FROM THE DIRECTOR
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A NATIONAL RECORD 60,000 VOLUNTEERS MAKE IT A DAY ON NOT A DAY OFF IN 13th ANNUAL GREATER PHILADELPHIA MARTIN LUTHER KING DAY OF SERVICE
Many thanks to the hundreds of organizations throughout the Philadelphia region and 60,000 people of all ages and backgrounds, who volunteered on January 21 in more than 600 service projects in the 13th annual Greater Philadelphia Martin Luther King Day of Service. Once again, the Greater Philadelphia King Day of Service was the largest King Day service event in the nation.
The Greater Philadelphia King Day of Service has evolved from a project, which drew some 1,000 participants in 1996 to a growing movement, with 60,000 in January, 2008. The 2008 King Day of Service included Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware and adds approximately 5,000 volunteers to last year's record numbers.
The national King Day of Service was created in 1994 through federal legislation co-authored by former Pennsylvania U.S. Senator Harris Wofford and Georgia Congressman John Lewis, both veterans of the Civil Rights movement with Dr. King. The act called for the transformation of the King federal holiday from simply a "day off" into a "day on" of active citizenship and service.
A diverse group of volunteers participated in the King Day of Service, including students from city and suburban, public, private and parochial schools, colleges and universities, AmeriCorps national service members, senior citizens, corporate teams, members of community, civic and religious organizations, elected officials and families.
A significant focus on King Day and beyond is working towards the "Beloved Community," which Dr. King spoke about many times. Many projects focused on a holistic approach to promoting non-violence. This has included training volunteers in mentoring, literacy tutoring, conflict resolution, peer mediation, organizing safe corridors programs between schools and home, creating more after school programs, housing opportunities, job training, welfare to work opportunities, programs for ex-offenders, health care, conservation, legal assistance, murals and much more.
Germantown High School, located in Northwest Philadelphia, was the site of this year’s signature project, with more than 3,000 volunteers serving in some seventy-five projects. Mayor Michael Nutter, Senator Bob Casey, Pennsylvania First Lady, Judge Marjorie Rendell, Congressman Chaka Fattah and School Reform Commission Chair Sandra Dungee Glenn joined hundreds of volunteers in a signature project through Cradles to Crayons assembling supplies and materials, from cribs to school supplies to clothing, which will be distributed to homeless newborns and children through area social service agencies.
Our new mayor, Michael Nutter, said, "This is a great opportunity for all Philadelphians to get involved in their communities and to give something back. It is a fitting tribute to this great man, Dr. King, that each year we all make some small sacrifice to help our fellow citizens. I congratulate the organizers and thank every single person that takes part." Click here for a full report.
GREATER PHILADELPHIA MARTIN LUTHER KING DAY OF SERVICE
United Way of Southeastern PA 7 Benjamin Franklin Parkway Philadelphia, PA 19103
Phone 215.665.2475 Fax 215.665.2647 Email mlkdayofservice@uwsepa.org