Service In Memory: Honoring the Legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.
January 15, 2021
In The Community
Online tutoring from Reading Corps and Math Corps
November 6, 2020
We’re excited to share we’ve partnered with ServeMinnesota to launch a new initiative to help more kids build their skills and confidence! Scholar Squad offers one-on-one, online tutoring for Minnesota students in PreK-8th grade.
The Need is Now: Join the AmeriCorps Emergency Response Initiative
July 2, 2020
Honoring George Floyd
May 29, 2020
No words feel adequate to describe the pain and grief our community is experiencing. George Floyd should still be with us. We see too many people’s lives stolen by systemic violence, be it through police violence, excessive force, or the inequities experienced by Minnesota’s communities of color and especially by Minnesota’s Black community
Our community is grieving & we honor that pain. We believe in the power of community-led action; we see every day the positive change our members bring through their service. While we recognize that many are shocked and hurting, we realize that there are different positions of proximity to this tragedy. Whatever your experience please be sure to care for yourself and for those around you. If you are in need of mental health support you can access free crisis resources from NAMI.
For our AmeriCorps members, please note that you have access to the Member Assistance Program (MAP) which provides free telehealth counseling and referrals from a licensed professional. Visit the Member Resource Hub to learn more. We thank our members, our partners, & everyone committed to building a better, equitable, and just community. May we honor George Floyd’s memory by supporting each other to build a better future.
Sadie O’Connor, Managing Director
Summer Service Sites Announced Across Minnesota
May 8, 2020
The Need is Now: Announcing AmeriCorps Emergency Response Initiative
April 23, 2020
Stories of Service During COVID-19
April 10, 2020
National Service Recognition Day: Celebrate Your Service!
March 29, 2019
Tuesday, April 2nd, is National Service Recognition Day. On this day, local leaders take to social media, organize special events and issue official proclamations celebrating and recognizing the incredible impact AmeriCorps and SeniorCorps members have on their community and the nation.
As AmeriCorps members, you tackle one of our country’s toughest challenges — educating the leaders of tomorrow! As a show of appreciation for your service, local Minnesota leaders have planned special recognition events to celebrate your dedication to get things done for struggling students. All AmeriCorps and Senior Corps members and alum who served in the following cities are invited to attend.
Minneapolis
April 2nd: 1 – 3 p.m. – City Hall Rotunda, 350 S. Fifth Street
Mayor Jacob Frey and local leadership will be hosting a program to give thanks to those members and alum who made a lasting impact on the city of Minneapolis. Refreshments will be provided.
To RSVP, visit the event registration page.
St. Paul
April 2nd: 3 – 4:30 p.m. – Blackstack Brewing, 755 Prior Avenue North
Record your experience via Story Mobile and join Mayor Melvin Carter for special remarks during this happy hour event for members and alum who gave their time to serve the schools of St. Paul. Refreshments will be provided.
To learn more, see the event flyer and RSVP on Facebook.
Duluth
April 7th: 1 – 2 p.m. – Mayor’s Reception Room, City Hall, 411 West First Street
Celebrate both National Service Recognition Day and National Volunteer Week (April 7 – 13) with Mayor Emily Larson. Mayor Larson will honor those amazing contributions by members and alum who made a difference for the city of Duluth.
To register, email Cheryl Skafte at [email protected] or call 218-730-4334.
Did you serve outside these cities and want to find National Service Recognition Day events in your area? Email us at [email protected] and we’ll get you more information!
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Why We’re Participating in MLK Day of Service
January 18, 2019
MLK Day of Service, a federal holiday created to celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his legacy of service, not only brings whole communities together, but also gives AmeriCorps members and alumni a unique opportunity to come together in the name of helping others.
For Dr. King, giving back meant strengthening the bonds of community and working toward something greater than ourselves. In honor of Dr. King’s vision, we asked some of the AmeriCorps and PeaceCorps alumni who now work to support Reading Corps and Math Corps what MLK Day of Service means to them. Their answers were inspiring:
Ryan Kjesbo-Johnson
“Serving others is a chance to open our hearts to the struggles of those around us. Some of the most transforming moments of my life have happened while serving others—whether it was teaching someone how to apply for
a job each day in AmeriCorps, to filling bags of food at feed my starving children with my kids, to teaching reproductive health skills in Uganda to young men or helping push strangers’ cars out of the snow. Serving others
opens our hearts, and creates a tapestry of understanding and connection that does not happen if we merely pass by each other. This tapestry of understanding and connection defines the beloved community that Martin Luther King, Jr. spoke about and lived out.
Service on this day honors a man, and a movement, that was driven on the backs of service to others. From driving neighbors to work during the Montgomery bus boycott, to helping comfort bodies broken by the batons on the Edmund Pettus Bridge, to church members hosting visitors of the movement in their homes, the Civil Rights movement was defined by sacrifice and service to others. On this day take time to honor the legacy of Dr. King by serving your neighbors, and let that spark of service create a wildfire of service throughout the year.”
