AKRON, Ohio — Martin Luther King Jr. Day honors the lifetime of a person who fought for racial justice and equality. It is also a Nationwide Day of Service, or as many name it, “a day of labor, not a break day.”
On the College of Akron on Monday, dozens of volunteers joined forces to assist college students struggling to pay for meals.
ServeOhio, the governor’s appointed volunteer and repair fee, awarded grants to assist 21 MLK Day of Service initiatives all through Ohio. Grant-funded initiatives in 16 cities drew greater than 1,000 volunteers.
About 50 UA college students gathered at 11 am contained in the Jean Hower Taber Pupil Union to pack meals and hygiene gadgets bought by means of a $1,000 grant.
College students shaped meeting strains and created meal kits with varied gadgets, together with noodles, fruit, cereal, and drinks.
Some within the group additionally labored on wool-bound blankets, which shall be given to college students going through monetary hardship and in want of bedding.
“I am a part of the Elevate Service Membership and we acquired a message that we would wish to volunteer, so I came to visit and helped out a bit,” stated freshman Thomas Dalchuk.
Teamwork paid off shortly. Round 160 of the kits had been assembled in 10 minutes. The organizers initially deliberate two hours for the mission.
“We had been in a position to purchase the groceries to create three completely different packages for our college students, after which utilizing the volunteers, we created meeting strains. The scholars got here down the road and packaged all of these kits,” stated Ali Doehring, director of ZipAssist.
Doehring stated that meals insecurity amongst college students has change into a urgent concern in recent times.
Final semester, the pantry often called the Campus Cabinet helped greater than 1,000 college students.
“That is the biggest variety of college students we have ever seen, so the necessity could be very nice,” Doehring stated.
In keeping with Doehring, inflation, together with college students struggling to steadiness work and faculty courses, are contributing to meals insecurity.
“Through the pandemic, we noticed a 260% enhance within the variety of college students coming to us. It has continued to extend from there. We proceed to see extra college students every semester,” he stated.
Cheyenne, a junior who volunteered for the mission, stated it felt good to assist.
“I similar to to offer to the neighborhood in want, particularly serving to individuals in want. I come from a tradition the place we at all times like to offer to individuals,” he stated.
Lots of the meal kits had been packed up and positioned in seven grab-and-go areas round campus. Different packages had been delivered to Campus Cabinet.
Whereas the time spent volunteering was quick, the scholars who participated within the mission consider there shall be an enduring influence.
“Having individuals who need assistance after which getting that, like meals and meals, positively makes the campus higher, makes town higher,” Dalchuk stated.
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