Unified We Serve: A Volunteer Program
Unified We Serve, the volunteer program at California State University, Northridge, is an opportunity offered by the Matador Involvement Center for students to participate in furthering their education through serving the community. Unified We Serve is a great avenue to begin the process of exploring your community and volunteer opportunities. Through volunteerism, you can expand and explore your interests and goals, learn and develop skills, and meet new people socially and professionally. As a volunteer you will gain the fulfillment of knowing that your time and energy will affect someone’s life.
Our Mission Statement: To unify students, faculty, staff, and community members together to provide the greatest amount of resources to better serve our community.
Our Objective: To advance and increase the number of CSUN volunteers committed to serving our community.
Our Values: Unified We Serve values inclusion in which all participants can take an active approach to creating solution-based practices. We value human-capital as our greatest asset in development of community projects to benefit our society. We value the interconnectedness of service, as the methodology for student development in which through the active practice of service, one gains as much as they give.
Our Belief: Unified We Serve believes that it is through connection and collaboration that we generate positive and productive change in our communities. Rather than serving in isolation of one another, by working together in service we can create sustainable results.
Every academic year Unified We Serve hosts two event categories:
Annual Events consist of events that take place at the same date and time every year. These events include:
- Matador's Day of Service
- Campus Drive
- Veteran's Letter Writing Campaign
- Adopt-A-Family for Thanksgiving
- Cesar Chavez Service Fair
Theme Events consist of events that take place around the focus theme for the semester or year. These are events that include:
- Unified We Serve direct service events
- Unified We Serve simulations
- Club & Organization hosted events
- Faculty & Staff hosted events
Unified We Serve provides students with multiple resources to engage in volunteerism. We host projects on and off campus and work with non-profit organization, to work as a collective group to give back.
Membership: All CSUN students, staff, and faculty are welcome to become a member of Unified We Serve. Become a member through Matasync by following 4 easy steps.
Step 1: Login on Matasync using CSUN ID
Step 2: Search for Unified We Serve
Step 3: Select Unified We Serve
Step 4: Click "JOIN"
Volunteer Opportunities: Events have consisted of clothing and food drives, providing holiday food baskets for families in need, themed projects, and fundraising walks. Visit our Events and Meetings page for upcoming events.
Recognition: Unified We Serve’s new volunteer recognition program, Matador Volunteer Service Award, honors individuals and clubs and organizations for serving their communities at large. By completing 25 hours of service, you will be recognized at our honorary ceremony!
Press
Matadors Pitch In to Beautify Campus and Community
By Tara Artrian
Sept. 10, 2019
What Would Cesar Do? 10th Annual Service Fair Promotes Community Service
By Liezl Bitas
March 26, 2019
Matadors Celebrate Cesar Chavez with Service Fair
By Brandon Ilano
March 29, 2018
Matadors Beautify CSUN at Third Annual Matadors Day of Service
By Natalie L. Camacho
Sept. 21, 2017
Celebrating Cesar Chavez’s Life Through Service
By Emily Olson
Apr. 4, 2016
CSUN's Unified We Serve Collects Food and Clothing for Local Families in Need
By Paul Amico
Nov. 23, 2015
CSUN Announces Second Annual Giving Tuesday Event
Nov. 20, 2015
CSUN Freshmen Make Difference in the Community
By Paul Amico
Sept. 3, 2015
Unified We Serve Collect Food and Clothes for Families in Need
By Andres Aguila
Nov. 20, 2011
Attendees of Free Steak Dinner Met with Surprise
By Braulio Campos
Nov. 3, 2011
Students Experience Poverty During Simulation with Unified We Serve
By Christopher Ho
Oct. 7, 2011
CSUN Commemorates César Chávez with Service Fair
By Juana Esquivel
March 30, 2011
Unified We Serve Partners with Campus Community to Collect Items for Donations
By Antoine Abou-Diwan
Nov. 17, 2010
Program Seeks to Combat Illiteracy with Book Drive
By Kristin Hirai
April 13, 2010
Concert at CSUN to Benefit Haiti
By Krista Daly
Feb. 2, 2010
Accomplishments & Awards
- Recipient of the 2010 Association of College Unions International Service Award for Outstanding Service Project of the Year
- Adopted an increasing number families for Thanksgiving between 2009 and 2011 (40 families in 2009; 70 families in 2010; 85 families in 2011)
- Donation drive of clothing, food, toys and books that has exceeded a thousand items since 2009 (5,000 items in 2009; 15,000 items in 2010; 16,000 items in 2011)
- Raised $4,500 for Haiti relief
- Raised $25,000 for Autism research