Projects

We are so glad to have you as part of this year’s Mason Nation 9/11 Day of Service.  For questions, please contact Lisa Snyder, Associate Director at lsnyder2@gmu.edu.

Greenhouse, Gardens, and Zero Waste Mason Projects
Please use the University Sustainability’s Volunteer Portal to register for campus garden projects ONLY. Please use Eventbrite for all other service projects.

Zero Waste Mason: Waste and Recycling Bin Inventorying

In-person project on the Fairfax Campus accommodating 20 volunteers 

  • Registration: Please sign-up by visiting University Sustainability’s volunteer portal at: go.gmu.edu/greenvolunteering. To register, you will need to create a free account or log in with your email if you already have an account. After doing so, select the 9/11 Day of Service (2023) from the “Event List” and register for the shift(s) you would like. Please remember that you can also volunteer with University Sustainability any time!    
  • Time Slots: 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm
  • Location: Outside the Finley Building on the Fairfax Campus (Building #24 on the Fairfax Campus Map; google map pin here) 
  • Instructions: Volunteers will help inventory interior waste and recycling bins to support the installation of new zero waste bin decals across Mason’s campuses over the next year. Volunteers will work in teams to support Facilities Waste & Recycling’s effort to create an accurate inventory of waste and recycling bins on the Fairfax Campus. During this shift, volunteers will record a total count of waste and recycling bins within a select group of academic buildings. All supplies, training, and resources will be provided to volunteers. Please read the detailed instructions when you register for the shift! 
  • Questions? Please reach out to Colleen Regan at cregan2@gmu.edu if you have any questions or concerns about signing up for this 9/11 Day of Service volunteer shift. 
  • Mason Project Coordinators: Colleen Regan, Zero Waste Specialist, University Sustainability 

Innovation Food Forest Project hosted by University Sustainability Greenhouse and Gardens program 

In-person project on the Fairfax Campus for up to 15 volunteers 

  • Registration: please register for this project at: https://go.gmu.edu/greenvolunteering   
  • To register, you will need to create a free account or log in, if you already have an account, on the Sustainable Sign Ups Volunteer Portal. After doing so, select the 9/11 Day of Service (2023) from the “Event List” and register for the shift(s) you would like. Please remember that you can also volunteer with University Sustainability any time!  
  • Volunteer Time Slot: 3:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.  
  • Location: Innovation Food Forest, Fairfax Campus  
  • Instructions: All skill levels are welcome! All of the knowledge, tools, and resources needed to have an enjoyable and impactful volunteer experience will be provided to you at the shift!  
  • Please read the detailed instructions when you register for the shift, which include requirements for participation, location information, suggested items to bring with you, and more.  
  • Questions? Please email Doni Nolan at dnolan6@gmu.edu  
  • Mason Project Coordinators: Doni Nolan, Greenhouse and Gardens Program Manager, University Sustainability  

Potomac Heights Vegetable Garden Project hosted by the Office of Sustainability’s Greenhouse and Gardens program  

In-person project on the Fairfax Campus accommodating 10 volunteers 

  • Registration: please register for this project at: https://go.gmu.edu/greenvolunteering   
  • To register, you will need to create a free account or log in, if you already have an account, on the Sustainable Sign Ups Volunteer Portal. After doing so, select the 9/11 Day of Service (2023) from the “Event List” and register for the shift(s) you would like. Please remember that you can also volunteer with the Office of Sustainability anytime!  
  • Volunteer Time Slot:  9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.  
  • Location: Potomac Heights Vegetable Garden, Fairfax Campus  
  • Instructions: All skill levels are welcome! All of the knowledge, tools, and resources needed to have an enjoyable and impactful volunteer experience will be provided to you at the shift!  
  • Please read the detailed instructions when you register for the shift, which include requirements for participation, location information, suggested items to bring with you, and more.  
  • Questions? Please email Doni Nolan at dnolan6@gmu.edu  
  • Mason Project Coordinators: Doni Nolan, Greenhouse and Gardens Program Manager, University Sustainability 

Presidents Park Greenhouse hosted by the Office of Sustainability’s Greenhouse and Gardens program  

In-person project on the Fairfax Campus for up to 10 volunteers 

  • Registration: please register for this project at: https://go.gmu.edu/greenvolunteering   
  • To register, you will need to create a free account or log in, if you already have an account, on the Sustainable Sign Ups Volunteer Portal. After doing so, select the 9/11 Day of Service (2023) from the “Event List” and register for the shift(s) you would like. Please remember that you can also volunteer with the Office of Sustainability anytime!  
  • Volunteer Time Slot: 1:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.  
  • Location: Presidents Park Greenhouse, Fairfax Campus  
  • Instructions: All skill levels are welcome! All of the knowledge, tools, and resources needed to have an enjoyable and impactful volunteer experience will be provided to you at the shift!  
  • Please read the detailed instructions when you register for the shift, which include requirements for participation, location information, suggested items to bring with you, and more.  
  • Questions? Please email Doni Nolan at dnolan6@gmu.edu  
  • Mason Project Coordinators: Doni Nolan, Greenhouse and Gardens Program Manager, University Sustainability 

For the service projects listed below, please use Eventbrite to register.

