A NATIONAL RECORD 75,000 VOLUNTEERS MAKE IT A DAY ON NOT A DAY OFF IN
16TH ANNUAL GREATER PHILADELPHIA MARTIN LUTHER KING DAY OF SERVICE
A record 75,000 people of all ages and backgrounds volunteered throughout the Philadelphia region in some 1,200 service projects as part of the 16th annual Greater Philadelphia Martin Luther King Day of Service. The January 17, 2011 Greater Philadelphia King Day of Service, falling on the 25th anniversary of the King federal holiday, was again the largest King Day event in the nation.
The Greater Philadelphia King Day of Service, which includes Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware, drew some 1,000 participants overall when it began in 1996 and has grown exponentially ever since. This year’s turnout adds approximately 5,000 volunteers and 100 projects 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 Atlanta Congressman John Lewis, both veterans of the civil rights movement with Dr. King.
Girard College hosted the area’s signature project with some 3,000 volunteers. Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter, former U.S. Senator Harris Wofford, and Congressmen Chaka Fattah joined Girard College President Autumn Adkins Graves, students, community leaders and people from throughout the region in some 150 projects on the campus.
Girard College’s selection as this year’s signature project site comes on the 46th anniversary of Dr. King marching and speaking outside the gates of the school, calling for an end to the discriminatory admissions policy set forth in the will of its founder, Steven Girard.
The day kicked off with an opening ceremony. “An enormous celebration is taking place around the region today, with more than 75,000 volunteers embracing Dr. King’s legacy of turning pressing community concerns into action,” said Todd Bernstein, founder and director of the Greater Philadelphia King Day of Service/MLK365. "In a nation too often divided, we can embrace Dr. King’s legacy by joining together, promoting tolerance and understanding, and serving others.”
Graves welcomed everyone to the school. “Girard College considers our hosting of the 16th Annual King Day of Service a privilege and an important way for us to continue the realization of our mission,” Adkins said. “We strive to teach our students how to be effective citizens, a long standing foundation of our institutional purpose. Hosting this event not only provides the Girard College Community with an opportunity to serve the Philadelphia region, it honors the legacy of King, the freedom marchers, and many other Philadelphians who fought for this historic institution to educate boys and girls of all races. We also view this as a wonderful opportunity for thousands of new people to come behind the walls that surround us and learn more about Stephen Girard’s remarkable life and Girard College.”
Mayor Michael A. Nutter echoed his congratulations and support for the efforts of more than 75,000 local King Day of Service volunteers and, in particular, shared his enthusiasm for those volunteers who chose to participate in a Graduation Coach Campaign workshop. "One of my priorities is to engage volunteers throughout Philadelphia in the City's Graduation Coach Campaign. The goal of this critical initiative is to empower adults with the information and resources necessary to effectively support the young people in their families and communities achieve important educational goals – like graduating from high school and succeeding in college," said Mayor Nutter. "Today, I am thrilled that more than two hundred new graduation coaches will be trained in nine workshops across the City."
Highlighting the service projects, workshops, and presentations at Girard College, Mayor Nutter, along with other elected officials, helped launch the Freedom Rings Partnership, a new initiative led by the Urban Affairs Coalition, Drexel University, and the City of Philadelphia to help low-income Philadelphians connect to the Internet.
More than one hundred volunteers refurbished used computers, which will be donated to organizations in need throughout the city to bridge the digital divide. Urban Affairs Coalition President and CEO Sharmain Matlock-Turner and Drexel University President John Fry presented the first five refurbished computers to students.
Target and AT&T presented volunteers assembling thousands of digital literacy information packets to be distributed citywide. Others participated in an Internet training workshop. The Freedom Rings Partnership included a “Race to Connect,” a fun-filled team event that tied together the legacy of Dr. King with the importance of getting connected via the Internet.
“Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., devoted his life to advancing opportunity for all,” said Matlock-Turner. “The Coalition, a nonprofit that brings together government, business and communities to solve urban problems, is proud to launch the Freedom Rings Partnership today and to provide opportunities for low-income people who have been left behind in the digital-age, including those seeking employment, young people, and minority business-owners."
