wall reads "Day Camp," and various children's toys and books are visible.
  • A student with braided hair washes dishes in a sink, surrounded by various cleaning supplies and a rack of mugs on the wall.
  • A student wearing an orange cap and white hoodie is sitting on a drop cloth and painting a wall inside a room with rows of black chairs. A can of paint is placed on the floor beside them.
  • Two students volunteer together, one wearing a black jacket and the other an orange t-shirt, while organizing items in a room with various supplies and tools.
  • Two students sweeping the floor of a room with blue tile flooring and gray walls. The room has several chairs, a table, and framed photos on the wall. One student is in a green shirt and jeans, and the other is in a gray shirt and jeans. The student in the green shirt is sweeping close to a few cleaning supplies, while the student in the gray shirt is near a red door.
  • A young man is operating a Rug Doctor carpet cleaner in a community room with a pool table and bookshelves in the background.
  • Three students are organizing a storage room. One student is sweeping the floor, while two others are lifting a black plastic shelving unit. The room contains various boxes, cleaning supplies, and tools.
  • A student wearing safety goggles and gloves stands on a yellow ladder, trimming tree branches during Hope College's Days of Service.
  • A student in a blue shirt organizes wooden and plastic hangers on a rack. Other students are visible in the background, also participating in volunteer work.
  • Four students stand side by side, smiling at the camera. They are wearing casual clothes and name tags. The background shows an indoor space with brick walls and large windows.
  • A group of Hope College students listens attentively to a man giving instructions in a warehouse setting. The table in front of them is cluttered with various shoes. The students wear casual clothing and some have orange lanyards around their necks. The warehouse is filled with large cardboard boxes and rolls of material in the background.
  • Five students stand together smiling in front of the Holland Civic Theatre marquee. The marquee advertises the Tulipanes Film Festival and a film showing titled "Times Like These." The students are wearing casual clothes, including sweatshirts and caps, and are participating in Hope College's Time to Serve event.
  • Two students are organizing craft supplies in a storage room. One student in a green t-shirt is sorting colored paper on a table, while the other student in a white t-shirt is arranging items in drawers. The room has shelves filled with various craft materials like ribbons, pom-poms, and paint.
  • Two students volunteer at a community center, sweeping the floor in an organized clothing area. One wears a purple "Hope" shirt and the other wears a red "Michigan" shirt.
  • Four students are organizing items in a cluttered room. Two students in the foreground are sorting through large sheets of paper and cardboard. Another student in the background is bending over, organizing materials, while the fourth student is standing and observing. The room has colorful drawers, a cabinet, and various tools and supplies scattered around.
  • Two students wearing volunteer lanyards sort shoes from a cardboard box in what appears to be a warehouse. They are participating in Hope College's Days of Service.
  • Three students volunteer at a community center, organizing and hanging clothes on racks. The environment is vibrant with various clothing items and labeled sections in the background.
  • A group of six smiling Hope College students standing together outdoors, participating in the annual Days of Service event. They are dressed in casual clothing and wearing name tags. The background includes a brick structure, trees, and parked cars.
  • A student kneels on a brick pathway, tending to a large wooden planter filled with various flowers and plants. The student wears a gray sweatshirt and jeans. Bright yellow flowers and a decorative metal garden ornament are visible in the foreground. The background shows the entrance to a building with wooden doors.
  • A student standing on a ladder and using a pole pruner to trim branches from a tree during Hope College's Days of Service. The student is wearing safety glasses and a jacket, with sunlight filtering through the leaves.
  • A group of students stands in line outdoors, listening to an instructor near tables filled with folded denim clothing items. They are participating in Hope College's Days of Service event.
  • A group of five college students is posing and smiling in front of the Holland Area Arts Council building. They are participating in a community service activity, surrounded by plants and bushes. The students are wearing casual clothing, and some have volunteer t-shirts on.
  • A group of five students stands together, smiling, in front of the Third Reformed Church in Holland, MI. They are casually dressed, some in college and event t-shirts, and surrounded by a well-maintained garden with colorful flowers. A historic marker for the church is visible in the background.
  • A group of six smiling students stand together in a wooded area during a community service event. They are dressed in casual clothing, wearing gloves and holding gardening tools like rakes and shovels. The students appear to be enjoying the outdoor activity, surrounded by greenery.
  • Three students are working together to plant grass along a sidewalk in a residential neighborhood. One student in an orange shirt is standing and holding a clump of grass, while two others in blue sweatshirts are crouching, tending to the soil. A blue bucket and green dumpster are nearby, and there are trees and houses in the background.
  • A person standing on a ladder reaching up into a tree with a tool, participating in an outdoor community service activity. The sky is clear and blue, and a building is partially visible in the background.
  • A group of students from Hope College are working together on a forest trail during the Hope Days of Service event. Some students are pushing wheelbarrows filled with mulch, while others are standing and watching. The trail is surrounded by lush green trees and plants. The students are wearing casual outdoor clothing and appear to be engaged in a community service project.
  • Two students are trimming a tree branch in a garden on the Hope College campus during the Days of Service event. One student, wearing a red shirt, is using pruning shears while another student stands nearby assisting. Green foliage and a building with large windows are visible in the background.
  • Students are engaged in outdoor community service, using wheelbarrows to move a large pile of mulch in a wooded area. They are wearing casual clothing and appear to be working collaboratively.
  • A student wearing a red shirt and jeans is organizing toys and books in a room filled with colorful play items.

Interested in MORE WAYS TO SERVE?

Volunteer Services provides opportunities for students to serve both on campus and in the surrounding community.

Hope CollegeStudent Life

115 East 12th StreetSuite 107Holland, MI 49423

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