NIU will be sponsoring an annual program geared at recruiting students to volunteer for area social services.

The “Organizational Expo” is an all-out effort to push more students into volunteering for DeKalb social services and other community groups, said Z. Ahmad, coordinator for programming and activities.

For many generations, NIU students have volunteered to work with social service agencies dealing with the homeless, the elderly, youngsters in need of a role model or other special needs.

The present level of volunteerism at NIU provides a solid base for instituting the volunteer program, said NIU President John La Tourette, citing current programs such as the blood drives that brought in 3,675 pints of donated blood last year and the 15-year-old campus recycling project.

La Tourette also cited the residence halls’ Skip-a-Meal program that made $38,000 over the past four years.

Other service projects include the fraternity and sorority programs that totalled 13,000 hours and raised $150,000 during the 1989-90 school year.

“We are expecting to showcase 80 to 100 student organizations and have invited 50 voluntary and social service agencies to participate,” Ahmad said.

He also said representatives from 72 area community agencies are interested in getting student volunteer help.

The “Organizational Expo” will be held on Tuesday, Sept. 10 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Duke Ellington Ballroom of the Holmes Student Center.