Scripps CHiPS (Committee for Humanity and Public Service) was founded in February 1997 by two graduate students at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography for the purpose of encouraging and facilitating UCSD graduate student involvement in community service. Since then, we've also enjoyed the active involvement of faculty, staff, friends, and even family members from within and outside of SIO.

As of October 2007, CHiPS volunteers have produced over 4000 person-hours of work in over 90 public service projects, including:

• Habitat restoration in the Sweetwater River, Peñasquitos
  Canyon, Lopez Canyon, the Famosa Slough, the Tijuana River Estuary, the San Diego Rivermouth, and the
  San Dieguito River Valley
  
  
• Habitat for Humanity house renovation and construction projects
  
  
• Wolf pen construction at the Julian Wolf Preserve and aviary
  construction for Project Wildlife
  
  
• Habitat restoration project for the endangered California least tern and
  marsh cleanup at Mission Bay
  
  
• Trail maintenance at the Torrey Pines State Reserve, the
  Scripps Coastal Reserve, the Raptor Trail, and the Pacific Crest Trail
  
  
• Tree planting with People for Trees
  
  
• Beach cleanup at La Jolla Shores and participating in the California Coastal Cleanup day as well as the International Coastal Cleanup day
  
• Work at the St. Vincent de Paul Shelter and the San Diego
  Rescue Mission
  
  
• Helping at the San Diego Children's Museum
  
  
• Helping move people people with the Helping Hands organization
  
  
• Mangrove removal at the Kendall-Frost Reserve