One Day to Serve, One Big Impact

With service projects spanning cities and continents, Notre Dame’s Global Day of Service marked another year of making a meaningful difference in the world.

First launched in 2023, the event celebrated its third year on Saturday, April 26. Since its beginning, Notre Dame alumni, parents, and friends have been building a powerful tradition of service, with this year’s efforts totaling 185 projects, 137 participating clubs, and representation across all 50 states (including Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico) and 29 countries.

The Notre Dame community stretched across continents, with clubs worldwide taking action in their local communities. Projects ranged from packing meals at food banks and assembling care packages for those in vulnerable communities, to garden clean-ups at schools and note-writing to service members. A few of the highlights include:

• The Notre Dame Club of Hong Kong spent the day at a mental illness facility making dumplings, playing basketball, and singing karaoke with residents.

• The ND Club of Brazil organized clothing drives in six cities across the country — São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Porto Alegre, Brasília, Belo Horizonte, and Recife — setting up collection points to gather donations for charity. 

• The ND Club of East Africa, volunteers spent the day in fellowship with children at a youth correctional center.

• The ND Club of Boston organized four separate projects across the city, preparing and serving food to the homeless and collecting clothing and other essentials for children in need.

• The ND Club of Indianapolis packed over 15,000 meals for local food pantries, all as part of a larger movement that brought together thousands of alumni, parents, and friends around the world.

The Notre Dame spirit, rooted in the vision of University founder Rev. Edward F. Sorin, C.S.C., was just as strong in our local community. Campus and the greater South Bend area saw projects aimed at meeting local needs, building community, and raising awareness. 

Early Saturday morning, the Native American Student Association of Notre Dame hosted a 5K run and art market on South Quad in honor of Missing & Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW). Co-sponsored by several campus partners, including the Native American Alumni of Notre Dame, the event drew approximately 200 runners, each wearing the name of an MMIW victim on their bib to raise awareness and keep their memory alive.

In her opening remarks, Zada Ballew ’19, chair of the Native American Alumni board, shared that this year was the first year a Native American-led project had been included in the Global Day of Service.

Following the race, an art market welcomed runners and friends to enjoy delicious fry bread, browse artisan booths, and experience a traditional dance performance. 

“I am so proud of the Notre Dame Global Day of Service,” Ballew said. “For the past three years, it’s just been so nice to see that map fill up with service projects all around the world and to know that we’re a part of something bigger than ourselves.” 

Across town, volunteers from the Notre Dame Club of St. Joseph Valley gathered for two additional service opportunities. In the morning, the club lent a hand with gardening and outdoor cleanup at the nearby Good Shepherd Montessori School. Later in the day, they gathered at Unity Gardens, a nonprofit dedicated to increasing the availability, awareness, and accessibility of healthy, locally grown food. They spent the day assisting with various projects to help support the garden’s upkeep. 

“We really rely on volunteers to help take some of the weight off our shoulders so we can produce as much food as we do,” said Eve Morningstar, Horticultural Lead at Unity Gardens. 

The event was not only an opportunity for service but also, at the heart of the Global Day of Service mission, a chance to bring people together — and closer to nature.

“Being out here provides a sense of therapy and connection that a lot of people might not have or experience. I think volunteering here at Unity Gardens is really an experience of its own, and even working here, it’s changed my life completely.”

This year's Global Day of Service was another success — and an exciting glimpse into the future of Notre Dame’s mission. To learn more about what the rest of the world was up to, check out our website and follow us on Facebook or Instagram.

Written by: Amanda Dempson '26, Hannah Storm Journalism Intern