REPORT
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."
The Institute for the Study of Civic Values and Philadelphia Fight held a "Making Philly Safe" town meeting, which brought together elected officials, leaders in the criminal justice system, town watch members, neighborhood and youth activists, human service agencies, and ex-offender groups to set forth priorities for making Philadelphia safe in the coming year and beyond. Ed Schwartz, President of the Institute for the Study of Civic Values a Ed Schwartz, said, "There are now two broad movements for a safer Philadelphia. Neighborhood safety organizations like Town Watch and groups working to help ex-offenders become a positive force in our community. 'Making Philly Safe' is bringing them together around a common agenda for change."
Our chief organizing partner, The United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania, led "Project Warm Heart," a weatherization outreach effort to benefit families in need throughout the region. Volunteers trained in basic weatherization techniques, then visited homes in the surrounding community, where they installed weather stripping, plastic sheeting, and caulking around doors and over windows. President and CEO Alba Martinez said, "The Martin Luther King Day of Service is one of the most inspiring events in our community. It stands for all the United Way is about—mobilizing the community to help others lead better lives."
Sunoco presented two hundred volunteers, who prepared one thousand meals and two hundred pies with Peachtree and Ward Catering. The volunteers included students from the Al-Aqsa Islamic Academy and the Perelman Jewish Day School, who served together for the seventh consecutive year. The meals were packaged and delivered in the afternoon to the African American Museum, where volunteers from Women of Fine Lineage served people, who are homeless.
A pro bono legal clinic for low income and homeless people was coordinated by Community Legal Services, the Homeless Advocacy Project, Philadelphia Legal Assistance and members of the private bar. A wellness fair featured some forty organizations providing health information and screenings.
Wachovia presented a mural project led by the Philadelphia Mural Arts Program depicting the "Beloved Community." 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. Citibank presented the After School Activities Program (ASAP) chess mentors training.
ARAMARK sponsored a Kid's Carnival, which included a Reading Corner presented by PNC Bank, with volunteers and local celebrities reading to children about the life of Dr. King. The YouthBuild Philadelphia Charter School refurbished computers and held tutorial sessions for area young people to help promote Digital Inclusion.
The National Constitution Center conducted an I Have a Dream mobile-making project and the American Red Cross of Southeastern Pennsylvania held a blood drive and emergency preparedness project with life saving skills for children.
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, while the Philadelphia Mural Arts Program led a kid's civil rights mural coloring project. 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.
A Resource Fair included more than two-dozen civic, cultural and community organizations providing information about ongoing programs and service opportunities. The Free Library of Philadelphia held a library card registration.
Students from the Parkway Northwest High School for Peace and Social Justice held a teach-in highlighting events in the Civil Rights Movement. The project was held in a dozen classrooms, where students re-enacted famous scenes from the Civil Rights Movement through acting, poetry, and singing.
Volunteers beautified city recreation centers. Reading Coaches and Chess 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.
There were projects at dozens of Philadelphia public schools and some 200 schools throughout the region. School Reform Commission Chairwoman Sandra Dungee Glenn, one of our chief partners, was right on target when she said, "We are proud of the participation of our schools, students, staff and parents in the Greater Philadelphia Martin Luther King Day of Service. The celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King's birthday is not just a day for service, but also is an opportunity to reflect on Dr. King's life-long commitment to public service, to community and political activism, and to racial and economic justice. It is an occasion on which each of us may determine how we may follow in his footsteps not just one day a year, but every day."
Among some 600 projects throughout the region:
- Volunteers spent several days rehabbing the Caring About Sharing community organization in West Philadelphia. Kurtz Construction replaced the roof and other volunteers installed dry wall, replaced the floor, and painted rooms at the grass roots community organization that serves low income and homeless people.
- HOPE worldwide and One Day at a Time hosted a clean up, clothing give-away for those in need, and a Kid's Carnival at the Winchester Recreation Center in North Philadelphia.
- Community College of Philadelphia hosted a Reading Coach training, painted murals, and conducted an anti-violence program.
- The Energy Coordinating Agency Conservation Center in Kensington hosted volunteers, who painted and renovated the conservation center.
- YouthBuild Philadelphia Charter School's construction program provided free home improvement (drywall, plumbing, flooring, demolition, etc., door work, etc.) services to three homeowners that were victims of a fraudulent contracting program. Many of these homeowners lost thousands of dollars, and some are still dealing with the effects of the contracting scheme.
- Students and parents from Greene Street Friends School in Germantown assembled breakfast bags for Aid for Friends, cleaned-up, made paper flowers for a rehab center, held a Red Cross blood drive, assembled hygiene kits and wrote letters to elected officials.
- Hundreds of City Year Greater Philadelphia members painted classrooms at John Bartram High School in Southwest Philadelphia. They also painted a mural in the gym.
- Volunteers at the National Constitution Center sewed blankets for the homeless and held interactive projects and activities for children centered on civic education and crafts-making. Music performances and dramatic readings of Dr. King's speeches were performed.
- In Montgomery County, students from Abington Friends School assembled breakfast bags for Aid for Friends and hygiene bags for Whosoever Gospel Mission.
