MLK Day of Service 2019 plans announced for Philadelphia
PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- For the 24th year, people throughout the greater Philadelphia area will take place in the largest day of service in the nation in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
The rollout of the 2019 Martin Luther King Day of Service started with music from the Girard College All Grades Choir in North Philadelphia on Wednesday morning.
It was followed by the unveiling of a five-panel mural created by students from five different area schools.
The focus of this year's Day of Service is gun violence and enlisting young people and others to use their passion to dream of a safer non-violent world.
Nasir Thomas of Robert Morris School said, "We are against gun violence because it is harmful to the citizens of our community. We chose to show Martin Luther King of the front of our panel because he is against gun violence and for a peaceful demonstration."
The MLK Day of Service has tackled thousands of public service projects.
Organizer Todd Bernstein announced one project this year is the construction of World without Gun Violence Dream booths.
He says Mayor Kenney will take part in building the frames that will later be covered with dream banners.
"They are expressions of values and dreams of particularly young people, who want a world without gun violence, one hundred of those will be constructed on King Day and distributed to schools throughout the city of Philadelphia," said Bernstein.
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service is on Monday, January 21.
Thousands will be volunteering that day.
Some 50 volunteers are set for the Cambodian Association of Greater Philadelphia on South 7th Street.
One group will repaint and freshen up walls.
Temple med students hope to set up a health clinic while other volunteers will sweep neighborhood streets and a park.
It's all about the community.
Rex Yin of the Cambodian Association of Greater Philadelphia said, "Recognizing Martin Luther King believed that his work was not his alone. Changing a community, impacting a community, and re-envisioning what a community can do is not just one person's job but many people doing it together."
For more information go to the MLK Day of Service website.
------
Send a News Tip to Action News
Learn More About 6abc Apps
