Community Service at Sidwell Friends School is designed to open the hearts and minds of our students to the suffering of others. The program was created to allow our students to become acquainted with the most vulnerable members of our society: people they do not normally associate with in their daily lives. In this way, our students will be able to understand and relate to the challenges and hopes of these people on a more personal level. As a result, it is our hope that our students feel compassion for these individuals, which will inform the personal and professional decisions they make throughout their lives. The program is also designed to teach a basic understanding of issues of social justice, and to challenge any stereotypes or prejudices existing within our students.