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GatorServe

About GatorServe

GatorServe is a UHD tradition that brings together UHD students, staff, faculty, friends, families and community partners to complete projects in service of our neighbors. GatorServe is held on both Martin Luther King Jr. Day and September 11th as they are National Days of Service.

GatorServe volunteers are prepared to help homeowners, small business owners, non-profits, schools and other community entities with a variety of small tasks. Some examples would be gardening, painting, assisting with household chores, setting up or taking down seasonal decorations or electronics, general cleanup, power washing, small construction projects and so on.

To register the Spring 2025 GatorServe benefiting historic Moody Park, please follow the link: Spring 2025 MLK GatorServe

GatorServe at 9/11 Day of Remembrance – FL24

The Fall 2024 GatorServe benefited CYCLE Houston. Nearly 100 UHD students helped build bikes for children around Houston in need.

GatorServe MLK Day – SP24

Yet again, over 100 UHD students gathered for the MLK Day of Service, this time benefiting historic Moody Park. Volunteers cleaned up gazebos, beautified garden plantings, and even helped spruce up the playgrounds.

GatorServe at 9/11 Day of Remembrance – FL23

Nearly 150 UHD students volunteered to help Interfaith Ministries of Greater Houston for this Fall’s GatorServe. The large group divided to help with both Refugee Services as well as the Meals on Wheels program!

GatorServe MLK Day – SP23

The Spring 2023 GatorServe benefited the SPCA by helping them with their annual Donation Drive. Nearly 100 UHD students helped the SPCA sort donations of litter boxes, pet beds, towels, and blankets so they could be efficiently deployed to shelter animals in need.

GatorServe at 9/11 Day of Remembrance – FL22

Over 100 volunteers gathered to assist in projects across the Northline Community including: helping at Durkee Elementary, Farias Early Childhood Center, and Northline Park.

GatorServe MLK Day – SP22

Over 100 volunteers gathered to support the Houston SPCA and the animals they care for.

GatorServe at 9/11 Day of Remembrance - FL21

Students planting flowers SP20 GatorServe Group Photo
Day of Service Signin grass
Students Gardening 

Over 150 volunteers assembled on the 20th anniversary of 9/11. They met at the Finnigan Park Community Center, then walked to the nearby Evergreen Historic Negro Cemetery to plant flowers, lay mulch and attend to this aging burial site in Fifth Ward.      

GatorServe at MLK Day - SP21

Students planting flowers SP20 GatorServe Group Photo
Day of Service Signin grass
Students Gardening 

Approximately 22 students and other volunteers assembled on Saturday, Jan. 16 for community service projects at the Japanese Gardens at Hermann Park and Mission Milby Community Center. They were required to maintain safe distances from each other and wear face coverings while working in both locations.                         

GatorServe at MLK Day - SP20

Students planting flowers SP20 GatorServe Group Photo
Day of Service Signin grass
Students Gardening 

Well over 100 volunteers swept, cleaned, gardened, and power washed the campuses of Kashmere Gardens Elementary School (KGES) and Betsy Ross Elementary School (BRES). Murals were painted in the halls and a number of wooden shelves were built to accommodate a resource center. 

GatorServe at 9/11 Day of Remembrance - FL19

GatorServe Group Photo Fall 2019 Students mowing and collecting trash
Students laying mulch
Smaller group photo in front of a house 

Nearly 225 volunteers came together once more to the Fifth Ward community to assist seniors with general chores such as gardening, yard work, general cleanup, and painting. Almost 60 projects were completed, including complementary services to selected homes by Houston's Roof Repair Squad. 

GatorServe at MLK Day - SP19

Two Students Posing near bushes GatorServe at  MLK Day Spring 2019 Small Group Photo-
Gator Serve MLK Day Group Photo Spring 2019 Students Painting

Over 100 volunteers completed almost 20 projects at GatorServe at MLK 2019, making it our most successful Day of Service yet! Gators completed various projects in the Fifth Ward, from painting, clearing, gardening, and beyond.

GatorServe at 9/11 Day of Remembrance - FL18

 GatorServe at 9/11 Day of Remebrance Fall 2018 Group Photo  GatorServe at 9/11 Day of Remebrance Fall 2018 Small Group Photo
Students Painting a Fence  GatorServe at 9/11 Day of Remebrance Fall 2018 Small Group Photo
GatorServe 9/11 Spring 2018 was truly amazing! 190 volunteers including 14 student service leaders, UHD faculty and staff worked hard to pull off some amazing projects. Volunteers could sign up for 10 different service projects: 
  • Build Green
  • Clearing out at Friends of Northside
  • DeVine Houston
  • Enlighten to Make a Difference
  • Helping Hands
  • Home in the Heart
  • Operation Woof
  • Organizing the library at Marshall Middle School
  • Saturday Farmers
  • Volunteering at Looscan Elementary

GatorServe at MLK Day - SP18

Students Gardening GatorServe at MLK Day Spring 2018 Small Group Photo
GatorServe at MLK Day Spring 2018 Small Group Photo Man Painting over graffiti

GatorServe at MLK Day 2018 was a major success! Over 75 volunteers completed 8 service projects. Those projects included covering graffiti on local business storefronts, power washing buildings, maintaining raised garden beds, illegal dumping clean ups, and more!