Students reach out to Houston

Students reach out to Houston

FROM RICE NEWS STAFF REPORTS

More than 350 incoming students volunteered last weekend at 19 sites throughout Houston as part of O-Week Outreach Day.

Among other activities, the volunteers spent up to six hours removing invasive plant species at the Houston Arboretum, refurbishing a building for St. Joseph House and helping children with arts and crafts at Ronald McDonald House.

Established by Rice’s Community Involvement Center in 1995, Outreach Day introduces students to Houston and teaches them about various service opportunities as they begin their education at Rice. Upperclassmen served as project leaders at the sites.

Organizations that benefited from Outreach Day include:

• The Beacon
• Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Greater Houston
• DePelchin Children’s Center
• End Hunger Network
• Hermann Park Conservancy
• Houston Arboretum and Nature Center
• Houston Food Bank
• Houston Habitat for Humanity
• Houston Interfaith Worker Justice
• PAIR: Partnership for the Advancement and Immersion of Refugees
• The Park People Inc.
• Planned Parenthood of Houston and Southeast Texas
• Ronald McDonald House
• St. Joseph House
• Small Steps Nurturing Center
• Star of Hope
• Ten Thousand Villages
• Texas Children’s Hospital