Volunteer Opportunities for Martin Luther King Day and Beyond

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Volunteer Opportunities for Martin Luther King Day and Beyond

At STAR, we truly believe that "Everybody can be great, because everybody can serve." In celebration of Martin Luther King Day (January 20, 2020), STAR is planning an MLK Day of Service. On this Day of Service, our organization will be addressing food insecurity in our local community.

We are looking for volunteers to help us with preparing meals along with STAR clients and the STAR chef to be packaged and delivered to a local shelter once a month. Volunteers are needed to help serve the meal and take photos for social media.

Volunteers are also needed to assist with monitoring food receptacles created and placed by STAR at local businesses to collect nonperishables to benefit local food pantries at Person-to-Person and Open Door Shelter. Volunteers will manage a site and monitor the bin to alert STAR when collection is needed. Volunteers will assist in the collection, packing and delivery of food to Person-to-Person.

Will you join us in making a difference?

Please mark your calendars for the following dates and RSVP to Jennifer Thompson at jthompson@starct.org

• Kickoff event and pep rally on Wednesday, January 8 at STAR Headquarters, 182 Wolfpit Avenue, Norwalk from 5:30 - 7:00 PM for a fun program to learn more about the upcoming MLK Day of Service, mingle with STAR clients and other volunteers, and eat pizza.
• STAR MLK Day of Service event on Thursday, January 16. This event will take place in two parts:
• The first part will include STAR participants with disabilities, staff and volunteers preparing a full hot meal to feed 80-100 people who visit the local Norwalk Open Door Shelter Norwalk daily. Meal preparation will occur at STAR’s kitchen and will involve a group of STAR clients as well as STAR’s professional chef. The meal will be packaged and delivered by clients and volunteers. Likewise, volunteers will sign up to unpack and serve the meal at the shelter that evening. Local dignitaries, STAR senior staff and board members and STAR clients and volunteers will participate in the service as needed.

• Part two of the day’s event will include collection of non-perishable items from the group of local host businesses and destinations who agree to keep a receptacle for donations on their site. A volunteer will check in on the receptacle and alert STAR when the bin is full and requires pick up. STAR clients will be accompanied by staff and volunteers as they visit each location, collect the donations, sort and pack to deliver to the local food pantry at Person-to-Person for distribution to the community. Volunteers are needed to assist in constructing and decorating the receptacles prior to site delivery.