A ‘Day Off’ is a ‘Day On’

On Jan. 18, the NEOMED Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and Office of Student Affairs recognized the National Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service by making the “day off” a “day on.” A group of 46 NEOMED students, faculty and staff, along with  students from the Bio-Med Science Academy STEM+M school on the NEOMED campus, volunteered across the community to cook, clean, assist in construction, and take part in interactive activities like crafts and games. The volunteers helped in five locations: Ronald McDonald House of Cleveland, Ronald McDonald House of Akron, Habitat for Humanity of Mahoning County, Hattie Larlham of Mantua, and Skeels Matthews Community Center in Ravenna.

NEOMED’s mission of focusing on providing community service and health education throughout the Northeast Ohio region aligns with the goals of the MLK Day of Service. The work done by the volunteers addressed pressing problems and the need to work collaboratively to provide these problems with solutions. In doing so, the volunteers helped carry on Dr. King’s vision of a “Beloved Community.”

Rajini Poth, Ph.D., associate director of the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion was reminded of her favorite quote from Dr. King, “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is: What are you doing for others?” On Jan. 18, NEOMED’s volunteers joined the thousands of other Americans who, through service projects, strengthened their communities, empowered individuals, bridged barriers, and created solutions.