#GCUsocialworkserviceweek

#GCUServiceWeek

God Bless (John 3:16)

-Dr. Fields

My husband and participated in this year Operation Christmas Child (Samaritan’s purse) This was our second year doing so together. We filled the boxes and I was on call that week so my husband went and bought the card and candy canes to go with our already filled boxes. We attend Quail Springs Baptist Church in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. I pray everyone has a blessed week! And it is a pleasure and honor to work and serve along with everyone ♥️

was privileged to work with we stocked shelves, helped shop and provided additional resource information. The group provides these services on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, 70-80 families are served each of these days. City Hope provided groceries for 3500 people last month. This was an amazing experience.

We drove a few miles to an area where we usually see a lot of our homeless neighbors and passed out chicken and mashed potatoes. It felt so good to give back, and the kids were able to see it, be part of it, and understand the impact of helping others.

Such a great experience. My heart is full. ❤️

It melts my heart when so many people step away from their busy lives to lift others burdens and help spread kindness. ♥️

“And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.” — Hebrews 13:16

Coming from a military background, service has always been a core part of my identity, but being able to serve alongside my girlfriend in a community setting brought that purpose to a different level.

Instead of uniforms and missions, this was about compassion, connection, and meeting people where they are.

Helping families receive food, offering a smile, and simply showing up reminded us how meaningful it is when the community comes together. Watching parents pick up groceries with relief on their faces and seeing children laugh reminded us that small acts of kindness can have a big impact. It wasn’t just the food we were giving out, it was dignity, hope, and encouragement.

What made the experience even more powerful was doing it as a couple.

Supporting others side-by-side strengthened our bond and reminded us why we are both on this path of service, especially with her being a GCU student focused on leadership and purpose. We left feeling grateful, grounded, and re-energized.

Operation INASMUCH reaffirmed our shared commitment to helping others, advocating for those in need, and continuing to be present in our community. It was a reminder that service doesn’t stop when the uniform comes off, it continues through everyday acts of love and compassion.

I also had the privilege preparing the tank for baptisms happening this coming Sunday for someone that walked away from God due to hardships and hurt, but is coming back to God and bringing her family with her. 🙌🏻

Participants shared memories, spoke about the impact of their loss, and supported one another through moments of heaviness and moments of warmth. The space encouraged reflection, connection, and the kind of understanding that only comes from others who have walked a similar path.

Co-facilitating this event reinforced the importance of creating environments where people feel safe to express what often goes unspoken. The strength shown by survivors was deeply moving, and the gathering offered a sense of hope rooted in shared experience.

Days like this remind us that healing is not linear, community matters, and no one should ever have to navigate loss in isolation.

The blessings box is available to anyone in the community who may need food. The shelving behind me, much larger than what’s visible in the photo, is where the food is stored before being placed in the box. Lately, the shelves have been running low, as this has been a particularly difficult month for many families.

Christ Covenant’s blessings box is conveniently located near the local middle and high schools, making it easy for students to grab a quick breakfast on their way to class or a snack on their way home. It’s a small but meaningful way the church supports the community each day.

Sorry, I know I'm not in the picture - I hate selfies.

I truly love the work that I do — and having my daughter right beside me makes it even more meaningful 🫶🏽. The 36th annual King Center Thanksgiving meal was this weekend. We offered drive thru and dine in services any community member can enjoy a FREE Thanksgiving meal! Community, gratitude, and good food — it was a pleasure to serve!

- Rebecca Garcia

Every year the school that I work for puts together baskets for families in need in our community.We were blessed to be able to put together 15 baskets for families within our school.

I am blessed to regularly serve in my Church's Childrens Ministry. This weeks main point is "When God does something good for me, I should do something good for others" I love serving but it is a double blessing this week to participate in GCU Service Week. I am so grateful for this opportunity. Happy Thanksgiving!

I currently volunteer at my community center once or twice a week. I primarily do desk work, guiding people to the services they may need, ranging from our food bank to our social worker or legal advice.

I am grateful for the opportunity and the health to provide assistance in my community.

Psalm 100:4

"Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name"

Project One offers a food pantry, clothing closet, technology lab, and crisis support for families facing challenges, and Champion House of Care provides empowering programs for individuals with IDD to build skills, connect, and thrive.

If you know a family in need or would like to contribute or get involved please reach out. Community care lifts us all.

I volunteer every week at the local homeless shelter, Gospel Center Rescue Mission, in Stockton, California. The clothing closet at the Mission provides clothing and household goods for men, women, and children. The closet serves the homeless community, shelter residents, and is open to the public.

“The Gospel Center Rescue Mission, Inc. is a ministry to the people of San Joaquin County where the homeless and addicted in our community are presented the opportunity for spiritual, physical, emotional restoration and equitable inclusion through the love of Jesus Christ.”

