MANCHESTER, NH – Mayor Joyce Craig and more than 200 volunteers joined City Year New Hampshire for a day of service at the YWCA New Hampshire on Jan. 15 to honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
As a tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy of service to others, City Year considers MLK Day as a day “on,” not a day ”off.” That’s why, on each Martin Luther King Jr. Day, City Year annually mobilizes its 3,000 AmeriCorps members –and thousands more volunteers – for a day of service in communities across the nation.
Together with City Year New Hampshire Executive Director Pawn Nitichan, staff and City Year AmeriCorps members, an estimated 200 National Service members from across the state, as well as students and community volunteers, came together at the YWCA in Manchester to participate in an active, family-friendly intergenerational event, with multiple offerings, engaging all in celebrating King and his vision of our shared humanity.
Activities included: an inspiring kick-off hosted by AmeriCorps members, presented by Mayor Joyce Craig and keynote speaker Rev. Eric Jackson, Senior Pastor of the Brookside Congregational Church; a volunteer fair where community members learned about volunteer options by visiting non-profit info tables; various, all-age friendly community service activities such as writing thank-you letters to veterans, making bookmarks for the Manchester City Library, writing letters of support for refuges through the Letters of Love project, and making a blanket for Project Linus that benefits children who are seriously ill or traumatized.
In addition to the volunteer fair, participants were invited to attend optional workshops to help deepen an understanding of difficult subjects, such as racism, and how to increase our capacity to positively engage with others who come from different cultural, ethnic or racial backgrounds.
Mayor Joyce Craig welcomed the crowd of more than 200 community members and National Service volunteers from across the state. Fifth-grader Caralyn Gabaree shared her words of inspiration by echoing the words of Dr. King, “We all need to do the right thing and not be afraid to do it. As Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said, ‘The time is always right to do the right thing.’”
Keynote speaker Rev. Eric Jackson stated in his remarks: “Teamwork is what it is going to take for us to build a better world … Life is a group project. Life is teamwork. In fact, the true beauty of America’s portrait is that it was built by people of all races, all genders, all classes.”
Nitichan said the annual observance allows for the City Year/AmeriCorps to renew it’s commitment to serving students and communities.
“By mobilizing volunteers for a day of service in Dr. King’s honor, together we can create a ripple effect throughout the community of Manchester. This day of service and celebration shows students and families that the whole community is invested in their success,” Nitichan said.
City Year’s MLK Day of Service shines a spotlight on service as a powerful force to bridge social divides and to improve educational opportunities for students. In coordination with local school partners, City Year locations across the country on Monday brought together thousands of volunteers, local elected officials and corporate partners to celebrate the legacy of Dr. King by engaging in service projects that focus on improving educational spaces for students and communities.
During the school year, 61 City Year New Hampshire AmeriCorps members serve full time at eight elementary schools to provide research-based student, classroom and school-wide supports to help students stay in school and on track to graduate from high school, get ready for college and future career success. With support from local sponsors including the City of Manchester and Manchester School District, Comcast NBCUniversal, Dartmouth-Hitchcock, and the Lois G. Roy Dickerman Foundation, City Year New Hampshire’s trained near-peer AmeriCorps members serve in schools full-time as mentors, tutors and role models. They help students build the skills and mindsets required to succeed in school and in life.
For more information on getting involved with City Year New Hampshire, www.cityyear.org/newhampshire
About City Year
City Year helps students and schools succeed. Fueled by national service, City Year partners with public schools in 28 urban, high-need communities across the U.S. and through international affiliates in the U.K. and Johannesburg, South Africa. Diverse teams of City Year AmeriCorps members provide research-based student, classroom and school-wide supports to help students stay in school and on track to graduate from high school, ready for college and career success. A 2015 study shows that schools that partner with City Year were up to 2-3 times more likely to improve on math and English assessments. A proud member of the AmeriCorps national service network, City Year is supported by the Corporation for National and Community Service, local school districts, and private philanthropy from corporations, foundations and individuals. Learn more at www.cityyear.org, City Year’s Facebook page, on Twitter, and LinkedIn.