Chanute AmeriCorps senior volunteers will step up to serve for the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday to honor the life and legacy of King, improve their communities and celebrate the 30th anniversary of the National Day of Service. Volunteers will host a collection drive at Neosho County Community College on Wednesday, Jan. 15, joining hundreds of thousands of Americans across the country in volunteer service.
“With this project, we answer Dr. King’s call to serve by making a difference in Neosho County,” said Sandy Haggard, NCCC RSVP director. “Join us in honoring Dr. King’s legacy and help us celebrate 30 years of building the beloved community by working toward a better tomorrow. Together, let’s unite, serve with our neighbors, and transform our communities as we strive toward a brighter future.”
Observed each year on the third Monday in January, Martin Luther King Jr. Day is the only federal holiday designated as a national day of service to encourage all Americans to volunteer to honor the life and legacy of King. For 30 years, the impact of the MLK Day of Service has increased as more Americans embrace the idea that citizenship involves taking an active role in improving the communities where they live, work and play. Ameri-Corps continues to strive to fulfill King’s dream of creating the beloved community and remains committed to showing that joining together in service can unify Americans to transform communities through a fierce urgency of now.
Since 2019, the NCCC Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) has hosted a collection drive on campus called “Hoops for Hope” for community members attending basketball games to donate a bag of needed items. Hope Unlimited and the Kansas Children’s Service League (KCSL) Healthy Families will be on hand to discuss their programs and collect items.
Hope Unlimited provides support for victims of family violence and sexual assault by providing shelter, victim advocacy and outreach to those in need. Although they are based in Iola, they cover Neosho County as well as other nearby counties. They need household products, toiletries and non-perishable food.
KCSL is a statewide agency with a local office in Iola which covers Neosho County. Their services include home visitation for children from prenatal to age 5 to prevent child abuse and increase school readiness. They would appreciate receiving diapers, pull-ups and non-perishable food.
Community members are encouraged to drop off items in the NCCC Student Union lobby collection boxes now through Wednesday, Jan. 15.
