21st Annual SPARC Day of Service
August 22, 2026
By Jo Marie Hebeler
Description: 800+ Rollins College new incoming students, faculty, and staff volunteered at over 30 non-profits and community partners for the 21st annual SPARC Day of community and education. WFTV 9 visited the Second Harvest Foodbank site.
SPARC stands for Service, Passion, Action, Rollins College. It’s an annual tradition designed to foster a lifelong commitment to commu in 2026, more than 13,500 Tars have contributed more than 54,000 hours of community service.
As part of this year's efforts, a group of volunteers spent several hours working at the Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida in Orlando. While at the facility, participants packed hundreds of food boxes destined for local families experiencing food insecurity. Other groups spread out to various partner non-profit organizations throughout the greater Orlando region.
Participants highlighted the event's role in connecting the campus community with the broader region. Student volunteers noted that the day provides a structured opportunity to engage with diverse local non-profits and gain direct experience with community-focused organizations. Organizers emphasized that the initiative aims to establish ongoing civic engagement habits that extend beyond the students' college years.
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