FOCUS: First-Year Orientation CommUnity Service

During FOCUS, you’ll have the opportunity to get to know Tufts, the Greater Boston Area, and your fellow Jumbos all the while creating meaningful relationships with the communities around us.

During FOCUS, you’ll commit to engaging responsibly and actively to support the needs identified by Tufts' host communities and its representatives. You’ll work in an area of your interest along with a group with other incoming students and two upperclassmen leaders.

Service Themes

Food Insecurity

We work with soup kitchens, food banks, and community kitchens to feed and distribute food to those who need it. Past sites have included: Meals 4 Medford, Bread of Life, and Community Servings.

Housing Insecurity

We work in homeless shelters and help out with the day-to-day work. This may include sorting clothes, making beds, and preparing for meals. Past sites have included halfway houses, food pantries, the Medford Housing Authority, Boston Healthcare for the Homeless Program, and Victory Programs Incorporated

Environment

We do hands-on work to help keep Boston green and beautiful. Often, these groups work in parks such as the Friends of the Middlesex Fells, and Groundwork Somerville, on the Mystic Watershed. Weather permitting, your group will spend much of its time outdoors.

Youth Advocacy

We work with organizations that benefit children throughout Boston through community and educational development. Past groups have worked with organizations like local schools in the Somerville/Medford area and Cradles to Crayons, which helps Boston-area children get the school supplies they need.

Disability Justice Advocacy

Our special needs group, Giving Camp, runs special programming for people with special needs for five days. This intensive experience includes training and has been described as exceptionally rewarding by past participants.

Placemaking

We do the hands-on work of sprucing up the built environment throughout Boston as well as work to support local communities. Projects include community service at local schools and community organizations and the work varies from light construction and environmental maintenance to helping local Somerville teachers prepare for the upcoming school year. Previous organizations have included SCALE, the Somerville Community Growing Center, and the Medford Public Library. 

Elderly

We work with organizations that focus on the wellbeing of elderly citizens in locations like the Somerville Home. Past sites include Medford Council on Aging and the Mystic Valley Elder Services. If you’re a people-person, you have the skills we’re looking for.

LGBTQ+ Advocacy

We work with local organizations that advocate for the local LGBTQ+ community. In the past, we’ve worked with On The Rise, The Network/La Red and The Tufts LGBT Center.

Arts Advocacy

We work with local artists and arts organizations that strive to build community through the arts and social justice. Past sites include Outside the Lines Studio, The Dance Complex, and Theatre@First.

Racial Justice Advocacy

The Racial Justice Advocacy group works with community organizations in the Boston area working to provide people of color with dedicated services such as youth groups and senior centers. Past sites have included the Medford Diversity Office, MassVote, and The Welcome Project.

Typical Day