CSUSB students put citizenship and service in action in tribute to MLK

SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. -- More than 30 Cal State San Bernardino students will volunteer their time and efforts on a federal holiday to assist with community service projects to honor Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy on Monday, Jan. 20.

With a day off from classes -- the campus will be closed for the holiday -- the students will spend the holiday morning, from 9 a.m.-noon, preparing and replanting a community garden at Catholic Charities "Hope in the City" Homework Center in San Bernardino, at 1800 N. Western Ave.

The garden is a source of fresh produce for locals in the community who live in a “food desert,” a term defined by the U.S.D.A as an urban neighborhood without ready access to fresh, healthy and affordable food.

In 1994, Congress designated the Martin Luther King holiday as a National Day of Service.

“We answer Dr. King’s call to serve and are making a difference in the lives of San Bernardino residents,” said Diane Podolske, the director of CSUSB’s Office of Community Engagement.  “A resourceful way to meet local needs, volunteer service is a powerful tool that builds strong communities. We are putting the core American principles of citizenship and service into action.”

Sponsored by Arrowhead United Way and Catholic Charities of San Bernardino and Riverside Counties, the CSUSB students will join hundreds of thousands of volunteers across the country on this national day of service.

The federal agency, Corporation for National and Community Service, leads the annual Martin Luther King Day of Service, working with the King Center in Atlanta and thousands of nonprofit groups, faith-based organizations, schools and businesses nationwide.

These projects include delivering meals, refurbishing schools and community centers, collecting food and clothing, signing up mentors, reading to children and promoting non-violence.

According to Bryant Fairley, associate director of CSUSB’s Office of Community Engagement, the MLK Day of Service shines a spotlight on service as a powerful force to bridge economic and social divides – today and throughout the year.

“The National Day of Service provides residents with an opportunity to join neighbors and local leaders to tackle community challenges and strengthen the nation,” said Fairley.

In 2013, CSUSB was named to the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll for the seventh year in a row in recognition of the university’s meaningful and measurable outcomes of service activities, as performed by Cal State San Bernardino students, faculty and staff.

CSUSB’s Office of Community Engagement involves student organizations to participate in volunteer activities throughout the Inland Empire. CSUSB students annually contribute more than $1.3 million to local communities through more than 60,000 hours of service each year.

For more information about CSUSB’s Week of Engagement Jan. 13-20, and ways to participate, contact the Office of Community Engagement at (909) 537-7347 or visit the office’s website.

For more information about Cal State San Bernardino, contact the university’s Office of Public Affairs at (909) 537-5007 and visit news.csusb.edu.