Kent Place students celebrate Martin Luther King with a day of service

SUMMIT – Yesterday, the Kent Place Diversity and Equity Parent Group hosted a community-wide Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service to celebrate, reflect and serve in the name of King’s legacy. For this year’s Day of Service, Kent Place collaborated and joined forces with the North Jersey Chapter of Jack and Jill of America, Inc. to support charitable organizations across New Jersey.

Family members, students, faculty and staff gathered in the Upper School to participate in fun and meaningful service projects. Volunteers bagged canned and dried food and baby goods, made sandwiches and filled lunch bags. Younger volunteers played nutrition games and decorated lunch bags. Laura Sodano, Hunger Action Coordinator from the Community FoodBank of New Jersey also spoke with the volunteers in attendance.

Goods collected from the Day of Service will be donated to the following organizations: Community FoodBank of New Jersey, Christine’s Kitchen in West Orange and Toni’s Kitchen in Montclair.

The Day of Service concluded with reflections of the words of King.

“For us, commemorating Dr. King is a great way to bring the Kent Place and the greater community together in action and advocacy,” said Kent Place Director of Diversity Henaz Bhatt. “This year our baby goods drive will continue, as we remember the one out of five children in the country who struggle with hunger every day, and truly honor Dr. King’s legacy through an ongoing commitment to service, justice and equity.”

Kent Place School is committed to its mission to educate its students for responsible participation in a global community. Kent Place School strives to promote justice and equity and create a school and working environment that is affirming and inclusive. Kent Place School respects and values diversity, which includes differences in age, ethnicity, family structure, gender identity, national origin, physical attributes, race, religion, sexual orientation and socioeconomic background. For more information about Kent Place’s diversity initiatives visit www.kentplace.org/diversity.