(Pictured) Monica Mitchell, PhD, senior director, Community Relations (r), with her daughter, Melanie, and some of the coats that were collected.
Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service Continues in Spite of COVID
Martin Luther King Jr. committed his life to improving the lives of others by standing against prejudice, pursuing social justice, and serving his community.
This year, despite COVID-19 restrictions, Cincinnati Children’s employees honored the civil rights leader’s memory through acts of kindness and service. As part of the volunteer project, Cincinnati Children’s partnered with local nonprofits City Gospel Mission and Upspring to donate coats, hats, gloves, boots and non-perishable food items to children and families in need. By the end of the event, more than 50 bins of donated items (32 gallons each) were distributed to families in the Greater Cincinnati region.
Allene Ford, business manager, Proton Therapy Center, who has worked at the medical center for 40 years, said, “Volunteering for the MLK Day of Service events in the past allowed me to celebrate Dr. King’s legacy. I’ve enjoyed working with other employees to organize items for the community. So I am proud to continue the commitment during the 2021 MLK Day of Service, which is needed more than ever during this time of COVID.”
City Gospel Mission, which provides meals, shelter, and job programs, noted the impact that these donations have on children and families. “Thank you, Cincinnati Children’s, for your generous donation,” adds City Gospel President, Roger Howell. “You are going above and beyond during this pandemic to ensure our most vulnerable people are being cared for by giving them hope during these troubled times. We appreciate you for all that you do.”
Upspring, which serves the needs of homeless children and youth, was able to provide coats to the children in their programs, thanks to employee support during this campaign.
“These coats allow us to make sure all our youth in our programs can have a coat for the winter season,” said Jordan Mitchell, program manager for Upspring. “We are so grateful for the hard work and support from Cincinnati Children's in putting on this coat drive for our organization.”
Many thanks to Cincinnati Children’s employees for your continued support and dedication in outreach efforts. You make an impact on children and families in our community and those who need our support the most.
If interested in participating in future virtual or in-person volunteer outreach or service opportunities, please email: volunteerambassadors@cchmc.org.