  • Animal Chew Toys
    • Volunteers will make chew toys for animals using fleece. Chew toys will be donated to a local area animal shelter
    • Volunteer Shift times:
      • 10:00am-11:00am
      • 12:00pm-1:00pm
      • 1:00pm-2:00pm
      • 2:00pm-3:00pm
    • Location: The Hub, Ballroom
  • Animal Blankets
    • Volunteers will make blankets for animals using fleece. Blankets will be donated to a local area animal shelter
    • Volunteer Shift times:
      • 10:00am-11:00am
      • 12:00pm-1:00pm
      • 1:00pm-2:00pm
      • 2:00pm-3:00pm
    • Location: The Hub, Ballroom
  • Arlington Police, Fire, Sheriff, and ECC 9/11 Memorial 5K (NOTE: this event will take place on Saturday, September 9, 2023)
    • Join Mason’s official team here. This event will take place on Saturday, September 9, 2023.
    • The Arlington Police, Fire, Sheriff and ECC9/11 Memorial Race was born from an idea to start a road race after two Arlington County Police Officers had returned from a similar road race in Buffalo, New York. The first Arlington 9/11 Race was held on September 7, 2002, with 2600 runners, and raised approximately $40,000.
    • Since its inception, the Arlington Police, Fire, Sheriff and ECC 9/11 Memorial Race has had over 40,000 runners cross its finish line and has raised over $800,000 for 9/11-related charities.
  • Blood Drive
    • We are excited to partner with INOVA Blood Donor Services to bring the Blood Mobile to campus. If you are interested in donating blood, please be check back here for more details. More information will be available the week of August 28th. The Blood Mobile will be located in front of The Hub on 4400 Rivanna River Way from 10:0am-2:00pm.
  • Card Making for Mason’s Safety Emergency, and Enterprise Risk Management Team, and local area first responders:
    • Volunteers will help make cards for Mason’s very own Safety Emergency, and Enterprise Risk Management Team, and local area first responders, including those from our own campus community. Project hosted by George Mason University Toastmasters.
    • Volunteer Shift times:
      • 10:00am-11:00am
      • 12:00pm-1:00pm
      • 1:00pm-2:00pm
      • 2:00pm-3:00pm
    • Location: The Hub, Ballroom
  • Friends of City of Fairfax Library
    • Donate gently used books to the local City of Fairfax Regional Library! The books will be sold at the library’s book sales in the first weeks of October and November to raise funds for the library. Volunteers will also be needed to help sort donated books and make handwritten cards to be included with each book.
    • Volunteer Shift times:
      • 1:00pm-2:00pm
      • 2:00pm-3:00pm
    • Location: The Hub, Ballroom
    • Gently used books can be dropped off at NO LATER than Friday, September 8, 2023
      • The LEAD Office (The Hub, Room 2400)
      • Merten Hall, Room 4300
      • SUB I, Patriot’s Lounge
      • Johnson Center First Floor under the east side flyer board
  • Holiday card making for hospice patients by Van Metre Companies
    • Volunteers will create holiday cards for hospice patients at Capital Caring Health in Stone Ridge, VA. Van Metre volunteers will deliver the cards during the holiday season.
    • Shift times:
      • 1:00pm-2:00pm
      • 2:00pm-3:00pm
    • Location: The Hub, Ballroom
  • Mason Chooses Kindness – Chalking Campus
    • As part of Mason Chooses Kindness’ Mission, “create and sustain an infectious kindness revolution at Mason”, volunteers are needed to help chalk various locations around campus with inspiring and positive messages. Chalking will take place in various locations around campus.
    • Shift times:
      • 10:00am- 11:00am
      • 12:00pm-1:00pm
      • 1:00pm-2:00pm
      • 2:00pm-3:00pm
    • Location: The Hub, Ballroom (Meet in The Hub, Ballroom for supplies – chalking will take place in various locations across campus)
  • Mason Chooses Kindness – Rock Painting
    • Paint rocks with inspiriting messages of hope, encouragement, or fun designs to share with others.  Painted rocks can be placed in various locations around campus to inspire others.
    • Volunteer Shift times:
      • 10:00am-11:00am
      • 12:00pm-1:00pm
      • 1:00pm-2:00pm
      • 2:00pm-3:00pm
    • Location: The Hub, Ballroom
  • Van Metre Snack Packs for Prince William County ACTS
    • Volunteers will help put together for after school snack packs for kids staying at an ACTS Shelter in Prince William County
    • Volunteer Shift Times
      • 1:00pm-2:00pm
      • 2:00pm-3:00pm
    • Location: The Hub, Ballroom
  • Stormwater Raingarden Maintenance
    • Volunteers will help to remove trash; invasive plant species and weeding of a BMP facility in Fairfax Campus. Please dress in long pants, and close toed shoes/boots. Gloves, trash bags, and tools will be supplied.
    • Volunteer Shift Times
      • 1:00pm-2:00pm
      • 2:00pm-3:00pm
    • Location: Masonvale (Meetup at 12:50pm in the Hub Ballroom if doing the 1:00pm-2:00pm shift. If doing the 2:00pm-3:00pm shift, Go to Raingardens along Cotswolds Hill Ln.
    • Questions, contact: Brenda Claudio (bclaudio@gmu.edu) or Zhongyan Xu (zxu8@gmu.edu) for location at Masonvale)
  • Women Giving Back
    • Assisting Women Giving Back’s mission to “support women and children in crisis, and build their confidence and self-esteem, by providing great quality clothing at no cost,” donations are being collected now through September 8, 2023. Join us on September 11, 2023 to help sort through and organize the contributions (by type, size, etc.) and prepare them for delivery to the Women Giving Back Store.
    • Location: The Hub, Ballroom
    • Clothing donations can be dropped off at the following locations NO LATER than Friday, September 8, 2023
      • The LEAD Office (The Hub, Room 2400)
      • More locations coming soon…
    • Volunteer Shift times for picking up donation boxes on campus:
      • 10:00am-11:00am
    • Volunteer Shift times for organizing clothes:
      • 1:00pm-2:00pm
      • 2:00pm-3:00pm

