“Life's most persistent and urgent question is, 'What are you doing for others?” –Martin Luther King Jr.
In honor of Martin Luther King Jr.’s moving legacy, Hopeloft celebrated the MLK Day of Service by giving back to others. On Monday, January 20th, our building was alive with volunteers who came out to serve their community.
Helmed by Jamayra Castro, Americorps Program Director, Bridgeton’s AmeriCorps and Families to College led projects that created handmade cat and dog toys for the Cumberland County SPCA, hygiene kits for the homeless, and uplifting hand-drawn cards with words of affirmation to empower their recipients. Many of the items were donated by generous locals, while others were purchased using donated funds.
“Because [Martin Luther King Jr.] lived, I got the chance to see a brother in a different light; to see a man with poise and with great intelligence dive into helping other people—it made me shape who I am today,” said Samir Jones, a member of Bridgeton’s Americorps, an organization housed at Hopeloft that engages community members in service through non-profits, schools, public agencies, and community and faith-based groups across the country.
The event concluded at Bethany Grace Community Church, where the hygiene kits were distributed by volunteers, including several AmeriCorps members. A free, home-cooked meal was also prepared for attendees in need.
Change comes from within the community and we admire those who show up, give back, and give hope. We would like to extend a special thank you to our volunteers, including Nurture2Love, who brought out youth to serve, and Bradley Visual Co., who donated time in creating the following video that highlights a project from the day.
Video by Bradley Visual Co.
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