CBU Serves

CBU Serves: Connecting. Collaborating. Caring.

CBU Serves began in 2012 as a month-long, student-led project started in 2012 by Dr. Tracie Burke and was called September of Service. Its aim was to partner with a different Memphis non-profit organization every day in September while upholding our Lasallian values, engaging Memphis communities through leadership, and inspiring spiritual growth through service.

Please join us in bringing that experience to a new generation of students at CBU and expanding it to current year-long CBU Serves.

CBU Serves Volunteer Management System:

The CBU Community can register for a personal CBU Serves profile on the CBU Volunteer Management Portal using their cbu.edu email address. The Portal allows us to track hours as individuals and teams in one convenient place! It’s also app-friendly (Cause Connect within the Apple App Store and Google Play). If you have any questions, contact Director Justin Brooks (jbrook13@cbu.edu).

Ongoing CBU Serves Volunteer Opportunities & Events

CBU Campus Ministry: PB&J Sandwich Making for St. Mary’s!
It’s another year of CBU on the horizon, and with such, another year of PB&J Sandwich making with Campus Ministry! For years, Campus Ministry along with a platoon of students have been making PB&J sandwiches to donate to St. Mary’s in order to feed those less fortunate. This year will be no different! To volunteer, check the link or visit our social media via IG and X (@cbu_cce).

Junior Achievement of Memphis and the Mid-South (2024-2025 Ongoing Volunteering Opportunities)
With another great year of service ahead of us between Fall 2024 and Spring 2025, we again encourage you to volunteer and bring your friends, colleagues, alumni groups, sponsors, and more in service to Junior Achievement of Memphis and the Mid-South! To find out more, check the link or visit our social media via IG and X (@cbu_cce).

Just City – Court Watchers (Volunteers Needed)
Are you interested in helping to rectify the criminal justice system?  Well within this link is an opportunity to do just that through our community partner, Just City. Court watching consists of observing court proceedings at the Shelby County Criminal Justice Complex to ensure that everyone gets a fair trial. So if interested, check the link or visit our social media via IG and X (@cbu_cce).

City Retreat Memphis – General Volunteerism and Donations (Ongoing)
To continue in our Lasallian Mission of service and community, we at the Center for Community Engagement encourage you all to spend a few hours with City Retreat Memphis, located at 2524 Avery Avenue, adjacent to our campus. There, you’ll be asked to help in a number of ways, particularly through physical and skilled labor as they work closer each day to completing a unique and well-needed retreat facility in the heart of Memphis, TN. So if interested, check the link or visit our social media via IG and X (@cbu_cce).

Gentiva Hospice (Ongoing Volunteer Opportunities)
Gentiva Hospice is in need of volunteers and who better than the #NicestPirates within the #901! So with that said, if you’re looking for opportunities in helping the older community, or just some activities in giving back, we encourage you to review the volunteer positions within the link or visit our social media via IG and X (@cbu_cce).

UniverCity Family CDC MEM After School Mentoring Program (Monday – Friday)
We have some exciting opportunities for service with our newest partner, UniverCity Family CDC! Volunteer responsibilities would include assisting with homework, providing tutoring in literacy and math, and supporting educational activities. For more information, check the link or visit our social media via IG and X (@cbu_cce).

UniverCity Family CDC MEM Literacy Program (Monday – Friday)
Along with the after school programming fun, UniverCity Family CDC is also in need of volunteers for their Literacy Program, hosted at Keystone Elementary from Monday to Friday through various shifts. There are morning and afternoon shifts, so if you’d like to volunteer, check the link or visit our social media via IG and X (@cbu_cce).

Community Partner Events

ABC24 Bundles of Care (2024) 
It’s that time of the year again, and to make sure we’re doing our part, we’ll be joining ABC24, Catholic Charities of West TN, and AGAPE Child and Family Services for this year’s “Bundles of Care” campaign and donation drive! Bundles of Care is a holiday season campaign focused on providing care packages for our city’s most vulnerable and underserved residents. The campaign seeks to collect such items as:  blankets/throws, socks, gloves/mittens, toiletries, feminine hygiene products and children and adult diapers. Check around at the CBU guard posts for donation boxes, and click this link to learn more about what to give, as well as the two collection days to help even more!

ABC24 Bundles of Care (2024) “Community Collection Day” (Nov. 13)
ABC24 Bundles of Care (2024) “Community Collection Day” (Dec. 11)

One-Time CBU Serves Volunteer Opportunities

Recurring CBU Serves Volunteer Opportunities

Community Employment Opportunities

UniverCity Family CDC (LiteracyCorps: Afterschool Literacy & Engagement Coach)