One key component of SLUH’s mission as a Catholic, Jesuit school is to form young men who are dedicated to service with the poor and marginalized. The Freshman Service Program immediately introduces students to two different types of service offered through SLUH.

Each freshman will participate in two after-school service opportunities – one each semester. Both these opportunities begin immediately after school.

One semester, each freshman will help make a meal at school and serve that meal at Garfield Place, a division of Peter & Paul Community Services that provides permanent, supportive housing for people who have experienced chronic homelessness. Ingredients used for these meals are mostly the fruits of the school's annual Food Drive. When serving at Garfield Place, the freshmen are provided with the same dinner they helped to cook and prepare. Students will usually be ready to leave SLUH by 7:00pm.

The other semester, each freshman will spend an afternoon visiting and playing games with older adults at McCormack House, a senior living community within walking distance of SLUH.Freshman will be back at SLUH and ready to be picked up by 5:20pm.

Students will be assigned to both of his service dates, along with five to seven other freshmen and a faculty leader. A faculty moderator will either use a SLUH van to drive the group to Garfield Place or will accompany the group on the short walk to McCormack House.

Should there be a major conflict with a freshman's service date (such as a game), please contact Campus Ministry as soon as possible, and we will reschedule him for a different date. Though freshmen are not expected to miss a game for their SLUH athletic team, Freshman Service does take precedent over all practices, extracurriculars, and work grant. Please encourage students to take note of his dates so that he can plan accordingly with his academic work, as well as extracurricular activities. Also, on his assigned days, please make arrangements for him to be picked up at SLUH at the appropriate time.

It is our hope that after an introduction to SLUH’s service opportunities, freshman will continue to serve the St. Louis community and beyond through SLUH’s voluntary Community Service Program (CSP). All freshmen are encouraged to sign up for additional service opportunities through x2Vol, our service registration portal. For information on these additional service opportunities, please visit the Voluntary Community Service Program (CSP) page.

Freshman Service Site Details:

McCormack House at Forest Park Southeast
4575 Cadet Avenue
Saint Louis, MO, 63110
(314) 371-2525

Garfield Place (a program of Peter & Paul Community Services)
2612 Wyoming Street
St. Louis, MO 63118
(314) 588-7111