Day of Service brings together Harvard Chan community
October 3, 2024 – On Sept. 30, nearly 400 members of the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health community participated in the second annual Day of Service.
Students, staff, faculty, and researchers took part in two dozen projects that addressed a wide range of social determinants of health. Some volunteers gathered on campus for projects such as filling backpacks with school supplies and making handmade cards for migrant children who recently arrived in the U.S. Others spread out across different locations around Boston to prepare and serve meals at shelters, clean up parks, and more.
For the first time this year, alumni in five cities around the U.S. came together to pack winter kits for unhoused individuals. Additionally, service projects extended beyond a single day, with several occurring during the weekends before and after.
“Our work here at Harvard Chan School is all about building a healthier world, and the service projects we undertake each fall embody that commitment,” said Andrea Baccarelli, dean of the faculty. “I’m proud to see so many members of our community helping our neighbors and supporting our community by participating in this wonderful tradition.”
Projects for diverse causes
Sarah Zahakos, a Yerby Fellow in the Department of Health Policy and Management, helped to make fleece blankets for children in foster care. “With the winter season coming up, it’s nice to be involved in creating these blankets, something warm for the children,” she said. “I think sometimes having a little bit of love, a little bit of help can go a long way.”
Zahakos added that community service has always been important to her. “That’s part of the reason I went into public health, because I want to serve the greater population at large,” she said.
Sydney Moak, a lab manager in the Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, helped assemble winter kits for unhoused individuals that included items such as socks, hats, toiletries, and snacks. “I just really like the connection of being able to help those in the Boston area that don’t have access to things in the winter, which can be so cold and harsh—providing something that will have impact to the wide community,” she said.
Moak said that the Day of Service builds a sense of community at the School. She said, “It puts perspective into what we’re doing here, through the courses that we take or our everyday workload. Outreach to the community is important and something that everyone should be involved in.”
Kayra Kaymak, MPH ’25, volunteered at the Animal Rescue League of Boston, helping to clean puppy runs—outdoor play areas where dogs are kept while their kennels are being cleaned. Kaymak said that she chose the project because she loves animals, and as a cat owner herself, finds that taking care of pets has a positive impact on mental health.
“Sanitizing the puppy runs was very timely for us today, because of the fact that [new] puppies came in this afternoon,” said Jack Cahill, director of volunteer engagement at the shelter. “We want them to go [outdoors] in a sterilized environment, which is now ready for them, so that helps our staff.”
Nancy Krieger, professor of social epidemiology, helped to run a voter registration drive on campus. Her research has identified voting as a significant political determinant of health—a force that can influence social determinants of health.
“There are many, many reasons why I’m concerned about voting and health,” she said. “Votes in the U.S. matter within the U.S., but they also matter globally in terms of the direction the government is in.”
Reflecting on the Day of Service, Krieger said, “The essence of public health is about addressing preventable suffering, which requires everybody to have hands on deck. And [part of public health] is engaging with different communities [to be reminded] that everybody here is part of multiple communities as well. Community service is not just directed outside—it’s also acknowledging who one is, who these connections are with, and acting on that for health equity.”
– Jay Lau
Photos: Kent Dayton
