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Welcome

The Faculty Association's Community Outreach Committee is comprised of several dozen members from all three campuses at Suffolk Community College. All of the committee's activities are designed to support our primary initiative, the Affordable Housing Fund.

Whether they are annual events, reflected in the top row of links above, or special one time awareness or fundraising events, all go to support this worthy cause. If you see the volunteer image shown above, click it to contact the appropriate organizer for a particular event.

Below is an introduction from Community Outreach Chair Adam Penna.

The far-reaching consequences are apparent, whether we consider our students, who have to make the decision to pay tuition or pay rent, or we consider new faculty--often coming from more reasonably priced markets--who have to turn down the exciting prospect of teaching at one of the country's best community colleges because, simply put, the salary isn't commensurate with the cost of living.

So what can we do?

The sad truth is that we can do very little. Markets are cruel and, like Nature, red in tooth and claw, don't even care about not caring. That doesn't mean we have to be as the market is. Rather, it might be our only responsibility to fight against that inclination and so truly become our brothers' and sisters' keepers. After all, it is tough to ignore the connotations of such words as "community" in community college and "union" in labor union.

Therefore, the FA SCC Community Outreach Committee has established "The Affordable Housing Fund." The goal of The Fund is to raise money, through charity events, raffles and donations, to sponsor a "Day of Building" at a local Habitat for Humanity site. It is, we think, a humble beginning. Certainly, it will not address the larger issues most Long Islanders face. But is is a beginning. And all worthy endeavors start small.

So what can you do?

It's simple. Come to our events. Volunteer your precious time and energy. If you have an idea for a charity event, offer it up, head it up and execute it. We'd love to give our help and would appreciate yours. Get your student clubs involved. Raise money. Write a check. Suggested donations for events are $5 for adults and $3 for seniors and students. Raffles will be forthcoming. If you can't make an event or buy a raffle ticket or, should you desire to be more generous still, we welcome cash donations. You can make a check out to the FA Community Outreach Committee right now and send it to the FA Office in the Southampton Building of the Ammerman Campus.

In the end, as individuals, we have little control over market trends, economic trends or demographic trends. It is because of this that we can come to despair or, worse, become numb. I'm not one to pronounce slogans, like "make a difference," without knowing how naive they can sometimes sound. However, I am a Romantic at heart and believe, as Wordsworth did, that the best portion of a good person's life are the "little, nameless unremembered acts of kindness and of love." But if our acts should be remembered or should they assume a name or blossom into something large and good, then so much the better for us.