Day of Service Ideas & Resources

In an era of school cutbacks, like the ones currently being experienced throughout the United States, non-safety-related school maintenance quickly becomes low priority for schools and their districts. Often one of the very first things to be cut from a district budget is landscape maintenance and other aesthetic improvements at its schools. While these things might not be core to a school's mission, they are important to the school community. Staff, students and parents all want their schools to be well-maintained, pleasant environments for the kids who attend them. Fortunately, churches can step into this situation to make a difference for their schools and communities by organizing a Day of Service to help lessen the effects of cutbacks on a school's physical environment.

A Day of Service is just that: a day organized to inspire the maximum number of volunteers available on one specific day to serve the school's stated maintenance needs, usually landscape maintenance, cleaning and painting projects, although these will vary from school to school. A Day of Service is the perfect way for a church to initiate a partnership with a public school, as well as to annually recast its vision and ongoing commitment to the school. And beyond the great work that can be accomplished in a well-organized Day of Service, these events can be a lot of fun for everyone involved. They're an inspiring way for an entire church community to work together in service to another community that could use a little help.