Service Events

The Hartman Center hosts several campus-wide service and philanthropy events to provide opportunities for students to engage.

FIRST YEAR COMMUNITY PLUNGE

The annual First Year Community Plunge introduces first year students to the Greencastle/Putnam County community through service, and also connects students interested in service to the Hartman Center. Students are divided into small groups with an upperclass student leader to serve with local organizations.

MARTIN LUTHER KING DAY OF SERVICE

Each year, The Hartman Center works with other university offices and local organizations to complete service projects in the spirit of Martin Luther King, Jr.'s legacy.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day became a national holiday in 1983, but in 1994 Congress passed the King Holiday and Service Act, which designates the holiday as a Day of Service. MLK Day is a “day on, not a day off.” Every year, colleges, organizations, and citizens gather together to serve their communities and to honor the legacy and work of Martin Luther King, Jr. Martin Luther King, Jr. crafted a legacy based on compassion, engagement, and a dedication to make change. We celebrate the MLK Day of Service to carry on those ideals in our own community. Martin Luther King, Jr. said, "everybody can be great, because everybody can serve.

SUPERMARKET SWEEP

In partnership with the Putnam County Purdue Extension Office and Greencastle Kroger, the Hartman Center hosts an annual Supermarket Sweep philanthropy and awareness event to tackle the issue of food insecurity. All in-kind donations benefit the Putnam County Pantry Coalition, which is comprised of 9 pantries that serve Putnam County.

Supermarket Sweep, a call back to the old game show, is a competitive philanthropy event that aims to educate students and our community about food insecurity. Both DePauw students across campus and local youth form teams to purchase requested items to donate to the Putnam County Food Pantry Coalition in preparation for the summer. These teams compete against one another to donate the most, with challenges built into the day to win gift cards to increase their total donation.

The summer months are difficult for food pantries and we want to bring our resources and passions together to stock the Putnam County food pantries. Approximately 10% of Putnam County residents are food insecure, and 45% of those suffering from food insecurity don’t qualify to receive SNAP or WIC benefits. Food pantries help alleviate this burden.