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Over 200 people give back for MLK Day of community service
Thousands of volunteers transformed Martin Luther King Jr. Day into a "day on" of community service, dedicating the holiday to giving back through local initiatives. At one local non-profit, this massive wave of support comes at a vital time for the more than one thousand residents relying on their essential services.
UNION CITY, Ga. - While many people used the federal holiday to rest, more than 200 volunteers spent Martin Luther King Jr. Day giving back to the community at Christian City.
Local perspective:
The nonprofit campus, which provides housing and care for both vulnerable children and senior citizens, saw a massive turnout of residents looking to honor Dr. King’s legacy through community service.
"They decided to spend their day on Martin Luther King Jr. day, serving like what Dr. King did his entire life," said Keith Horton, president and CEO of Christian City. "He cherished those who were the most vulnerable in our society, and that’s what we do at Christian City."
For many, volunteering has become a family tradition. Volunteer Dionne Houston brought her husband and two daughters to help.
SEE ALSO: MLK Day service honors King's lasting legacy, calls for nonviolence when protesting
Houston said her daughters are currently learning about Dr. King in school, and she wanted to provide a hands-on lesson.
"It’s so important to our community, it’s important to our heritage, and it just means a lot for us to continue to put ourselves in a position to give back," Houston said.
Volunteers helped at Graceland, the thrift store at Christian City. The work done at the thrift store has a direct impact on local families. The shop provides affordable clothing and household items for residents.
For volunteer Stephen Farrell, the mission is personal. Farrell spent his holiday working in the same shop that helped him when he was a child.
"I try to give back as much as I can because my first bed that I ever had as a kid came from Graceland when I was 11 years old," Farrell said. "This place means so much to me."
Though the holiday is a day off for most workers, those at Christian City say the time spent working is an investment in the neighborhood.
"Even if you spend one hour or 10 hours, just coming out — time is everything," Farrell said. "Whatever time that people give us, it means so much."
"Giving back is not just beneficial to ourselves, you know, like saying that we're doing something to make ourselves feel good, but it's also for others, and it's for our community as well," said Houston.
By the numbers:
Over 200 people volunteered with Christian City for the federal holiday.
SEE ALSO: Hosea Helps hosts MLK Festival, providing resources to those in need
What you can do:
Christian City is consistently looking for volunteers to assist with their programs. Those interested in helping can find more information at https://christiancity.org/volunteer/
The Source: This is a FOX 5 original report using information from volunteers and the CEO of Christian City.