NewCORE (New Conversation on Race and Ethnicity) led a discussion forum, The Conversation of Kings: From Dream to Sacrifice toward a More Perfect Union. NewCORE, in partnership with the Penn Project for Civic Engagement, Global Citizen, and the School District of Philadelphia, convened conversations on King Day at Girard College and South Philadelphia High School. These conversations were the first scheduled between Dr. King’s birthday and the anniversary of his death on April 4. They build on two previous citywide dialogues convened at City Hall by NewCORE to explore ways to nurture such conversations around the region.
The Philadelphia Freedom Fighters, a group of men and women who demonstrated in the 1960’s for the end to the discriminatory admissions policies at Girard College, held a workshop to share, first-hand, their experiences in the civil-rights movement.
Students from the Al-Aqsa Islamic Academy and the Perelman Jewish Day School volunteered together for the tenth straight year in an inter-faith dialogue. Former Philadelphia Eagles quarterback and National Football League MVP, Ron Jaworski, joined the United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania as they presented Kick it up for Recess. Sports and recess equipment were collected throughout the city leading up to the King Day of Service. Volunteers sorted and packed the equipment, which was to be distributed to after-school programs throughout the area.
Vanguard presented the Salvation Army’s Jammin for Jammies, a drive prior to King Day to collect pajamas. Volunteers sorted and packaged the pajamas, which will be distributed throughout the year to disaster victims and children living in homeless shelters.
Global Citizen, the HandsOn Network, the Mayor’s Office of Civic Engagement and Volunteer Service, and Sunoco presented a MLK365 Civic Engagement Expo, which provided information on the mission and work of some forty local community organizations and the opportunity to volunteer with these groups throughout the year.
McNeil Consumer Healthcare, United Healthcare, and AstraZeneca presented a Health and Wellness Fair, which featured an American Red Cross blood drive, CPR training and dozens more organizations that provided expert advice, testing, and screening in areas including cholesterol, hypertension, diabetes, sickle cell anemia, HIV/AIDS, nutrition, eating disorders and fitness.
Target presented a Kids' Carnival for children ages of 5-12, which included story reading about Dr. King, I Have A Dream mobile making, skits on Dr. King and civil rights, arts and crafts. Citi presented a Philadelphia Mural Arts Program civil rights mural coloring project.
In an expanded effort to reach out to include children, the King Day of Service made its coloring and activity book available to help kids learn about Dr. King’s ideals of civil rights and civic responsibilities.
The King Day of Service distributed bookmarkers with suggested readings on Dr. King for children and adults. The City Commissioner’s office helped future voters try out the first responsibility of citizenship in a demonstration of voting booths used in real elections.
In a project presented by the Comcast Foundation, Philadelphia Reads trained volunteers to become ongoing reading coaches, who then read with children about Dr. King's life and legacy. PNC presented the After School Activities Program (ASAP) chess and scrabble mentors trainings.
Thousands of students throughout the area read one of three books selected as part of the third annual One King Day, One King Book project to encourage children to read, write, and discuss essays about Dr. King.
Global Citizen and the United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania presented project registration. City Year Greater Philadelphia corps members helped facilitate reflection discussions at the end of each service project. Boar’s Head donated lunches for all volunteers. WaWa provided breakfast. Herr’s and Krispy Kreme also made donations.
There were projects at dozens of Philadelphia public schools and hundreds of other schools throughout the region. Volunteers beautified some twenty-five city recreation centers. The Philadelphia Fire Department organized neighborhood outreach projects through all sixty-three fire stations.
Reading coaches and chess and scrabble mentors were trained at area sites and Habitat for Humanity volunteers renovated houses throughout the region. Other King Day volunteers prepared food at homeless shelters and distributed meals to homebound seniors, organized health fairs and legal clinics, and performed plays about Dr. King and his principles of nonviolent social change and racial equality.
