On Monday, January 18, 2021, three of ShapiroCM employees volunteered to participate on virtual sites to help spread joy, show appreciation, and join in discussion on sharing the history Dr. King. Nancy Popkin, Paul Defalco, and Jerelene Cooper agree that we wish we could have done more that day. Here is how our New Jersey, Ohio, and New York virtual volunteering MLK Day went:
Nancy made digital thank you cards for front line medical workers in New Jersey. Having the experience of a parent whose daughter is a paramedic who worked through the first 7 months of the pandemic, as a first responder. She wanted to write on the card something like, “Don’t forget to let your mother know you’re okay; she worries”; but didn’t. This daughter is now in medical school to be an Emergency Room doctor. Nancy was also heartened to learn that her younger daughter picked up trash in her city of Tucson, Arizona for MLK service. We applaud Nancy and her daughters on this MLK Day.
Paul, after some difficulty in finding an event, joined a site discussing things what can be done in order to share the history of Dr. Martin Luther King, jr. They also discussed what might happen next year in terms of community organizing. Paul would like to attend an in-person event in Cincinnati, where he lives, next year. He made good connections on Linkedin, so he will be able to find out ahead a time where he can volunteer. We applaud Paul on this MLK Day.
I (Jerelene), chose a site where they were making Valentine’s Day cards for seniors in Nursing Homes and hospitals. Making these cards, and writing notes to those in need of feeling some joy, love, hope, and happiness was a great inspiration for me to not just make this a one-day thing. There are seniors, that may not get visits, cards, letters from anyone. They need just a little ray of sunshine in their lives. I know I can spend time on the weekends making cards, writing notes of encouragement to those in need of knowing that somebody somewhere cares about them. I think “to show love, joy, hope is to be loved, joyful and hopeful” in this day and time. We applaud Jerelene on this MLK Day.
