120 Volunteers Support 11 Charities in Maryland Day of Service

When 120 people show up with work gloves and warm hearts, magic happens for communities in need.

The College of Southern Maryland brought together students, staff, faculty, and board members on March 27 for its third annual Day of Service. Volunteers fanned out across Calvert, Charles, and St. Mary's counties to support 11 local nonprofits with everything from gardening and painting to food distribution and digital strategy help.

One of the biggest transformations happened at Spring Dell Center in La Plata, an organization that helps adults with disabilities build independent lives through job training, transportation, and life skills programs. Volunteers rebuilt fences, repaired garden beds, organized donation sheds, and created colorful artwork with clients to brighten the facility.

Betty Garner, Community Employment Coordinator at Spring Dell Center, watched clients' faces light up as the garden took shape. "A garden is an amazing place to come together to share a sense of accomplishment," she said. "It is an amazing thing to watch their faces when they see what they planted turn into something they can harvest and eat."

The event launched in 2024 as part of President Dr. Yolanda Wilson's inauguration activities and has grown into an annual tradition. She sees it as more than just checking volunteer hours off a list.

"This is more than volunteering," Dr. Wilson told participants. "It's about building community, creating connections, and stepping outside of our daily routines and into the lives and work of our neighbors across Southern Maryland."

The Ripple Effect

The Day of Service reflects a year-round commitment at CSM. The college's Nonprofit Institute provides professional development, networking, and consulting to dozens of Southern Maryland nonprofits that serve vulnerable populations. These organizations depend heavily on volunteer support to keep their doors open and their missions moving forward.

CSM serves more than 20,000 students annually across three campuses, preparing them not just for careers but for lives of service in their communities. When students spend a day rebuilding garden beds or painting murals, they're learning lessons no classroom can teach about showing up for neighbors who need support.

Those rebuilt garden beds at Spring Dell Center will grow vegetables that clients planted themselves, a daily reminder that when people come together, beautiful things take root.