- Students from the French International School prepared food for the homeless at Trevor's Place. They made Valentines Day cards for residents of Inglis House, prepared snack packs for cancer patients at Ronald McDonald House, stuffed backpacks with school supplies for orphans in Haiti and constructed Blue Bird houses for Ridley Creek State Park.
- Congregants from Adeth Israel and Pinn Memorial Baptist Church collected sorted, and packaged personal care products for people in need, prepared meals for homebound seniors, conducted a blood drive and collected school supplies for homeless children.
- Volunteers in Delaware County from Concerned Parents Network and Christ Lutheran Church sorted and packaged baby items for a group home in West Philadelphia. They mentored and made crafts for breast cancer survivors.
- Students from Ithan, Radnor, and Wayne elementary schools participated in an Intergenerational project reading stories with seniors about Dr. King.
- In Bucks County, the Bristol Borough Community Partnership collected food and stocked local pantries.
- Members of the Bucks County Healthier Community and Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints trained in emergency preparedness. They filled boxes with non-perishable items and emergency information, then distributed them to vulnerable populations.
- In Chester County, volunteers from Vanguard worked with clients of Achievability in a Digital Inclusion project. They tutored and taught computer skills to children of low-income families.
- Student from West Chester University made blankets for children at Dupont Children's Hospital and for elders at two local agencies.
- Volunteers in Camden from the Camden Neighborhood Renaissance prepared and served meals to homeless, elderly and ill people at St. John Baptist Church.
- Members of the Boys and Girls Club of Burlington County worked with kids to restore a teen center.
- Volunteers from Vanguard beautified the Ronald McDonald House for cancer patients in Wilmington, Delaware.
- The Delaware State Office of Volunteerism in Wilmington hosted a variety of cultural and educational activities on diversity, multiculturalism, and the life of Dr. King.
- In Pittsburgh, KEYS Service Corps volunteers painted a gymnasium and worked on conservation projects, including preparing winterization kits and weatherizing houses.
- In Lancaster, volunteers from Vanguard painted the Milagro House, a shelter for women and children.
- Students from Bloomsburg University sorted and packaged food at the Bloomsburg Food Cupboard.
- The Volunteer Center of Lehigh Valley collected, sorted, and packed donated items for six local agencies.
A record forty-four Greater Philadelphia King Day of Service sponsors were led by Target. Laysha Ward, Target's Vice President for community relations said, "Target is proud to continue its partnership with the Greater Piladelphia King Day of Service. As a company, we are dedicated to celebrating individuality and practicing Dr. King's values of equality, respect, and commitment to community responsibility. We continue to honor his legacy through volunteerism and community giving."
Joining Target as sponsors were Global Citizen, United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania, Sunoco, Comcast Foundation, Annie E. Casey Foundation, PNC Bank, Greater Philadelphia Urban Affairs Coalition, William Penn Foundation, Citibank, ARAMARK, Prudential, School District of Philadelphia, Corporation for National and Community Service, Service for Peace, Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia, Philadelphia Newspapers, Inc., Al-Aqsa Islamic Society, PECO Energy, Sneaker Villa, Wolf Block Schorr & Solis Cohen, Saul Ewing LLP, PennSERVE: The Governor's Office of Citizen Service, Independence Blue Cross, Public Financial Management, Vanguard, the Philadelphia Housing Authority, GlaxoSmithKline, Children Can Shape the Future, Cenero, American Red Cross of Southeastern Pennsylvania, New Courtland Elder Services, Peachtree and Ward Catering, National Constitution Center, H.F. Lenfest, WaWa, City Year, Kurtz Construction, Philadelphia Mural Arts Program, Institute for the Study of Civic Values, Cradles to Crayons, YouthBuild Philadelphia Charter School and Pleasant News.
Greater Philadelphia King Day of Service co-chairs are Senator Harris Wofford, Jayson Sutton, Group Assets Protection Team Leader from Target, Alba Martinez, President and CEO of the United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania, Reverend James Moore, Sr., President of the Black Clergy of Philadelphia and Vicinity, former Governor Mark Schweiker, President and CEO of the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce, Leonard Barrack, Chair of the Greater Philadelphia Jewish Federation, Charles H. Ramsey, Commissioner of the Philadelphia Police Department, Thomas Brady, interim CEO of the School District of Philadelphia, Nelson Diaz, former Philadelphia City Solicitor, Ida Chen, Judge in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas and Tom Foley, CEO of the American Red Cross of Southeastern Pennsylvania. Mayor Nutter and Governor Ed Rendell serve as honorary chairs. Global Citizen and the United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania organize the Greater Philadelphia King Day of Service.
The King Day of Service included reflection led by AmeriCorps members from City Year. Dr King said, "Life's persistent and most urgent question is, 'What are you doing for others?'" The selfless action of some 60,000 volunteers serving on King Day, and increasingly throughout the year, represents a resounding and affirmative answer.
Todd W. Bernstein
Founder and Director
Greater Philadelphia Martin Luther King Day of Service
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