Kaiser Permanente has a long tradition of honoring the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s call to serve by providing rewarding opportunities for employees to get involved. This year, we invited KPMAS employees and their families to support youth and local schools in the Baltimore-Washington Metro area with a variety of opportunities.
On Monday, January 18, KPMAS volunteers served at Ballou High School in Washington, DC, and Robert W. Coleman Elementary School in West Baltimore. For Ballou, we partnered with City Year, an education nonprofit that helps turn schools into more engaging, educational and vibrant places for students to learn and play. One of Dr. King’s most compelling visions was that of a Beloved Community – a community in which people of different backgrounds recognize that we are all interconnected and that our individual well-being is inextricably linked to the well-being of others. City Year believes serving their communities on Martin Luther King Jr. Day is one of the best ways to honor this vision. As part of our commitment to helping the communities we serve, KPMAS was honored to support this important cause.
At Ballou High School, 28 KPMAS volunteers, alongside other volunteers, made 1,666 sandwiches and snack packs, painted 153 wall and canvas murals, compiled 1,000 safe sex kits, made 200 craft kits for schools in developing countries, and completed dozens of more projects.
At Robert W. Coleman Elementary School, 31 volunteers helped to paint, decorate, and build furniture to surprise the school’s teachers with a made over Teachers’ Lounge when they returned from the long weekend. Volunteers also painted, cleaned, sorted, and organized the school’s Parent Room, which is used as a meeting space and resource center for students. Volunteers also helped to sort, clean and organize the school’s Media Room and library.
“I can’t believe how much all of the Kaiser volunteers accomplished,” said Principal Carlillian Thompson. “I knew it was going to be big, I just didn’t realize how amazing the day would be. I’m so thankful for all of their hard work.” In addition to time and talent, Kaiser Permanente donated $5,000 in supplies and furniture to Robert W. Coleman Elementary School.
We want to thank all of our employees who took the time to volunteer and show their dedication to helping our communities! You are a shining example of how Kaiser Permanente is helping to shape healthy and thriving communities in the Mid-Atlantic region. Please enjoy the photos bellowing highlighting the day’s events.
