Local Service
IMPACT offers weekly service opportunities through our Local Service branch. These projects provide a hands-on way to support the Auburn-Opelika community and surrounding areas. Students can browse and sign up for service projects via the Service tab on AUinvolve and GivePulse.
- Sign Up for Projects: Visit the Service tab on AUinvolve to explore available service opportunities. Sign up in advance through GivePulse to secure your spot.
- Prepare for Your Project: Some service sites require specific attire, such as close-toed shoes and modest clothing. Please check the event description for details.
Descriptions and details for each project can be found at https://aub.ie/localservice. If you have questions, contact IMPACT by phone at 334-844-1344 or by email at impact@auburn.edu.
| Project |
Monday |
Tuesday |
Wednesday |
Thursday |
Friday |
| AUMC Food Pantry* |
|
|
|
8:00 - 10:00 AM |
10:00 AM - 12:00 AM |
| Campus Food Pantry*^ |
|
|
|
2:30 - 4:30 PM |
|
| Bighouse Foundation |
3:00 - 5:00 PM |
|
3:00 - 5:00 PM |
|
|
| Community Market* |
|
1:00 - 3:00 PM |
|
1:00 - 3:00 PM |
|
| Food Bank of East Alabama*~ |
8:00 - 10:00 AM |
|
8:00 - 10:00 AM |
1:00 - 3:00 PM |
8:00 - 10:00 AM |
| I Am My Brother's Keeper~ |
3:45 - 5:45 PM |
3:45 - 5:45 PM |
3:45 - 5:45 PM |
3:45 - 5:45 PM |
|
| Kreher Preserve and Nature Center* |
3:15 - 5:15 PM |
3:15 - 5:15 PM |
3:15 - 5:15 PM |
|
3:15 - 5:15 PM |
| Storybook Farm* |
2:30 - 4:30 PM |
2:30 - 4:30 PM |
2:30 - 4:30 PM |
2:30 - 4:30 PM |
|
| Azalea Place |
2:00 - 4:00 PM |
|
2:00 - 4:00 PM |
|
|
| Camellia Place |
|
1:30 - 3:30 PM |
|
|
|
*Closed toe shoes required
^Meet at Lupton Hall (Lower Quad)
~Modest clothes required (No athletic attire)
It’s easy to get started with IMPACT! Visit the Service tab on AUinvolve, where you can explore available projects and sign up for a time that fits your schedule. Once you sign up, you'll receive more information about your service opportunity and any details you need to know before volunteering.
On the day of your service project, meet your Project Coordinator at the Intramural Fields at the time you signed up for on GivePulse. The Project Coordinator will check you in and provide transportation to the project site. Need directions? Click here to find the Intramural Fields on Google Maps.
No worries! You can use Tiger Transit to reach the Intramural Fields, where you’ll meet your Project Coordinator. From there, transportation to and from the project site is provided so you can focus on making an impact without transportation concerns.
You can volunteer with IMPACT as often as you'd like — whether that’s weekly, monthly, or just once! Feel free to explore different projects throughout the semester to find the opportunities that resonate with you the most. There’s no limit to how many times you can make a difference!
Major Service Events
Our Major Service Events are designed to bring the Auburn community together for large-scale days of service, showing our gratitude to the Auburn-Opelika area. These events allow students to make a significant impact while fostering a spirit of unity and giving back.
A new tradition that started in 2023, Rooted: A Day of Service, is an opportunity for AU students to become “rooted” in the local community through service. Through a variety of service projects at the homes of approximately 40 local residents, this afternoon of service is one of IMPACT’s intentional ways of connecting campus and community. Led by Project Coordinators, each project site hosts a team of up to 10 student volunteers. Rooted is a great way to get connected during a beautiful fall day each October.
Held in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy, IMPACT, and the Black Student Union collaborate each January to provide students an opportunity to engage in meaningful service that addresses social justice and community needs. Volunteers participate in a variety of projects that support local nonprofits and underserved communities, promoting unity and civic engagement. This day reminds us of the power of service to bring about positive change.
Since it began in 2003, The BIG Event has been Auburn’s largest one-day student-run service project, bringing together hundreds of students to serve local residents each year at the end of March. Volunteers tackle a wide range of tasks, from yard work to basic home improvements, reflecting the university’s commitment to serving the greater Auburn-Opelika community. It’s a way for students to say thank you for making Auburn-Opelika a great place to live! The BIG Event is a celebration of the strong bond between AU students and the surrounding community through acts of kindness and service.
Email impact@auburn.edu for additional questions and assistance
You can find all major service events on the Service tab of AUinvolve that links to Auburn’s GivePulse site. Click the event hyperlink and follow the steps to register online. To ensure a spot, register in advance. However, you can simply show up on the day of the event and volunteer if space allows.
Yes! You have the option to create a new team or sign up with an existing team when you register to participate in the event. Each team may have up to 10 volunteers.
Typical activities include raking leaves, trash removal, simple construction projects, weed or plant removal, basic cleaning, organizing, etc. No special skills are necessary to participate in any major service event!
Alternative Breaks
IMPACT’s Alternative Breaks offer unique opportunities for students to engage in volunteer projects and service learning outside of Auburn. These trips, available during winter and spring breaks, provide a chance to travel and serve different communities across the country and internationally. We typically offer two domestic trips during Winter Break and two trips during Spring Break, one of which is an international experience in the Dominican Republic!
- Travel and Serve: Explore new places while making a difference through service.
- Affordable Travel: Trips are offered at low or no cost to keep experiences like this affordable for students.
Any full-time enrolled AU student who pays Student Activity Fees is qualified to join an Alternative Break team. Interested students can submit an application on AUinvolve (or through the Auburn Abroad website for the international trip), and applicants will be notified of the selection decision well in advance of the trip dates. Typically, each team is comprised of approximately 10 student participants, a student site leader, and a faculty/staff trip advisor.
Domestic trips are currently free for Auburn students. The international trip costs each participant $3,750 in total. This includes all transportation, lodging, meals, and group activities. Students are responsible for purchasing their own souvenirs, snacks, or other personal items. Most teams can expect to stay in bunk-style lodging with a communal atmosphere. Meals are typically prepared by team members in a shared kitchen, including packed lunches for when teams are at service sites during the day. Each person can expect to have their own bed/cot, with access to private showers and rooms separated by gender.
Trips depart campus the Saturday after final exams end in December or classes end before Spring Break. Domestic trips return the following Friday, and the international trip returns the following Saturday. The first and last days are typically reserved for travel to or from the destination. Sunday is usually spent exploring the city and engaging in cultural activities. The remaining days are spent serving with nonprofit partners, typically for six hours per day. Each evening, after cooking dinner together, everyone engages in group reflection to make sense of the day’s events and foster deeper learning.
