The program puts students out in the community for a day of concentrated work with a local non-profit or service agency. The event has attracted 110 and 150 volunteers each year. And the college has pulled in students from neighboring high schools, as well. The Into the Streets day begins with orientation sessions at the college for each project. The day concludes when the volunteers return to the college for a banquet, reflections and entertainment.
Volunteers also get to see a multimedia slide show of their work from that day.
Planning for the event begins at least eight months in advance when a team of students, faculty, staff and administrators meet to determine the date for the event and service sites. The college has used from nine to thirteen sites each year selected on the basis of location, quality and variety of experience, and number of volunteers which can be accommodated. In the first year the department undertook the project with no funding. A few donations from employee associations and student government helped fund the event, but it wasn't enough. But due to the popularity of the event the first year, more contributions and donations were received the second year.