Serving Langar at Gurudwara

Langar is the free community kitchen found in every Gurudwara (Sikh place of worship). It serves everyday freshly prepared meals to everyone—regardless of religion, caste, gender, culture, or background. The purpose of langar is to promote equality, humility, and community service.

The meals are cooked and served entirely by volunteers as an act of seva (selfless service). In the langar hall, all people sit together on the floor as equals, symbolizing that no one is above or below anyone else. The food is nutritious, vegetarian, and prepared with respect and care so that it can be shared universally.

Langar has three core values:

1. Equality – everyone receives the same meal in the same space.

2. Community and Compassion – food is offered to all without discrimination.

3. Service (Seva) – volunteers prepare, cook, serve, and clean with humility.

Langar is not just a free meal; it is a living expression of Sikh principles—promoting unity, generosity, and human dignity.

like to get to the grocery store so my workplace decided to do some grocery deliveries ourselves! With the most recent stress of losing their EBT our population is still reeling from the idea of food insecurity so this was a helpful way to give back :) Happy Thanksgiving!!

On Saturday, I volunteered my time helping my church set up for our Thanksgiving service on Sunday. First, I helped set up the welcome sign with flowers. I also helped make a backdrop for families to take pictures. On that same day, I also helped the kids and adults get fitted for the upcoming Christmas play. On Sunday, we served a Thanksgiving meal at church, and I volunteered my time in the Children’s ministry. I had a fun time reading a bible story to them and then getting to do a small activity. Lastly, I took a picture with my son. I also tried to incorporate some purple in my outfit that day!  

Have a blessed week!  

-Kayla Castaneda  

I work part-time at our local community schools as a Student Support and Community Engagement Coordinator. When I started this past fall, I noticed that our middle school, in particular, was severely lacking supplies for students in need. I then started a Viking Care Corner, a space where students can come in, feel supported, and access items without feeling like they are receiving a handout. It is also a place where they can rest for a moment if they are waiting to see the social worker or simply need a break. I recently received a small grant to help stock and support the Viking Care Corner, which has made a huge difference.

Here they will find clothing, school supplies, hygiene supplies, and feminine products. My favorite spot is a place for those students who come in late. They can come have breakfast and take a few minutes to get themselves regulated before going to learn.

In addition, I work with our Backpack to Bridges program, which provides food to students over the weekend. We are currently planning a food drive with some of our fourth-grade students.

I had a nice video of the room but I can’t seem to upload that video. So here is a picture of me in the room. Also, took some screenshots of my video and a picture of my son in one of the spots kids can come take a break. ( it was before class started)

I had a huge opportunity to serve meals to people experiencing homelessness. It was a huge blessing in my life to be able to share love with others and turn one meal into the most meaningful moment. Seeing smiles on everyone's faces reminded me how powerful a simple act of kindness can be and how much impact we can make. ❤️🥹

Thank you for such a meaningful time!!

This week, leading up to Thanksgiving, has been especially meaningful. We partnered with another local nonprofit and decorated cookies with families in the community. It was a simple activity, but it helped bring people together and strengthen connections across generations, which felt really special during the holiday season. Next week we’re rolling right into our Cuddle Up Coat Drive, making sure families have warm coats before the cold really settles in. After that, we’ll be preparing for our Angel Tree toy pick-up event, which is always one of the most heartwarming parts of the season. There’s so much happening, but it all comes down to the same goal: showing up for our community all year, not just during the holidays.

Mark your calendars now, Giving Tuesday is December 2nd (:

I am Aloysius. I volunteered serving meals at the All Saints Friendship Room, Alpena, Michigan. It was fun, and I love it.

I have on a purple shirt for GCU💜

The organization focuses on strengthening families by offering a variety of services including case management, emergency financial assistance, and financial coaching. They are dedicated to helping individuals and families build stability and work toward long-term goals. In addition, the center offers a Learning Cove, which provides tutoring and academic support for children and youth ages 5 to 18. This program plays a vital role in enhancing educational success and creating positive opportunities for young people.

Overall, volunteering at this center gave me a firsthand look at how community-based services can empower families and promote well-being. It was inspiring to see how much impact a dedicated team can make when they focus on compassion, support, and opportunity. I look forward to continuing to learn from experiences like this as I grow in my social work journey.

💜💜 Representing for GCU Lopes 💜💜

Giveaway for Logan Neighbors and families! It was a great turnout.

We gave out the following:

Cornish hens, Turkeys, Pork Shoulders, Eggs, Sweet potatoes, Chicken Legs and more!

Shelby Coleman

Happy Holidays to everyone!!❤️

Today, I spent time in my son’s first-grade class reading stories and exploring imagination, curiosity, and wonder. In my older son’s class, I helped make sandwiches for local firefighters and police officers who will be serving our community on Thanksgiving Day. These may be small acts of service, but each one matters. Each one truly strengthens the fabric of who we are.

