Through MLK Day of Service grants and its AmeriCorps VISTA program, NC Campus Compact supported the efforts of several member campuses that sought to honor Dr. King’s legacy by fighting poverty and building the beloved community through service.
Three NC universities – NC Central University, Pfeiffer University, and UNC Greensboro – put federal grant funding to work in honor of MLK Day. Each school received up to $3000 in grant funding last fall as part of the MLK Day of Service Partnership Project, which is sponsored by the federal Corporation for National and Community Service and administered by Iowa Campus Compact.
At NC Central, hundreds of volunteers turned out on January 16 to volunteer on various projects. The celebration also honored NCCU’s late chancellor Dr. Debra Saunders-White, the first female chancellor of the school. The university partnered with the United Way of the Greater Triangle on the day of service and a series of service-related events, including the United Way’s Idea Generation Next: College Edition, a “pitch competition” where students shared ideas to address social issues in their local community.
At Pfeiffer University, a team of volunteers that included Pfeiffer President Colleen Perry Keith, NC Campus Compact Executive Director Leslie Garvin, and dozens of student volunteers put in a long day of work expanding the campus “hunger relief garden,” building new raised beds and unloading soil. Produce from the garden is donated to local hunger relief agencies in Stanly County.
Pfeiffer University students worked on MLK Day to expand the campus “hunger relief” garden.
Since UNC Greensboro’s spring classes began on Tuesday, January 17 and many students were off-campus on MLK Day, the school held its MLK service event on Saturday, January 21. At the event, 140 participants served a collective 360 hours and completed service projects for 11 community organizations, including the Greensboro Farmers Curb Market, the Servant Center, and Backpack Beginnings. AmeriCorps VISTA member Allison Heisel helped write the grant and plan and coordinate the projects, and she supervised service at Backpack Beginnings. Check out the event’s Storify page for great photos and videos of students talking about why they chose to serve.
Like Allison, other NC Campus Compact AmeriCorps VISTA members also supported MLK Day of Service events.
Hospitality House VISTA Ethan Flynn managed a team of 10 Appalachian State volunteers participating in the school’s annual MLK Day Challenge. Ethan’s team spent a collective 50 hours working at the Welcome Home Thiftique, cleaning, painting display pieces, organizing the inventory, and creating an attractive display in the front of the store.
At High Point University, the three-person VISTA team of Sami Paterno, Jenna Rosenbloom, and Brittaney McClure worked for weeks to plan and organize the school’s annual MLK Day of Service. The event brought together 550 volunteers to work on 35 service projects throughout the city, including local community gardens, West End Ministries, the Macedonia Family Resource Center, and partner groups in the Washington Street neighborhood. Highlights include raising more than $7,000 to carry out a meal-packing project with the local group Meals for Hope, and a visit from U.S. Senator Thom Tillis, who served alongside students. Read more about the event and view photos here, or check out the video below.
East Carolina University VISTA members Lizzie Shepard and Nicole Blyskal coordinated a day of service event that drew 250 student volunteers to serve with 15 organizations throughout Greenville, including the Food Bank of Central and Eastern NC, the Third Street Education Center, and Cultivate Greenville. Check out this story in the local newspaper that quotes Lizzie!
Nicole & Lizzie @ECUCLCE organized 100s @EastCarolina students 4 #MLKDAY of Service @FoodBankCENC #GreenvilleNC Branch pic.twitter.com/NM8Hs8vQlU
— George Young (@GeorgeCYoung) January 16, 2017
At William Peace University, VISTA member Christopher Baker organized service projects at several campus and community-based sites, including the North Raleigh Thrift Store, Oak City Outreach, and Stop Hunger Now! The event engaged 123 volunteers who contributed more than 550 hours of service, including 10,000 meals packaged with Stop Hunger Now! WPU students also took part in the United Way’s Idea Generation Next: College Edition pitch project.
Alumni, faculty, staff & students joining efforts for #MLKDAY #DayofService. #StopHungerNow @NorthRalMin @RaleighHomeless @Stop_Hunger_Now. pic.twitter.com/u5BjtKoJfV
— PeaceAlumni Official (@peacealumni) January 16, 2017
For more information about NC Campus Compact’s support for MLK Day of Service, please visit our MLK Day page or contact Leslie Garvin.