RochesterCares King For a Day Celebration of Service (KFAD 2013)

As Rochester Cares staple event, King for a Day (KFAD) offers an opportunity for volunteers of all ages throughout the Rochester community to honor the memory of the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. by giving up their Saturday morning to perform selfless community service.

This coming KFAD will be one of the largest to date as Rochester Cares is partnering with the local colleges and universities as well as the Finger Lakes Regional Volunteer center.  Many of the projects will be fully occupied by students; however there will be a number of opportunities for members of the community to sign up for a service project. 

 KFAD 2013 is just around the corner!!

This year's KFAD will be held the morning on  Saturday January 19th from 8:45am to 12:00pm.   KFAD is the biggest volunteer event of the year for RochesterCares, and we want you to be a part of it!! We have already added four projects to the calendar, and anticipate adding more shortly, so now is a great time to reserve your spot in one of the projects.  Go to http://rochestercares.org/calendar.php to sign up!!  If you plan on being a group of volunteers, please let the team coordinator know so that they can make sure to reserve spots, as spots are limited in some of the projets.

Here is a little bit about the event and what to expect:

The event starts at the Stardust Ballroom where volunteers will be served breakfast and receive T shirts. Their will be a brief program with a special speaker, and then volunteers then disperse to the various sites.  

Event Timeline:

8:45 – Volunteers begin arriving at the Stardust Ballroom at the Edgerton Recreation Center breakfast is served

9:00 – Welcome to King for a Day, Kit Miller to give a brief address

9:15 – Team Coordinators for community volunteer projects introduced

9:30 – Volunteers leave for host sites by carpooling to the project sites

10:00am -12:00pm – Community Service Projects

Hope to see you there - and please spread the word!!!

Many of the service projects are listed below.  You can also access our Project Calendar.

PROJECTS

Avenue D Recreation Center: Help construct database of interesting readings and create quiz questions for the Avenue D reading program.

Cameron Community Ministries

Catholic Family Center: Paint murals for residential facility (artistic skills will be appreciated!).

Citizen U: Assist youth in creating miniature libraries to be shared with the community.

CP Rochester: CP Rochester exists to support people with physical and developmental disabilities in choosing and accomplishing successive, individualized life goals. Help clean and organize therapy equipment while learning about this amazing part of our community.

Episcopal Senior Life: Facilitate inter-generational dialog about diversity through discussion and interactive activities with elder community members.

FoodLink: Food sorting

Heritage Closet

Intervol: Sorting of unused medical supplies

Lewis Street YMCA

Mary's Place: Assisting a refugee resettlement organization with a move to a new facility.

NEAD: Office painting

North Winton Village: Assist with safety center beautification project. Activities may include painting, window washing, hanging pictures, organizing and general refurbishment projects.

Rochester Association of Performing Arts: Help a community arts organization construct a set for an upcoming show and help organize costumes.

Rochester International Academy: Pair up with international high school students for tutoring and fun activities.

Rochester Refugee Resettlement Services: Renovating a café which will create an employment training program for recovering women.

Rochester STEM: Tutoring high school students

Rochester Youth Outreach: Help to pain youth center and create a mural for an organization which helps youth to explore art and music.

Susan B. Anthony Apartments: Assisting to clean and repair an affordable housing facility after a devastating fire (See Story Here)

Sojourner House: Paint resident rooms and help a shelter for families in need create an environment to give residents a sense of home.

The Community Place

Wilson Commencement Academy: Assist with clothing drive for Wilson students in need (directing donors, sorting clothes, etc).

MLK Day Overview                      

In 1994 Congress passed the King Holiday and Service Act, designating the King Holiday as a national day of volunteer service. Instead of a day off from work or school, Congress asked Americans of all backgrounds and ages to celebrate Dr. King's legacy by turning community concerns into citizen action. The King Day of Service brings together people who might not ordinarily meet, breaks down barriers that have divided us in the past, leads to better understanding and ongoing relationships, and is an opportunity to recruit new volunteers for your ongoing work.

Participation in the King Day of Service has grown steadily over the past decade, with hundreds of thousands of Americans each year engaging in projects such as tutoring and mentoring children, painting schools and senior centers, delivering meals, building homes, and reflecting on Dr. King's life and teachings. Many of the projects started on King Day continue to engage volunteers beyond the holiday and impact the community year-round.

Although the scope of the event grows every year, many people still are not aware of the service component of the holiday. By encouraging participation, we hope to make this year's King Day of Service the biggest and best ever.

For more information visit, www.mlkday.org