Lawrenceville Gives Back Through Community Service Efforts

Big Red has been busy giving back this month, with student-led community service projects taking front and center. 

Students in Stanley House recently helped light up Lawrenceville’s Main Street to show their support for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault as part of the the 23rd annual Communities of Light effort, organized by Younity (formerly Womanspace). Organizations and individuals throughout Mercer County light luminaria kits in early December to help shine a light of hope and solidarity for those in need.

Stephens House students also enjoyed some sweet time with local children from the nonprofit Every Child Valued (ECV). Led by Stephens Community Service representative Miranda De Olden ’26, residents helped decorate gingerbread houses with the children. 

“It was so fun to celebrate the holidays with the kids from ECV,” De Olden said. “All the girls from Stephens who volunteered are truly amazing, and the whole house really came together to organize it and make sure the event ran smoothly.”

This weekend, the student club RAD (Raising Awareness for Disabilities), hosted a “Frosty Formal” dance in Tsai Field House for local children with Down syndrome. 

“One of our goals is to challenge stereotypes and misconceptions about Down syndrome and disabilities, and we think one of the best ways to do this is to create more occasions for our two communities to interact,” said Alice Xie ‘26, founder of the club. “We wanted to provide this fun dance for them as well as introduce students at Lawrenceville to the community.”   

Another student club, Tunes for Tomorrow, brought musical Lawrentians to perform holiday music at Morris Hall Senior Care Communities, and students from the Community Service Council organized a holiday toy drive for local children at a Head Start preschool program in the nearby town of Hamilton. 

Each of these activities are examples of the ongoing partnerships we have in big and small ways throughout Mercer County all year long, said Elizabeth Ferguson, director of Lawrenceville’s Community Service Program. 

“These are all expressions of hands-on ways that we can share love, and what we love, with the wider community, receive some love in return, and be in community together.

See more photos from fall community service projects on Flickr.  

For more information, contact Lisa M. Gillard H'17, director of public relations, at lgillard@lawrenceville.org.