Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service Day
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.Ⓡ Eta Chi Omega Chapter held its Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service on January 17, 2022 from 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
A drive-through collection of new/gently used shoes and eyeglasses was held at the Progressive Baptist Church Community Outreach Center located at 125 Gallian Street in Lafayette, Louisiana.
Target Committees 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 worked together to powerfully impact the community's needs while honoring the legacy of Dr. King.
To promote and market historically black colleges and universities and to encourage students to attend HBCUs, the Target 1 Committee requested that sorority members wear HBCU attire during the event. Sorority members proudly represented their favorite HBCU gear while diligently working this service event.
Targets 2 and 3 donated 40 Blessing Bags for the homeless. These gallon size blessing bags consisted of a variety of items including the following: toothbrush, toothpaste, alcohol free mouthwash, deodorant, lip balm, socks, bottled water, feminine, hygiene products, and thermal blankets. These Blessing Bags were taken to local shelters for distribution to the homeless in the area.
Target 4 purchased Harlem Renaissance themed books, which will be donated to area schools along with materials and information educating students on the Harlem Renaissance. Harlem Renaissance books donations were collected by chapter members during the event. An estimated count of 25 books will be donated.
Additionally, Target 5 collected shoes and eyeglasses. An astonishing 364 shoes (182) pairs were collected for Soles4Souls whose mission is to create sustainable jobs and provide relief through the distribution of shoes around the world. Also, 94 pairs of eyeglasses were collected for donation to the local Lions Club to prevent blindness, help restore eyesight, and improve eye health and eye care in the community.
Overall, this event was a success. This community impact event allowed Eta Chi Omega Chapter members the opportunity to engage with and assist the community while honoring the legacy of Dr. King.