With Martin Luther King Day weekend swiftly approaching, you may be wondering how you can give back and stay safe as the pandemic continues.
Thankfully, you have the option to volunteer in person and virtually.
Repair the World is spearheading efforts to mobilize the Atlanta Jewish Community for the upcoming federal holiday from Jan. 13 to Jan. 18, a press release stated.
A series of service and educational opportunities are set to take place throughout city and the metro area. Over 613 volunteers and 36 Jewish organizations, including the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta, will collaborate on more than 5,000 acts of service to honor Dr. King and his legacy.
“Despite our fears and uncertainty, we must continue to care for each other — especially as racism, inequity, poverty, and needless suffering persist,” Repair the World Atlanta’s executive director Lily Brent said in a statement. “Repair is committed to our work in education and meaningful service together with our partners — and hope the community will join us to make sense of this moment in service and in learning.”
Among the virtual learning events on Repair’s website are sessions on becoming better allies, creating care packages and a virtual period product donation drive.
More than 600 volunteer slots are available with a variety of options to maintain safety during the pandemic. They include socially distant and CDC-compliant outdoor options, in-person opportunities, volunteer work from home and opportunities to volunteer online. Projects will occur throughout metro Atlanta, including Midtown, Downtown, Sandy Springs, Dunwoody, the West End and Southwest Atlanta. Volunteers ages 4 and older are encouraged to join the efforts.
To sign up for a service opportunity, visit the website.
“After the terrible events in our nation’s capital Jan. 6, we have a wonderful opportunity to do good with this upcoming weekend of service,” president and CEO of Jewish Federation Eric Robbins said in a statement. “Let us rededicate ourselves to democracy through acts of service and selflessness that set aside our differences.”
Although this is an unconventional time, new additions are also on tap this year.
The online-only First Annual Jewish Racial Justice Learn In features a committee of 16 individuals, including representation from the Atlanta Jews of Color Council, the Center for Civil and Human Rights and The Temple. These and other organizations partnered with Repair the World to design programs with a variety of perspectives to heighten engagement with Dr. King’s life and legacy and the prevailing racial justice reckoning.
While things will occur in-person and online this year, last year’s fully in-person MLK Weekend of Service event broke records — 1,300 volunteers in the Atlanta Jewish community helped in 28 projects.
