Chestnut Hill College was proud to continue a long-standing tradition of service, reflection and remembrance in honor of Martin Luther King Jr., reflecting the college's mission to serve others.

While the college community has sponsored and supported the efforts of countless students who have organized activities and service honoring Dr. King in the past, 2018 marked the first time the college was closed, allowing even more students, faculty members and staff to participate. In all, 78 members of the CHC community took part at five different sites:

Chosen 300 Ministries is an organization that brings different groups together in unification for the common good and distributes meals and services to the homeless throughout the Philadelphia Region and around the world. Volunteers cleaned up the grounds and facilities.

The Ray of Hope Project is dedicated to providing cleaner, safer and healthier neighborhoods in urban communities in Philadelphia and brings diverse communities together in a program demonstrating that, together, people can make a difference. Volunteers, including the men's lacrosse team, helped clean up abandoned homes and neighborhoods.

St. Joseph Villa, where volunteers provided food assistance and visited with residents.

St. Philip's Convent, where volunteers assisted with indoor organization and clean-up.

CHC Student Activities Office, where volunteers helped to organize the office space and storage closet.

"The work was rewarding, humbling, much needed, and greatly appreciated by the organizations served," says Juliana Mosley, college officer for diversity and inclusion and head of the MLK Day of Service planning committee.  "All volunteers also participated in reflective dialogue to identify what they learned and how the experience added value to the communities served and to them personally. We are grateful to all who spent any portion of your day providing service to our communities.  Whether you cleaned, organized, made/served meals, visited the sick, read to or did craft projects with children … you served a need and made a heart smile."