Extra proud to wear my GCU gear today!

To make things fun, I set up a friendly competition between classrooms, with a pizza party for the class that brought in the most items. Our students and families truly showed up we collected over 2,000 items and assembled enough ingredients to create meal kits for 120 students for both Thanksgiving and Christmas break!

This project was such a rewarding experience, and I absolutely loved doing it. I can’t wait to bring it back again next year!

This week I served the community by helping with the turkey giveaway at Harbor Interfaith Services. We blessed families with food and different resources for the holidays. I had the honor of filling bags, handing out turkeys, and seeing people smile knowing they would have a warm meal for Thanksgiving. It felt good to give back and be part of something that helped so many families. A verse that reminds me of this is Galatians 5:13, which says, “Serve one another humbly in love.” This experience showed me what that really means.

With being in the social work program I find myself wanting to do more than I used to do. I am pending approval from the social work department to do my internship at LTHC. It’s an area (homelessness) that I want to learn more about.

I was able to help organize the donation closet at my local church to donate them to the homeless in Tooele.

The second thing is this SHOE BOX gift that Hobby Lobby sponsors. I sent $10 to a show box for a kids Christmas.

We also created a gratitude tree, adding prompts about everything we’re thankful for. After writing their gratitude prompt, each person received a raffle ticket for self-care baskets. It was definitely an event to remember, and I’m already looking forward to volunteering again next year.

Tania Robuck

https://lasagnalove.org/

I live in New Jersey, and this past Saturday, for service week, I had the opportunity to partner with the fabulous women of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., to help prepare Thanksgiving Baskets filled with all the trimmings for 30 families in need in Hudson County. I don't have any official Lopes wear yet, but I wore purple to represent GCU. It was an absolute joy to see the smiles of all the families who were selected to receive their Thanksgiving meals. Serving others is my passion, and I was grateful and so very thankful to be a part of such a fantastic event.

This is all done without advertisement other than a Facebook post.

To God be the glory!

It was great to see everyone working together to help others in need!

I had the chance to talk with several guests and learn about their lives and situations. It was eye-opening, humbling, and a reminder of how important kindness and compassion are. Feeling grateful for the opportunity to serve this community today.

Joy Rhodes-Watkins

GCU SWK 600-0501

My name is Daniel Nunez. I’m in Master Social Work program for Grand Canyon University. Today I went around and gave water bottles to the homeless in the Maryville community. It is a lower socioeconomic community where I live and work. It is essential for us to help the most vulnerable of community and water bottles to the homeless it’s just a start. Thankfully, they had food packages from a local community social agency, lacked the water.

I am Angela Carpenter here I am with the part of the team I worked at my church with to serve people Thanksgiving meal.

I am Angela Carpenter and here I am helping serve drinks at a Thanksgiving meal that was open to anyone in our community.

Others was a huge step to show God’s love.

Feeding San Diego also partners with hundreds of local nonprofits, schools, faith-based organizations, and community centers to broaden its impact. The facility’s blend of paid staff and volunteers ensures streamlined operations, enabling the organization to serve a wide spectrum of individuals, including children, seniors, active-duty military personnel, and low-income families, totaling more than 300,000 people annually. Overall, the San Diego facility exemplifies a highly coordinated and community-driven approach to food security, demonstrating how collective efforts can reduce hunger and improve community well-being. I am deeply honored to have the opportunity to be part of this experience this year.

References
Feeding San Diego. (2024). About us. https://feedingsandiego.org/about-us/

Watching her excitement as she helped choose each gift was such a sweet reminder of the importance of giving and teaching compassion. It felt good knowing we could make another child’s Christmas a little brighter, and even better sharing that moment with our daughter. 🎄💛

-Andrea

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. (2016). Bible Gateway. (Original work published 2001). https://www.bible gateway.com/versions/English-Standard-Version-ESV-Bible/#copy

Tried to post my video but was to large of a file 😢

Dr. April Steen

-A. Favila

This was a meaningful opportunity to come together, lend a hand and make a small but important impact. Every meal packaged helps provide hope and support to communities navigating incredibly difficult times.

Together we packaged over 10k meals. I’m so grateful for the chance to serve and to stand in solidarity with those who need it most.

For Thanksgiving I cooked food to pass out for Thanksgiving day. Its a joy to feed those that are homeless. I feel its my duty to be of service to those who are in need. I believe God put us here to love and take of each other. Myself and family came to pass out food. It was a wonderful time.

I believe that these types of volunteer experiences remind me that the values of Volunteerism, Compassion, and Community Care are at the core of Social Work. From organizing Events, to coordinating Resources and providing support during times of high stress, we are all aligned in the mission of serving our Community.

I appreciate working with people who lead with Empathy and Action. Thank you for your efforts in serving our Community each and every day.