The annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service is historically known as a “day on, not a day off” where residents are encouraged to volunteer to improve their communities.

In the spirit of health and safety, United Way of the Greater Triangle celebrated the 26th annual event with a physically-distanced supply drive that asked residents to drop off household items, school supplies, clothing, and more to create specialty kits for individuals and families served by the following nonprofit organizations:

• Meals on Wheels of Wake County
• Urban Ministries of Durham
• Inter-Faith Council for Social Services
• Johnston Lee Harnett Community Action

Thanks to drop-off locations in both Raleigh and Durham, United Way collected enough donations to make 2,500 kits!

United Way would especially like to thank the following businesses and community organizations for their support: AAA, Accenture, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Alston & Bird Law Firm, Broadstep Behavioral Health, Credit Suisse, Enterprise, Garmin, Highwoods Properties, LexisNexis, Merck, Ms. North Carolina, NetApp, Parker and Otis, Personify, Phi Beta Sigma: Bull City Alumni, RTI International, St. Joseph AME, Syngenta, The Raleigh School, Wake Tech, and Western Wake Pediatrics.

More than 50 years after Dr. King’s death, his work and legacy continue to resonate with individuals young and old. United Way was also proud to offer educational materials, thanks to support from Citrix and NetApp, that are designed to help parents kick start conversations with their children about the value of love, strength, and empowerment. Those materials can still be downloaded on United Way of the Greater Triangle’s website.

For more information about upcoming events — including virtual panels, COVID-safe volunteering opportunities, and more — stay tuned to unitedwaytriangle.org.