United Way's Community Action Center Mobilizes Volunteers at Twenty Projects Throughout the City in Honor of MLK Day

PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 17, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania's (UWSEPA) Community Action Center mobilized hundreds of volunteers at 20 projects throughout the city yesterday, in honor of Greater Philadelphia Martin Luther King Day of Service. 

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120117/DC37121)

At the Martin Luther King Day of Service Signature Site at Girard College, United Way volunteers teamed up with Ron Jaworski's JAWS Youth Playbook to "Kick it up for Recess," where  more than 100 Sports Activity Bags and more than 35 Team Kits were sorted and donated to area out-of-school-time programs.  United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania and JAWS Youth Playbook believe that when children have access to invigorating physical activity, their minds are stimulated as well, encouraging healthy development and higher academic achievement.

In addition, through United Way's Community Action Center, over 720 volunteers gathered in neighborhoods throughout the city to clean up our shared open spaces and streets to provide safer, cleaner places for their neighbors to live, work and play.  A core program of UWSEPA's Community Action Center, Neighbors in Action involves community leaders, concerned citizens, block captains, and nonprofits that help identify the needs of neighborhoods to facilitate the revitalization of the local community. 

"Volunteerism is at the heart of United Way's mission. Our unique role in the community allows us to mobilize businesses, organizations and individuals to help address community-level needs," said Jill Michal, president and CEO of United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania. "Today is an incredible example of that work in action – from Germantown to Kensington, volunteers are demonstrating their commitment to their community. What an inspirational example of the living legacy of Dr. King in our region."

Martin Luther King Jr. Day was designated as a National Day of Service in order to celebrate the life and work of Dr. King by making it "A Day On, rather than just another day off." With more than 85,000 volunteers in over 1,200 projects throughout the tri-state area, the Greater Philadelphia King Day of Service is the largest in the nation. 

For more information, please visit http://www.LIVEUNITEDsepa.org/kickitup.

About United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania
United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania is part of a national network of more than 1,300 locally governed organizations that work to create lasting positive changes in communities and in people's lives. United Way engages the community to identify the underlying causes of the most significant local issues, develops strategies and pulls together financial and human resources to address them, and measures the results. United Way is advancing the common good in southeastern Pennsylvania by focusing on education for children, income for families and health for seniors. For more information about United Way, please visit: www.LIVEUNITEDsepa.org.

About JAWS Youth Playbook
Jaws Youth Playbook (JYP) focuses on a mission to improve the overall health and wellness of at-risk youth, primarily in the Greater Philadelphia Region. JYP does this by raising awareness and advocating for the access to safe play and healthy choices, and supporting programs providing positive youth health and wellness platforms.

SOURCE United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania