Day of Service: Collecting Coats and Supplies in Honor of Martin Luther King Jr.

 
Through welcoming, inclusive practices and environments, the Summit Area YMCA welcomes and engaged people from all diverse groups of the community to help and create lasting, meaningful change. We at the Y realize that in order to better the world around us and for the future, we must unite and work towards the strengthening of the individual in mind, body and spirit. Staff, members, young learners, and volunteers came together to collect and sort coats and supplies at the Berkeley Heights YMCA, Summit YMCA, and The Learning Circle YMCA as part of our annual tradition to celebrate and serve our community on Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service. 

MLK JR. DAY OF SERVICE COAT DRIVE

The Summit Area YMCA partnered with Jack and Jill of America, Inc., a membership organization of mothers with children ages 2-19, dedicated to nurturing future African-American leaders by strengthening children through leadership development, volunteer service, philanthropic giving and civic duty. Together, we collected and sorted over 300 coats at the Berkeley Heights YMCA and Summit YMCA for our MLK Jr. Day of Service Coat Drive. A total of 26 volunteers, including YMCA staff, local high school students, and volunteers from Jack and Jill of America, Inc., collected and sorted the coats on January 17 to distribute to a local non-profit organization.

The Y is grateful for partnering with Jack and Jill of America, Inc., and we look forward to working together in the future to empower young people to reach their full potential and provide support and inspiring action in our communities.

THE LEARNING CIRCLE YMCA SUPPLIES COLLECTION DRIVE

The Learning Circle YMCA (TLC) participated in a service project as part of the Y's Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service. From January 10 through January 17, TLC collected essential supplies and personal care items that will be donated to the housing residents of the YMCA of Newark and Vicinity.

TLC reinforced the concepts of sharing, helping, and giving in our classrooms by participating in activities and discussions that highlight Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy and the importance of helping others. Our students contributed to this Day of Service by helping sort the donated items, and by decorating cards and tags to go along with our donations. 

The Summit Area YMCA is also changing the way individuals, who are engaged in civic and charitable organizations, collaborate to provide practical and affordable answers to large-scale community issues such as child care, childhood obesity, and the achievement gap among students. Because we are a volunteer-led organization, we are grateful for the time, talent, and resources that our volunteers share to advance the Y’s mission.

If you would like to get involved by volunteering, donating to a local cause, or to partner with the Summit Area YMCA for a new program or event, please contact Tiffany Escott, Summit Area YMCA - Mission Advancement and Development Director, at tiffany.escott@thesay.org.

Questions? Contact:

Tiffany Escott

Mission Advancement and Development Director
SUMMIT AREA YMCA

tiffany.escott@thesay.org
(908) 464-8373

SUMMIT AREA YMCA

BERKELEY HEIGHTS YMCA | SUMMIT YMCA | THE LEARNING CIRCLE YMCA

In 1886, we were founded as the Young Men's Christian Association, but today, we are The Y. An association that values, and is made stronger by, its diverse people. We stand for youth development, healthy living and social responsibility — For a better us. We are committed to creating equal opportunity for all regardless of gender, age, disability, income, ethnicity, sexual orientation or religious affiliation. We strive to create a welcoming and inclusive culture in which our four core values — responsibility, honesty, caring and respect — are integral to everyday operations.

Each year, as one of the area’s leading 501(c)3 charitable organizations, the Summit Area YMCA serves more than 15,000 individuals with our free and fee-based programs and services in an area spanning the New Jersey communities of Berkeley Heights, Gillette, Millburn, New Providence, Short Hills, Springfield, Stirling and Summit. Our history is rooted in working side-by-side with our neighbors to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to learn, grow and thrive. Through the generosity of our members, donors, and partners, we are able to offer financial assistance for our programs and services to those in need.