Elias Zabala
Southern Expands MLK Service Day Tradition
This year, Southern expanded a tradition it began in 1993, moving from one day of service honoring the memory of Martin Luther King Jr. on MLK Day to spending the entire weekend putting words into action. Southern students and employees helped at assisted living facilities, schools, animal shelters, and much more. In fact, approximately 900 volunteers participated in more than 60 service projects over four days.
One project involved collecting and distributing groceries to those facing food insecurity in the area around Southern. As an ongoing partnership between Southern and the Chattanooga Food Bank, community members in need are invited to campus twice a month to receive groceries. Over the MLK weekend, volunteers gathered more than 6,000 food items from community members, packed bags of groceries, and distributed them to those in need at a drive-through location.
“The most impactful part for me was talking to the people who came for groceries,” said Bailey Krall, senior music major, who helped coordinate the project. “Several of them opened up about their challenges, such as job loss, health problems, and debilitating accidents. Everyone was so gracious, and their kindness left an impression on me. This experience helped me recognize our shared humanity.”
“It is my great desire for Southern students to know without a doubt that they are uniquely called to serve,” said Melissa Moore, director of Humanitarian Engagement at Southern. “It is the privilege of my office to walk alongside students in that calling. We want to create opportunities where students can get excited to continue this kind of service after they graduate.”
Southern Adventist University | March 2022
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