Coalition Staff Volunteer at Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service Event- January 2024
Despite the snow outside, the Coalition for a Healthier Frederick County team was full of sunshine and warm hearts as we attended United Way of Frederick County’s MLK Day of Service. The event was hosted by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, with support from United Way of Frederick County, Frostburg State University, and ASTAR — an Americorps grantee. Entering the church’s gymnasium, we were blown away with the overwhelming amount of generous volunteers who came out to engage in community-based projects, including blanket, pillow, and kindness card making.
In all, the event had 350 volunteers come together on their day off to contribute to the greater good of the Frederick community. By the end of the day, a remarkable number of projects were created with 200 pillows, 150 blankets, 75 cat toys, six small dog/cat beds, 92 cards of kindness, and 63 cards for first responders and veterans.
“My heart was so full as I looked around me and saw volunteers of all ages and from so many different organizations come together to serve the community. Everyone was smiling, laughing, and connecting with one another whilst expressing care, love, and compassion towards the community at large.”
— Summer McClellan, Mental Health Workgroup Coordinator
The church graciously found many organizations to receive the blankets and pillow, including:
Helping Hands and Caring Hearts Food Bank
Mt. Airy Net Food Bank
Centennial Memorial United Methodist Church
Frederick County Department of Social Services
Asbury Methodist
Mission of Mercy
Brunswick House
Senior (Seton?) Center
Waverly Elementary School
Frederick Rescue Mission
Two medical facilities in Frederick for patients undergoing chemotherapy
"Building a foundation for a healthier Frederick County would not be possible without the participation and contributions of dozens of Frederick County residents. Volunteering as a team together is a fantastic opportunity for us to express our thanks for all that we receive our community and give back in a small way."
— Malcolm Furgol, Executive Director
It was such a pleasure for our team to make cozy blankets and pillows for our community, connect with other amazing volunteers, and spend quality time with one another. We are already looking forward to next year’s MLK Day of Service!
Read more about the Day of Service event here: https://www.fredericknewspost.com/news/lifestyle/holiday/service-organizations-community-members-make-a-difference-on-martin-luther-king-jr-day/article_5a001a35-1b16-5d9a-ad13-8bd1a2663088.html