Today is the first day of October, and if, like me, you gasped when realizing that September was gone (and not just out of excitement for Halloween), then this dose of inspiration is just for you.

In today’s paper, Alessandra Poblador reported on an expo that took place this past weekend that connected Harlem residents with after-school opportunities for their children:

The number of one-time participants in the various programs who now, as adults, work there served as a testament to that. Jason Berry, a program director of the Boys and Girls Club of Harlem, participated in several youth programs as a child.

“They gave me somewhere to go, something to do, peers to interact with,” he said. “Programs like this aim at keeping kids off the street and helping them make good decisions when they’re not in school or when they’re on their own.”

Many in the article talk about how far a small dose of attention can go, and imagine: you could change someone’s life with all of those hours lost this past month to Facebooking, tweeting, and napping.

Here are just a few of the many clubs and organizations at Columbia that make it possible to help out in the community:

Community Impact: You can give elementary kids the boost to excel by tutoring, or empower adults by teaching computer lessons with just two hours of your time a week. Or, if you’re ready for a bigger commitment (and want to have an awesome time), you can sign up to chaperone kids on field trips all around the city five hours a week.

Peer Health Exchange: By becoming a teacher for this organization, you can educate local high school students on major health risks like teenage pregnancy and obesity, so that they have the information to make smart decisions that will affect them throughout their lives.

Project Sunshine Harlem Hospital: Cheer up kids who are dealing with medical challenges by taking a few hours out of your day and working on arts and crafts with them, or help to throw an awesome party that will definitely brighten their weeks. And with a ton of projects, this organization truly offers something for everyone.