Summer of Service: How buildOn Students Transformed Their Communities This Summer

Every summer, buildOn students across the U.S. dedicate their time to service projects that uplift their neighborhoods and strengthen their leadership skills. Instead of spending their break kicking back and relaxing, these young leaders commit to volunteering in food pantries, community gardens, senior centers, and public spaces. From the Bronx, to Bridgeport, to Boston, to Detroit and Chicago, our summer service programs prove that youth volunteer work is a powerful force for community change.

Bronx Student Volunteers Lead Summer Service Projects

Students in the Bronx spent two weeks restoring parks, serving at food pantries, and cleaning up public spaces. At the Broadway Community Soup Kitchen, they packaged meals for neighbors in need. At Harding Park, they revitalized a community garden. At Orchard Beach, they removed harmful waste while learning about marine conservation. And at Fordham Bedford Community Services, they hosted a Senior Olympics!

Each Friday, after a long week of community service, students celebrated with team-building activities like movies and mini golf, proving that service and joy go hand in hand.

Bridgeport Students Serve Locally and Build Globally

buildOn students in Bridgeport helped combat food insecurity by preparing meals at Bridgeport Rescue Mission, painting and doing yard work at Caroline House, and distributing food at PCI Food Pantry.

In addition, students and a principal from Fairchild Wheeler Campus traveled on Trek to Malawi, partnering with local villagers to build a school. Their summer showed that service at home and abroad creates opportunities that last.

Boston Youth Volunteer to Fight Hunger and Protect the Environment

In Boston, students created hygiene and snack kits for individuals experiencing homelessness at St. Ambrose, and prepared care packages for women and children at St. Mary’s Shelter. They also took part in a beach cleanup—making Boston’s shore safer and cleaner for everyone.

The program included financial literacy workshops, where students explored the future of digital currency, alongside “Fun Friday” bowling and games that built bonds of friendship.

Detroit Students Camp, Lead, and Innovate Through Service

buildOn in Detroit kicked off summer with Service Summer Camp in Rouge Park and Historic Fort Wayne. Students partnered with the Buffalo Soldiers Heritage Association, made care kits for horses, and camped by the Detroit River. Nights ended with tie-dye shirts, flashlight tag, and s’mores by the fire.

Later, Detroit student leaders joined a retreat that included sailing on the Detroit River, leadership workshops, and planning projects to engage more peers in service. Through a partnership with Slalom Consulting, students also used design thinking to address senior transportation challenges, turning empathy into real solutions in the Motor City.

Chicago Teens Dedicate a Week to Summer Service

In Chicago, students gave a full week to community impact. They supported younger students with By the Hand, tended crops at La Huerta Roots & Rays garden, and prepared a meal at Breakthrough Men’s Center. Partnering with Green Teens at the Gary Comer Youth Center, they learned about food justice through hands-on gardening.

The week ended with a beach cleanup at the Windy City’s Ohio Street Beach and a celebration at Navy Pier with deep dish pizza. “I liked hanging out with the kids,” said Eleise Diaz, a Benito Juarez student. “I got a lot of good laughs and experience.”

Why Summer Service Matters for Students

Across five cities, buildOn students invested their summers in service, leadership, and learning. By cleaning parks, preparing meals, and supporting local families, they built stronger communities as well as a stronger sense of their roles in them.

At buildOn, service is more than volunteer work. It’s a proven pathway to education, opportunity, and a better future.

Want to help fund our transformative Service Learning programs all year long? Consider making a tax-deductible donation to buildOn today.