MLK Day 2017: Neighbors Helping Neighbors

January 18, 2017 - This past weekend, HOPE worldwide USA Chapters followed Dr. King’s example by identifying needs in their communities and taking action. Volunteers of all ages stepped up to meet the specific needs across the nation.

Good news about this year's MLK Day of Service is still streaming in, but the HOPE ww Chapter efforts did not go unnoticed. HOPE ww Denver Chapter volunteers served more than 1,000 hours in 10 different service events. When 75 Denver campus students mobilized to help the city of Lyons, CO recover from a recent disaster, one of the town council members commented, “ They [the Denver campus volunteers] have accomplished more work in one day than was accomplished in the last month. ”

Across the nation in Orlando, 600 volunteers rallied to collect 8,000 pounds of dried and canned goods in just one day for a food bank in Central Florida. Their accomplishment even made local television news. The food bank was reported as saying, " It's the most a volunteer group has donated in a single day."

The Denver Hope Scouts, a HOPE ww volunteer group for elementary and middle school children, created cards for the patients at a local VA hospital. Many included Bible verses. One eight-year old Hope Scout did not anticipate the big reaction his small card would have on the man who received it. As the elderly veteran read the card's verse, he wept - “For I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.”(Isaiah 41:13) . Through his tears, he told the young volunteer, “God is talking directly to me through your card. I was reading and meditating on this scripture just this morning.” This small act beautifully illustrates the famous quote by Dr. King: “Everybody can be great… because anybody can serve.”

HOPE worldwide USA is grateful for our volunteers and the multitude of ways they united in service in remembrance of Dr. King.