Providence, RI -- One hundred and seventy-three members of the Providence College class of 2011 spent their first days in Providence participating in the College's 17th annual Urban Action program.  Members of the Providence College freshman class joined 24 upper-classmen leaders to volunteer 3,500 hours of labor at sites throughout Rhode Island.

Students worked with the City of Providence at Neutaconkanut Park to clear brush, construct trails, and perform a general clean-up.  Beyond the city, volunteers cleaned, planted, and restored two charitable Rhode Island farms: Casey Farm in Saunderstown, RI--part of the Community Supported Agricultural Program--and the Urban Edge Farm in Cranston--a part of the Southside Community Land Trust.

On the final day of the project, the entire group united to  plant trees, landscape, and clean the neighborhood streets surrounding the College. 

The Urban Action program was initiated by Providence College students in 1991 with 17 students volunteering the first year. Since then, nearly 2300 freshmen have participated, with many returning each year as leaders. The goal of the program is to provide incoming students with an opportunity to make a positive difference in the community that will be their "home away from home" for the next four years.

Past projects have included collaborating with the City of Providence's Parks Department to improve the status of city-planted trees and restore city parks; clearing brush and preparing fields for a new organic gardening project at the Urban Edge Farm; conducting a massive cleanup at the City Arts! building; clearing pastures and outbuildings to create a community farm for Providence families; digging trenches for the city to lay electric lines for a community sports league; and preparing a spot for Smith Hill Center's outdoor performance center and park. Students also participate in similar neighborhood projects throughout the academic year.

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