Celebrated each year on the third Monday in January, Martin Luther King Jr. Day is the only federal holiday designated a National Day of Service.
On Monday, January 18, 2021, Radford University will observe its eighth annual MLK Day of Service by giving back to communities in the New River Valley and Roanoke areas.
“Since we are still in the midst of a global pandemic, our service will look a little different this year,” according to the university. “Instead of going into the community to volunteer in person, we are partnering with the Community Foundation of the New River Valley’s GiveLocalNRV and we will be giving back through donations of money, food and supplies. Many spring food drives and fundraisers have been canceled due to the pandemic, and communities are in dire need. This provides us a great opportunity to give back and support.”
“Last year yielded our largest participation numbers for the MLK Day of Service. While it is unfortunate that we cannot serve in the same way as in previous years, we can still make a huge impact. We look forward to partnering in support of our communities in need.”
Members of the RU community will be competing in teams to gather the most donations and raise the most money for their team’s designated community partners.
Day of Service Teams include:
RUC & Waldron College of Health and Human Services – donations will benefit Friendship House and Ronald McDonald House.
Davis College of Business and Economics & College of Education and Human Development – donations will benefit Radford Fairlawn Daily Bread and Women’s Resource Center.
College of Humanities and Behavioral Sciences & Artis College of Science and Technology – donations will benefit The Giving Tree and New River Community Action
College of Visual and Performing Arts & College of Graduate Studies and Research – donations will benefit Bobcat Backpacks and Beans & Rice Programs.
Team Highlander: Administration, staff & students with undeclared majors – donations will benefit New River Community Action.
Donations will be accepted through Wednesday, January 27. Monetary donations can be made directly to respective team name at https://www.givelocalnrv.org/event/Rumlk2020. On the Radford University main campus, donation boxes for each team will be located in their respective college buildings and all residence halls.
Donation Items Lists:
Radford University Carilion & Waldron College of Health and Human Services:
Friendship House Roanoke Inc. – money
Ronald McDonald House – individual wrapped potato chips, cracker packs, pudding, Jell-o, cereal, bottled water and any other items that are individually wrapped for use in large lunch bags
Davis College of Business and Economics & College of Education and Human Development:
Radford Fairlawn Daily Bread – any non-perishable food items
Radford Women’s Resource Center – money
College of Humanities and Behavioral Sciences & Artis College of Science and Technology:
The Giving Tree – money
New River Community Action – baby supplies including diapers, bottles, new or gently used books, blankets, canned/non-perishable food items
College of Visual and Performing Arts & College of Graduate Studies and Research:
Beans & Rice, Inc. – money
Bobcat Backpack Program – canned fruit, canned veggies, peanut butter, Beanee Weenees, canned ravioli, popcorn, Chunky soup, Boxed Mac ’n’ Cheese, granola bars, oatmeal packets
Team Highlander: Administration, staff & students with undeclared majors
New River Community Action) – monetary donations and fruit cups, raisins, dried fruit, peanut butter crackers, fruit snack gummies, graham crackers, granola bars, pretzels, Wheat Thins, Chex cereal, Triscuits, Goldfish crackers (large box or individual size), Teddy Grahams, Multigrain Cheerios, applesauce cups