MIT Cru

Cru is more than just a Christian club on campus. It’s a part of the family of God that seeks to love and serve those around us. This love and service is central to the Christian faith and it is to be extended to all people, but especially to those on the margins. MIT Cru is partnering with local churches and non-profit organizations to help provide food, shelter, instruction, tutoring, and other aids to our city. We’d love for you to consider joining us in this endeavor. You don’t have to be a Christian to join us, you just need a heart to love and care for others. Many of our current services can be done either in person or remotely, and if you’re a student some of our tutoring programs would greatly welcome your time and service. Read on to find out what we’ve got going on and contact us if you’d like to come along. We’d love to have you!

HERC tutoring Program:

The Boston Higher Education Resource Center (HERC) equips first-generation youth to obtain a higher education, break the cycle of poverty, and become agents of change in their communities. We are excited to work with them to help them achieve their goals. There are several ways WE can get involved.

• We can donate to support the students involved with HERC.

• We can get involved with their Passport Program.

• We can get involved with their Alumni Mentoring Program.

HERC is looking for college students who want to help tutor high school students as they prepare for college. They are also looking for others who want to come alongside first and second year college students to help support them in their journey toward success. These are great ways that we can help serve our local community. And, during this season of uncertainty, we can help in multiple ways, through our giving, through in-person tutoring, and through Zoom based support and tutoring opportunities.

If you’re interested in getting connected to Cru staff and students who are serving with HERC, send us a message here and we’ll get you looped in with us!

Serving the homeless:

Cru is partnering with Park Street Church to help with their Thursday night outreach to the homeless as well as its Warming Center on Saturdays. The church opens its doors for people to come in and get food, drink, and to warm up during these cold winter months. However, to make this happen they need volunteers. Here are the needs we can help meet:

• Make sandwiches from home and bring them to the church for our neighbors (There are 4 shifts on Saturday: 830-10am, 10-1130, 2-430. or help make sandwiches between 1130 and 2pm.)

• Become an in-person volunteer to set up for the event.

• Volunteer to help with the distribution of the food and drinks

• Volunteer to welcome and talk with those who come in from the outside.

• Volunteer on Thursday evenings helping to make a meal for the unhoused from 5pm to 7pm.

Volunteers are needed for these hour shifts. This is a great thing we can do as a community to serve our local neighbors. If you’re interested in joining us, contact us here and we can get you signed up!

Haitian youth service program:

A local church in Mattapan is looking for volunteers to help with their youth outreach program. The church is hoping to help give resources to their neighborhood through enrichment programs. If you are interested in teaching or facilitating a workshop for these students, the church would welcome your help. They are currently looking to instruct the youth in mental health, baking/cooking, science, college admissions, relationships, coding, or career choices.

The youth program is also starting a music program and they are looking for musicians who can help teach an instrument. If you play it, most likely they have a youth who will want to learn!

If you’re interested in serving this delightful church, contact us here and we can get you signed up!

food banks/pantry:

Come help us serve our city at the Park Street Church Food Bank. There, volunteers help process 700 lbs of rice, beans etc each Friday and Saturday - we take bulk food, we weigh it into 1lb bags and we also create the bags. We then prepare these bags into bins so we can ship them out on Monday to our Food Pantries. We also move around 1300 lbs of other foods as well on those days.

We can also help support the Central Assembly of God Food Pantry at the First Congregational Church of Revere Food Pantry. They are always looking for volunteers who can jump in to help them serve those around them. With these options you can choose to do something weekly or just when you have time.

If you’re interested in jumping in at one of these locations, contact us here and we’ll get you connected to others who are serving!