April is National Volunteer Month, and students at Stony Brook are stepping up to make a difference, volunteering their time and skills to support causes that matter to them and their communities. Their efforts uplift communities and provide valuable hands-on experiences while giving back.
The Center for Service Learning and Community Service and its staff have created a series of stories, highlighting the positive impact student volunteers have made through their service and celebrating their inspiring work to spark meaningful change in the Stony Brook community and beyond.
Spotlight 1 – Junior Ishan Amin Khwaja Works to Combat Food Insecurity
Amin Khwaja, a biochemistry major, has been committed to fighting food insecurity since his Freshman year. He began as a volunteer at the campus food pantry, or the “Seawolves Pantry,” transitioning to an intern a year later. Recognizing the widespread issue of food insecurity on Long Island, Amin shares that he wanted, in his words, “to create another avenue for students to get involved.”
He founded the Hunger Initiative Club to combat food insecurity outside of the food pantry. One of the projects includes Adopt-a-Week, in which multiple campus organizations host weekly food drives. The Hunger Initiative was also awarded a $400 grant from The Contribution Project, enabling the donation of 500 to 600 food items.
Amin wishes to integrate the issue of food insecurity with the Healthcare field. “I’ve been trying to work with one of the Northwell Hospitals to open a food pantry,” Amin says. “In the volunteer world, I guess that people are always willing to help, because they too see that there’s an issue at hand and they want to help you achieve your goals while also working to better the situation.”
Amin encourages others to embrace new experiences when volunteering, and to always give their best effort. He offers this advice: “Don’t be scared to try something new. Obviously, whatever you do, I’m sure it’s going to make a difference.”
Spotlight 2 – Junior Carolyn Huang Volunteers at SBU Hospital in Several Areas
Since her freshman year, health science major Carolyn Huang has volunteered at Stony Brook University Hospital, rotating between Food and Nutrition Services, the Cancer Center Food Pantry, and the Birth Registrar. Her role at the Birth Registrar includes distributing birth certificate forms to mothers and explaining how to properly complete the paperwork.
Carolyn explains she enjoys volunteering at the Birth Registrar because, in her own words, “the mothers are really friendly and they want to share [news] about their baby, and they’re excited about it.” Her other daily tasks consist of organizing papers, managing inventory, and checking food items out for the Food Pantry.
When asked about the most rewarding aspect of her volunteer experience at SBU Hospital, Carolyn states, “I’m here for a reason…helping out.” She specifically chose to volunteer at SBU Hospital to gain more experience in a healthcare setting, and to improve her public speaking skills.
“I wanted to get experience in the hospital, and interacting with patients and opening up,” Carolyn shares. Throughout her volunteer experience, Carolyn has found both personal growth and a purpose as she continues to support patients and their families.
Want to Get More Involved?
Interested in learning more about how to get involved in community service? Visit the Center for Service Learning and Community Service in SAC 228, email [email protected] or schedule an appointment on Handshake using the “Volunteer Positions and Service Projects” category.
Contributors: Service and Community Leader Team
Aima Chaudhry ’25
Merica Griffin ’25
Lily Kis-Horvath ’27
Angelica Zeideia ’26
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