The Cardinal Shehan Center, where an afterschool program in Bridgeport takes place, provides Fairfield University students with the opportunity to volunteer to work with young students. The center is a nonprofit organization that focuses on providing for students that come from moderate or low-income families. The center began in 1961 by the Diocese of Bridgeport. Currently, the center serves more than 4,000 children yearly and offers a variety of facilities.
The after school program has been around for 23 years and continues today. Students from ages 5 to 14 have the ability to utilize what the Cardinal Shehan Center has to offer, including a homework room, computer lab, idoor swimming pool, gym, game room and kitchen.
The Cardinal Shehan Center’s staff works with kids in many different areas of study, ranging from education to recreational. Christine Bianchi, program director, recalls the multiple activities that the kids participate in. Some of the kids spend their time playing basketball in the gym, but others enjoy the game room. The children with work are able to spend time in the homework room, where staff members help the students with their math, reading and writing.
Staff member, Michelle Rivera, works in the kitchen area of the center Monday through Friday. Rivera comes up with new recipes every day for the kids to bake or cook. Her most recent creation was homemade pizza. According to 7-year-old student Jared Rodriquez, the pizza was fun to make and tasted delicious. The kids even took the time to put the peperoni in a heart on the pizza. According to Rivera, the students had a lot of fun pretending to be chefs.
Michelle Rivera works at the after school program every day from 3 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. She also balances running her side business “Michelle’s Cakes and More.” However, she has no complaints.
“It does not really feel like a job to me. I love it so much, and if you do a job you love, you never work a day in your life,” Rivera said.
Staff members are not the only people who have good things to say about this program. The Cardinal Shehan Center offers many opportunities for volunteering. Fairfield University student, Johnny Hirshauer '18, who is majoring in Economics, has been volunteering since late December. He helps out students with homework and on weekends helps coach the basketball program located at the center.
“I will never forget that time one of my students Jason got the buzzer beater shot. He was so happy and jumping up and down. That made it all worth it,” Hirshauer said.
With so much time spent with the children, volunteers form good relationships with the students of the center. “It is not really community service,” said another volunteer, Mary Morrisey '18, who is studying Communications. “It’s community engagement. You become so involved with them and become part of their community.”
Third grader, Ashley Burns, who attends the after school program Monday through Friday, describes the staff members as her friends. Her best friend from the program, third grader Rachel Laurence, said that if it were not for the volunteers, she would not understand math.
“They help me so much and are nice to me. They help me understand my homework but still allow me to have fun,” Laurence said.
Volunteering at the Cardinal Shehan Center is available to all Fairfield University students. Hunter Boesch '18, a phycology major, says he has a reason to keep on returning to the center every Friday.
“It is so rewarding. Everyone was really friendly and made it so easy to volunteer,” said Boecsh. He spends most of his time in the game room playing with the kids that call him “the giant.” Boesch enourages other Fairfield students to volunteer by saying, “It is certainly an amazing opportunity that the university offers and one that students should take advantage of.”