Alison Zellmer
“When I reflect on the MLK Day of Service and why it is so important, this quote from Martin Luther King Jr. always comes to mind, ‘Darkness cannot drive out darkness: Only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: Only love can do that.’ I think one of the greatest ways you can share love to your community, your school, your neighbors, to anyone is through service. We honor Martin Luther King Jr. on this day by doing just that.”
Jenny Rangel
“I remember listening to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s ‘I Have a Dream’ speech when I was younger. His words and actions left a huge impression on me and opened my eyes up to the inequality in the world. He challenged the status quo and believed that everyone can be great and make an impact no matter how small. MLK Day of Service is a time to reflect on Dr. King’s legacy and to give back to the community. I am participating to honor Dr. King’s legacy and do my part to make this world a better place.”
Megan Peterson
“I consider myself lucky to have grown up in a family that valued service to one’s community, and it has led me to always try to give back. I have had the opportunity to serve at soup kitchens, help build playgrounds, volunteer at the local food shelf and lead excited parents through Toys for Tots gift selection. Perhaps most impactful for me, I have served as a Reading Corps tutor helping to improve confidence and skills in children. The hugs, smiles and genuine happiness to see me every day that I experienced from these students will live with me forever. MLK Day of Service is an opportunity for me to be intentional about giving back and serving my community in new ways. I encourage you to join me in helping to make the world a better place this MLK Day.”
Andrew Mueller
“A day of service to me means showing as a community that we both celebrate the legacy of Dr. King and we recognize that there is a lot of work left to do to create a just and equitable society for everyone. I participate in service because ground level work is as important as systems change work and directly serving the community expands my perspective and often the best relationships are formed when serving others.”
Chris Erickson
“For me, MLK Day of Service is a chance to do something for others in a way that’s outside my day-to-day tutoring role. It’s a chance to find a service program, organization or opportunity that speaks to my passions, and give back to others. This was also a great way for me to connect with other AmeriCorps members, and people from the community at large who had similar interests and personal service passions. Now, years later I’m so grateful for my experiences in AmeriCorps as a Reading Corps member, and still find joy from taking part in meaningful service projects on Martin Luther King Jr. Day.”
If you’re interested in joining us for an MLK Day of Service project, check out our last blog post to view the full list of opportunities and learn more about getting involved.
In Honor of Helping Others: MLK Day of Service
January 14, 2019
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said “Everybody can be great, because everybody can serve.” No matter who you are or where you’re from, Dr. King believed that everyone had the ability to make a difference by helping others. In honor of his legacy and passion for serving others, MLK Day of Service is intended to empower individuals, strengthen communities, bridge barriers, create solutions to social problems and move us closer to Dr. King’s vision of a “Beloved Community.”
As AmeriCorps members and alumni, you’ve committed your time to service. We hope you’ll join other Reading Corps and Math Corps members, alumni and staff Monday, January 21, 2019 for this truly special day of service in order to better our communities and the lives of those around us.
Below is a list of service activities Minnesota Math Corps and Minnesota Reading Corps will be participating in. If you’re interested in giving back during MLK Day of Service, please reach out to [email protected] for more information.
Opportunities to serve:
8:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. — Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Breakfast w/ reflection and discussion – SCSU – St. Cloud
8:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. — Volunteer at the MLK march – Rochester Mayo Civic Center – Rochester
8:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. — Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Breakfast w/ reflection and discussion – LSS Centrum – Minneapolis
8:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. — Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Breakfast w/ reflection and discussion – Brooklyn Park Community Center – Brooklyn Park
8:45 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. — Volunteer at the MLK march – Washington Rec Center – Duluth
10:00 a.m. – noon — Painting inspirational MLK quotes – Miltona Community Center – Miltona
12:30 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. — Packaging food with Second Harvest Heartland – Brooklyn Park
12:30 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. — Holiday party for those in Memory Care – Rakhma Homes – Minneapolis
1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. — Painting inspirational MLK quotes – Miltona Community Center – Miltona
1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. — Birdfeeder Workshop – Home Depot – St. Cloud
*Limited registration
1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. — Volunteer opportunities at Minnesota State University, Mankato – Mankato
*Includes Dr. Suess Birthday/Read Across America, letters to the troops, cards for children at Children’s hospital
Not located near one of these activities or would like another way to participate? Tutors can also use MLK Day of Service as a day of reflection on Dr. King’s legacy and their own service experiences by completing activities in the web-based supplemental training bank.
Or find even more events happening around Minnesota here or through the InterCorps Council of Minnesota here.*
*Note: Current tutors – Be sure to check in with your Program Manager for hours guidance and to fill out an SOR before participating in outside service opportunities.
