AHRC NYC has a long-standing, year-round commitment to bettering the communities where the people we support and our staff members live and work. No annual event better exemplifies this tenet than the Martin Luther King Day of Service, held this year on January 15.
“I like to be out in the community on this day,” Tahj Holligan said. He has participated in past MLK Days of Service in Brooklyn, and this year joined volunteers at Norfolk Day Services on the Lower East Side. “I like to volunteer during the week with my program. Today, I’m making sandwiches for people who need to eat.”
The MLK Day of Service was started by former Pennsylvania U.S. Senator Harris Wofford and Atlanta Congressman John Lewis, who co-authored the King Holiday and Service Act. The federal legislation challenges Americans to transform the King Holiday into a day of citizen action and volunteer service in honor of King. AHRC NYC has held Day of Service events annually since 2019.
In 2024, AHRC NYC hosted volunteers in four locations—Norfolk Day Services, Word Up Community Bookstore in partnership Fisher Day Services, Brooklyn Day Services, and Howie Stone Day Services in the Bronx. Residents and staff members from Residential Services also joined. Activities included preparing fresh food to hand out to the public, delivering non-perishable goods to local food pantries, and providing winter clothes for people in need to local organizations. Day Services programs across the city collected more than 300 pounds of food to be donated to our neighbors experiencing food insecurity.
“We go about our lives sometimes forget the amazing things Dr. King said and stood for,” said Sandra Rumayor, a community volunteer. “This is a wonderful experience today. Everyone is so nice and welcoming and working so hard. I’m happy I made the call and said that I wanted to help.”
It Takes A Village
AHRC NYC’s MLK Day of Service could not happen without the consistent, reliable partnerships developed over the years with like-minded individuals and organizations. These include:
- New York City Council Members Eric Dinowitz, Kevin Riley, and Althea Stevens, donating books, clothing, and food.
- Citymeals on Wheels, which created routes for MLK Day delivery and additionally donated 40 boxes of food which were delivered to neighbors who are food insecure.
- Piropo Flowers, donating flowers and volunteering at Norfolk by giving out roses to community members.
- BloomAgainBklyn, creating flower donations and bouquets for seniors
- Materials for the Arts, donating huge amounts of children’s books and children’s scarves , toys, and paper.
- Rescuing Leftover Cuisine, partnering with local restaurants to donate food.
- Bridgerunners, whose volunteers delivered food items.
- Word Up Community Bookshop and Huntington Free Library in the Bronx, both of whom hosted community-based events.
We are also grateful for donations delivered to AHRC NYC Headquarters by the following people and their organizations:
- Howard Siegel from Irwin Siegel Insurance Company, who donated $500 so our Day Services department could purchase food and other items needed to support this project.
- Joe Fasciglioni, The Friedlander Group, who also donated $500.
- Mitch Wergiles, Premier Office Supplies, donated many cases of drinks to be given out to the public.
- Felicia Goodman from Enterprise, donated copious amounts of non-perishable food.
Darinka Vlahek, Director of Program Services with our Day Services department, said “In this year’s MLK Day of Service event, we express our appreciation to community partners who joined forces with us, generously donating food, books, flowers, and clothing to uplift our neighbors. The collaborative effort between AHRC NYC and its partners not only addressed immediate needs but also showed the power of strong, lasting partnerships. Celebrating MLK Day by giving to others is a testament to the impactful collaborations created during this event, embodying Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s spirit of unity.”