Virtual Projects

  • Create Your Own Service Project
    • If you have a service project you are interested in doing that isn’t listed here, please select this ticket. We realize that many folks have connections to other organizations (ex: non-profit groups, youth groups, churches, etc.) and may have other areas of need or service possibilities. If you select this option, please email Lisa Snyder at lsnyder2@gmu.edu and provide the name of the organization and service project you are doing so that we can add the project and partnership to our list of outreach for the Mason Nation 9/11 Day of Service.
  • Friends of City of Fairfax Library
    • In partnership with the Friends of City of Fairfax Regional Libraries, we are in great need of good condition children’s books, adult fiction hardback, trade paper, and mass market.
    • Categories of appreciated nonfiction donations include:
      • Anime
      • Art-Architecture
      • Biography
      • Cookbooks
      • Health
      • History
      • Humor
      • Literature
      • Philosophy
      • Religion
      • Science Fiction
      • Sports
      • Textbooks
      • Travel
      • Children’s books
      • Foreign language books in reasonable quantities
    • Gently used books can be dropped off at the following locations NO LATER than Friday, September 8, 2023
      • The LEAD Office (The Hub, Room 2400)
      • Merten Hall, Room 4300
      • SUB I, Patriots Lounge
      • Johnson Center First Floor under the east side flyer board
  • Mason’s Patriot Pantry Donations
    • The Patriot Pantry is a crucial campus resource that works to mitigate the challenges that students face with food insecurity and hunger at GMU. The pantry provides access to non-perishable food and hygiene items, while also raising awareness about food insecurity within the Mason community. The Patriot Pantry relies heavily on donations to operate, and while all forms of generosity is appreciated, the most helpful contributions can be made through the Amazon Wishlist. This wish list is updated frequently with items that are most necessary for the pantry to provide. A donation through the wish list is as easy as can be by using the provided link and selecting any items that you are able to purchase. Donations are directly sent to the pantry. 
  • Generation Hope
    • Support Generation Hope’s mission to “provide direct support to teen parents in college as well as their children” by donating much needed items to our Fall Wish List to provide vital support to our Scholars, enabling them to focus their energy on school and their little ones. We are in need of school supplies, children’s books, diapers, and other household items. Donations are being collected now through September 8, 2023. If you would like to purchase items directly from our Amazon Wishlist, we will to help sort through and organize the contributions (by type, size, etc.) and prepare them for our Wish List Drive. Sponsored by: Support Group for Working Mothers at Mason

Save the Date

The 11th Annual Mason Nation 9/11 Day of Service will take place on Monday, September 11, 2023
More information regarding the 2023 Mason Nation 9/11 Day of Service will be available in early August