By The NESS SEA AmeriCorps Team

As NESS SEA AmeriCorps members, serving our community is our primary focus, and there is no better opportunity than to serve on Martin Luther King Day. This day of service allows us to represent our commitment to empower individuals, strengthen communities, bridge barriers, address social problems, and helps move us closer to Dr. Martin Luther King’s vision of a “Beloved Community.” In 1983, MLK Day was approved as a federal holiday and made a state government holiday by all fifty states in 2000. Congress designated the holiday as a National Day of Service, charging AmeriCorps with leading this effort in 1995. For AmeriCorps members, this is a day ON—not a day off. Every year, AmeriCorps members around the nation participate in some type of service that provides assistance for their community. Serving on MLK Day allows AmeriCorps members to highlight what Dr. King once said; “everybody can be great, because everybody can serve.” We honor Dr. King’s life and teaching philosophy to better strengthen our community, continue the legacy of his power, and improve not only those around us, but ourselves.

NESS SEA AmeriCorps has been serving New London County for the past seven years, and each year the members have participated in a memorable day of service. Even as we face unprecedented obstacles, this year will be no different.

Starting now and until the end of the month, we will be hosting a coat drive. All donations will be sent to One Warm Coat, a national organization that works to bring coats and other winter wear to those in need. Each coat will receive a bit of extra love as we are planning on leaving handwritten notes and reusable handwarmers in each of the pockets. The handwarmers will be made by our AmeriCorps team and NESS staff members.

In addition to the coat drive, we will be volunteering at the New London Breakfast Program and the New London Community Meal Center. The morning of the 18th, we’ll begin our day serving breakfast with the NL Breakfast Program, a group that provides free morning meals to those living in the New London area. While lunch and dinner will be spent volunteering at the Community Meal Center. In an effort to keep this work as COVID friendly as possible, we will have no more than two members at a time serving meals at this location. This year has been challenging, there’s no doubt about that. But MLK Day is a chance to recognize that even when we’re far apart there’s still so much we can give. And for some, a small gesture can make a world of difference.

“…Everyone can serve” — Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.