The Martin Luther King, Jr., National Day of Service is a defining moment each year, when Americans across the country step up to “make communities more equitable and take action to create the Beloved Community of Dr. King’s dream” according to AmeriCorps.
Taking place annually on the third Monday in January, MLK Day is the only federal holiday that is also designated by Congress as a national day of service with the motto –“a day on, not a day off.”
NWBRV’s Accessing Home AmeriCorps team once again did what they do best on MLK Day — they served. Dozens of volunteers came together on Monday, January 20th at Farm Fresh RI in Providence to pay tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. through a day of service.
Organized by the Commission for National and Community Service, the Segue Institute for Learning and the Outreach Program, AmeriCorps, Serve RI and the R.I. Department of Education, the day of service benefited families in need throughout Northern Rhode Island. Volunteers prepared an incredible 20,000 shelf stable meals to be distributed through school and community oriented food pantries–taking full advantage of a day designed to support those in need by proving once again, that Rhode Islanders are never far from providing support where it’s needed most.
When Accessing Home member Rebecca Allen was asked how she felt the Day of Service connected to Dr. King’s vision of service and equality, she responded passionately in saying, “This project is connecting a community and family to help our own on a day of remembrance of a great leader.”
Other NWBRV Accessing Home members chimed in on this message, commenting on how incredibly rewarding that volunteering on MLK Day truly was.
“Meeting new people, seeing the diversity of cultures, the number of children that attended and helped, knowing that we are helping to address hunger in our community…all of these factors contributed to an incredibly fulfilling experience.”
NWBRV Accessing Home AmeriCorps Members
In Rhode Island, one in 11 people face hunger, and one in eight are children. AmeriCorps members from across the State came together in a fight against hunger this January, simultaneously working while supporting and encouraging volunteers, on what would have been Dr. King’s 95th birthday.
“This is a very fitting way to celebrate Martin Luther King Day. This is people serving other people. We have a tremendous group of volunteers. Today is a special moment to recognize what Dr. King did, which is basically dedicate his life to making us all better off, to making us see that someone should be judged by the content of their character, not by skin or nationality, and that’s a fundamental American principle that he lived and sadly died for.
Rhode Island Senator, Jack Reed
Founded by President Bill Clinton in 1993, AmeriCorps was created to expand opportunities for Americans to serve within their own communities. The Accessing Home team certainly fulfilled this call on MLK Day; when 15 boxes were sent to the California wildfire relief, 40 boxes to the St. Martin de Porres Senior Center in Providence, and an additional 40 boxes to the Federal Hill House. All the meals were distributed by food pantries for those in need.
The Accessing Home initiative, which was launched in 2016, helps Rhode Island families acquire and maintain affordable, safe, and healthy housing. Through this initiative, NWBRV partners with community development organizations, public housing authorities, and other non-profits to equip Rhode Islanders with the resources necessary to acquire and maintain affordable, high quality housing.
To learn more about AmeriCorps programs, visit www.AmeriCorps.gov. Interested in serving a year with AmeriCorps Accessing Home? Please submit your resume to tmartin@nwbrv.org. Applications are rolling.
