This post was updated Oct. 8 at 10:12 p.m.

The Community Service Commission of the Undergraduate Students Association Council hosted the second annual Servocacy Fest on Wednesday.

The afternoon event, which was held in Wilson Plaza, was designed to connect students with more than 35 volunteering and service-based organizations. In addition to organizations tabling, the event included music and a way to earn prizes in exchange for engaging in activities, including sending postcards and learning trivia.

Elizabeth Lee, an external programming director at the CSC, said the event is similar to the Enormous Activities Fair but is restricted to service organizations. She added that the event allows students to find service organizations more easily.

[Related: Enormous Activities Fair offers opportunities for Bruins to find communities]

“One of the main proponents of CSC (is) committing to ethical service, education, knowing why you go out into the community, why you show up every single day,” said Lee, a third-year public health student. “I think a lot of these clubs kind of have that in their messages to the people that are here.”

Each table at the event had interactive activities. Students had opportunities to win tote bags, baseball caps and a free meal from a food truck, she said.

Emily Calkins, a fourth-year anthropology student, said she decided to learn more about volunteering at the event after benefiting from an emergency meal swipe program last year, which she later found was run by a UCLA student organization.

The fair also helps connect organizations that are service oriented, said Mary Minasyan, a fourth-year astrophysics student.

William Chao, a fourth-year political science student, said the event was important in providing information about how to get involved in public service as a UCLA student. He added that he joined Bruin Dine after finding out about it at last year’s event.

“I actually did this last year too,” Chao said. “It really lets you find volunteer organizations, especially if you’re pre-med or you’re interested in just getting involved in your community.”

Volunteering can also allow students to make friends with similar interests, Chao said.

Travis McDermott, director of staff at Bruin Shelter, said the event was important both in providing the organization with potential volunteer staff members and displaying the services it offers to people in need. He added that he felt volunteering for organizations like his is important for UCLA students because of the amount of housing insecurity in the local area.

“I think housing insecurity in the LA area and especially at UCLA is a really big issue – housing is definitely not affordable for everybody,” said McDermott, a fourth-year public affairs student. “There isn’t adequate options for people that don’t have anywhere to stay.”

Minasyan said she decided to volunteer for a college advising organization after experiencing difficulty getting free mentorship and access to resources when she was in high school. She added that she feels volunteering is important in ensuring UCLA remains connected to the wider community.

“I feel like there’s this idea of academia and college as this ivory tower, and it’s good to make sure that we’re not isolating ourselves to this narrow scope,” she said. “Volunteering allows us to step outside, engage with the community and get to know people from all walks of life.”