A dramatic 36’ long King Day of Service mural, painted by students from six-area public, private, and parochial schools, was on display. The Philadelphia Mural Arts Program led the annual project in which each school created a 5’ x 6’ canvas mural after reading a sermon delivered by Dr. King on Christmas, 1957 at the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama.
Among the 1,200 projects throughout the region were:
Philadelphia, PA
- Two hundred Graduation Coaches were trained at nine different sites.
- Dozens of Philadelphia public schools hosted projects.
- City Year AmeriCorps members painted and beautified South Philadelphia High School, while EducationWorks led workshops. NewCORE led The Conversation of Kings: From Dream to Sacrifice toward a More Perfect Union.
- The African Daughters of Fine Lineage prepared and served food for the homeless at Love Park.
- The Philadelphia Fire Department engaged 1,500 volunteers through all sixty-three fire stations.
- The Police Athletic League painted and beautified four PAL centers.
- Dozens of City recreation centers hosted service projects, including at the Penrose Recreation Center where volunteers installed shelves and built computer workstations.
- Greene Street Friends School students assembled health kits to be distributed to refugee camps worldwide through the Mennonite Central Committee. They hosted a Red Cross blood drive, conducted a coat drive, and recorded books for Philadelphia Reads.
Montgomery County, PA
- Students from the French International School prepared food for Trevor’s Place and the People’s Emergency Center, stuffed backpacks for an orphanage in Haiti, created dry soup jars for Grandparents as Parents of North Philadelphia, collected data on the quality of local stream water, built bluebird houses for the Natural Lands Trust and created Valentine cards for wheel-chair bound residents and outpatients of the Inglis House.
- Greater Norristown Police Athletic League painted and renovated their building.
- Members of Har Zion Temple held a blood drive, assembled arts and crafts items to be donated to seniors, collected and sorted books for Philadelphia Reads, packed snack bags for those in need, and recorded books on tape for Philadelphia and Montgomery County schools.
- Volunteers with the Maternity Care Coalition sewed blankets and glued colorful patches on donated children’s clothing.
Bucks County, PA
- Volunteers from Central Bucks Cares and the Jack and Jill Association of America made care packages for a pediatric unit and school packages for 2nd graders at Fulton Elementary School.
- Students from the Gayman Elementary School made fleece blankets for those in need.
- Volunteers with the Interfaith Housing Development Corporation rehabilitated and painted homes in Bristol for homeless and low-income families.
- Students from United Friends School in Quakertown and Unami Friends Meeting in Pennsburg baked cookies and cooked for soup kitchens, visited nursing homes, worked at animal shelters and the Salvation Army.
Delaware County, PA
- Congressman Patrick Meehan joined Kehillah of Lower Merion, in partnership with Upper Darby High School, for a blood drive, mural project, and collection drives benefiting those in need. Collected items included food, hats, gloves, scarves, coats, toiletries, books and school supplies.
- Students from Radnor Elementary School collected and sorted children’s books for schools in underserved neighborhoods. Volunteers also made pillows for heart patients.
- Yeadon NAACP members painted and beautified the Penn Wood High School.
Chester County, PA
- Some 1,500 Vanguard employees organized 57 service projects.
- One hundred Girl Scout troops collected frozen meals and made breakfast bags for Aid for Friends.
- Students from Strath Haven Middle School assisted with computers and games.
Other Projects In Pennsylvania
- Volunteers at the Bethesda Men’s Shelter in Harrisburg built bedroom shelves and installed fixtures. At the women’s shelter, 50 care packages were assembled that included hats, scarves, and socks. Volunteers also painted two rooms and collected food donations for the shelter.
- Volunteers at the Crispus Attucks Association in York removed snow and litter from the surrounding neighborhood.
- Volunteers with the Commission on Economic Opportunity in Wilkes-Barre packed boxes of food for low-income families in Luzerne, Lackawanna, Susquehanna, and Wyoming Counties.
- Kutztown University students packed food in Reading for area seniors.
- Lebanon Valley College volunteers helped construct a home for a low-income family.
