In the summer of 2024, we were a group of former sustainability students from McMaster University who became hooked on the benefits we experienced through interdisciplinary, community-based, and experiential learning. Although our courses had given us a taste of this, we still wanted more. That led us to explore volunteering as a way to stay engaged. But the opportunities available at the time weren’t giving us the kind of robust, meaningful experiences and impact we were looking for. So, we created the Hamilton Sustainability Action Project, HSAP for short. 

 

With the help of our mentors and advisors, we were able to connect with two impactful non-profit organizations, Trees for Hamilton and Cycle Hamilton. We offered them support to engage and organize student volunteers for their upcoming events. 

 

Within the first two months, we

• Supported three tree-planting events planting more than 250 trees with over 25 volunteers;

• Helped to host Cycle Hamilton’s Annual General Meeting;

• Identified, wrote, and submitted a grant application.  

 

We also created some fire social media posts to help our organizational partners amplify their great work.   

 

We've since broadened our partnerships and reach, and are excitedly growing our network. Whether you’re an aspiring volunteer, part of a volunteer-based organization, or an interested party, we want to hear from you!