University of Chicago organizes 350 youth and adults for several community projects
In honor of Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday, nearly 350 students, families and staff from the University of Chicago will participate in community service projects at a variety of sites on the South Side from 10:15 a.m. to noon this Saturday, Jan. 18.
The MLK Day of Service includes volunteers cleaning and packaging shoes for children in need with the Share Your Soles Foundation. Volunteers at other South Side sites will package rice meals and clothing for the homeless, paint a church gym, paint a mural on a school’s wall and play board games with seniors. The event is organized by the University Community Service Center, University of Chicago Laboratory School and University of Chicago Charter schools.
When:
Saturday, Jan. 18, from 10:15 a.m. to noon (detailed itinerary below)
Where:
Share Your Soles Foundation warehouse, 11201 S. Cottage Grove (for cleaning and packaging shoes only). Other community projects will occur at sites throughout the South Side.
Background:
The University Community Service Centers prepares University of Chicago undergraduate and graduate students to become productive, thoughtful citizens and inspiring leaders in their communities and professions.
Share Your Sole is a Chicago based non-profit organization whose mission is to provide new and like new shoes to those in need. The organization has collected and distributed over 3 million pairs of shoes to 40 plus locations around the world focusing on the very needy both here and in underdeveloped countries.
Detailed Itinerary for MLK Day
8:30 a.m. – 9:15 a.m. Breakfast/volunteer check-In at Ida Noyes Hall, University of Chicago
9:15 a.m. – 9:45 a.m. Volunteers board buses to sites
10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Community service projects at various locations
12:00 p.m Depart sites for University of Chicago
Descriptions of other community service projects
- Bret Harte Elementary School: paint a wall mural inside the elementary school.
- FEATHERFIST: package clothing, shoes and toiletries to give to homeless people in Chicago. Featherfist provides supportive services for homeless adults and children in Chicago.
- First Presbyterian Chicago: complete painting in a gym room used for youth recreational activities.
- Senior Suites of South Shore: play board games, cards and make arts and crafts with seniors.
- Rise Against Hunger: 150 to 200 people will pack about 40,000 rice meals to distribute to homeless people throughout the world. Rise Against Hunger is an international hunger relief organization.