Camden County, NJ
- Students from Cherry Hill High School West painted a mural with a Harlem Renaissance theme and made sandwiches for Cathedral Kitchen in Camden.
- Volunteers from the Volunteer Center of Camden County kicked off its bike collection drive for Camden County young people.
- A. Russell Knight Elementary School students decorated placemats and delivered them to the Cathedral Kitchen.
- Camden Neighborhood Renaissance members prepared and delivered soup and sandwiches to the homeless and elderly.
Burlington County, NJ
- Sisterhood, Inc. led a Dr. King reflection program featuring a play performed by local children. Volunteers sorted donated clothing and held a spaghetti luncheon for volunteers.
- North Hanover Township Upper Elementary School hosted a food drive and used donations to stock their community food pantry.
- Doane Academy students cooked meals at the Easter Seals and served as nursing home aids.
Delaware
- The Delaware State Office of Volunteerism decorated birdhouses with residents from Gilpin Hall in Wilmington.
- Volunteers made casseroles and baked goods for families that call the Ronald McDonald House of Delaware a home away from home while their children receive treatment at local hospitals.
- AstraZeneca employees volunteered in Wilmington making meal-on-the-go bags for families at the Ronald McDonald House, participated in a clothing drive, and wrote letters to troops serving overseas.
A record fifty-four King Day of Service sponsors were led by Target. “Target is proud to partner with programs such as the Greater Philadelphia Martin Luther King Day of Service/MLK365, which help make a difference to inspire and engage community members,” said Laysha Ward, president, community relations, Target. “Just as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was a pioneer in bringing people together, we hope that our ongoing support to the communities we serve will unify and create a positive and lasting impact.”
Joining Target as sponsors were Global Citizen, United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania, HandsOn Network, Sunoco, Girard College, McNeil Consumer Healthcare, Comcast Foundation, Vanguard, League Collegiate Wear, Citi, United Healthcare, AstraZeneca, Urban Affairs Coalition, Drexel University, City of Philadelphia, Mayor’s Office of Civic Engagement and Volunteer Service, PNC, AT&T, Boar’s Head, Garfield Refining, Saul Ewing LLP, Splenda, WaWa, Philadelphia Beverage Association, Traditions Fund, Public Financial Management, Philadelphia Inquirer, Daily News, Philly.com, School District of Philadelphia, Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia, Al-Aqsa Islamic Society, Prudential, Philadelphia Housing Authority, ARAMARK, AARP, GlaxoSmithKline, Annie E. Casey Foundation, Lomax Family Foundation, Wells Fargo, Philadelphia Mural Arts Program, Philadelphia Reads, Temple University, African American Museum in Philadelphia, Corporation for National and Community Service, PennSERVE: The Governor’s Office of Citizen Service, City Year, Philadelphia Reads, YouthBuild, Salvation Army, Herr’s and Krispy Kreme.
The 2011 King Day of Service was chaired by Senator Wofford, Jill Michal, president and chief executive officer of the United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania, Rev. Audrey Bronson, president of the Black Clergy of Philadelphia and Vicinity, Arlene Ackerman, superintendent of the School District of Philadelphia, Leonard Barrack, president of the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia, Charles Ramsey, commissioner of the Philadelphia Police Department, Lloyd Ayers, commissioner of the Philadelphia Fire Department, the Honorable Ida Chen, judge of the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas, Sharmain Matlock-Turner, president and chief executive officer of the Urban Affairs Coalition, David Brown, executive vice president and general manager of WURD Radio, John Fry, president of Drexel University, Reverend Bonnie Camarda, director of partnerships for the Salvation Army and president of the Hispanic Clergy of Philadelphia and Rob Wonderling, president and chief executive officer of the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce. Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell and Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter served as honorary co-chairs.
We invite businesses and other organizations to become sponsors of MLK 365. Please contact me at tbernstein@globalcitizen.us.com or 215.242.9070.
Todd Bernstein
President
Global Citizen
Director
MLK 365 & Greater Philadelphia Martin Luther King Day of Service