PMSC AmeriCorps members created and led more than 40 unique National Days of Service 2025 projects in January 2025. Across the region, members engaged children, youth, and adults in service to their communities: building up community, bridging divides, and fostering healthy relationships. From trail maintenance, to food drives and grocery distributions; from special lessons challenging students to make a difference in their homes, communities, and the nation, to supply drives, blood drives, and community outreach meals; from serving US Veterans, to caring for PA's elderly: PMSC AmeriCorps members demonstrated what it means to get things done for America.
These member-created and member-led projects were done across Southwestern and Southcentral, PA to honor to legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr who stated: " Life's most persistent and urging question is: "What are you doing for others?"
Below are just a few of the projects that members created this year:
Natalie Pierce and Katie Stupar are environmental stewardship PMSC members serving with Armstrong Conservation District who partnered with Greater Pittsburgh Food Bank at the Armstrong County Drive-Up Food distribution, serving over 400 local families and helping to distribute over 12,000 pounds of fresh food.
Elizabeth Carr, who serves with Forest Hills School District, Alicia Deshong, member serving with Central Fulton School District, and Paige Cunningham, serving with Tyrone Area School District, are school-based education members. They engaged their learners in creative lessons on building community and bridging divides in honor of MLK Day.
Ma'Kiyah Beauford and the team at ARIN Intermediate Unit 28 hosted a Blood Drive with the American Red Cross. Zhorea McAnuff, member serving with UMPC Altoona Family Physicians, hosted an essentials drive to benefit community members. She collected over 500 items.
Catherine Duman, serving with Portage Area School District, helped beautify a local community gathering space- Portage Public Library. Jacob Levendosky, serving with Westmoreland Conservation District, engaged his colleagues and the public in a successful food drive to benefit the clients of the Westmoreland Community Food Bank.
Destiny Kasempiriyakorn, serving with Central Cambria School District, and Charley Hoffman, serving with Spring Cove School District, challenged their learners with special lessons on community building, conserving natural resources, and the life of MLK.
North Star Central Elementary's PMSC AmeriCorps members: Nicole Rininger and Sarah Hostetler, provided 4th graders a lesson on compassion, empathy, Martin Luther King Jr.’s thoughts on kindness, and how to build community. The students then performed different scenarios in front of the class to demonstrate how they can show compassion and empathy towards others every day.
Member Tegan Sarka and the team at host site Cambria County Clothing Boutique, welcomed local Johnstown area members from other host sites to organize and sort clothes to benefit children and youth in need at local school districts.
Angela Valotta, serving with Three Rivers Waterkeeper, collaborated with several other Pittsburgh-based PMSC AmeriCorps members for a trail clean-up at Southside Riverfront Park. They engaged over 20 volunteers to help--including some PMSC AmeriCorps Alumni!
School-based members at Altoona Area School District, Laurie Rogers and Kate Peters, engaged their learners in special service projects-- benefitting local seniors and veterans. Lyndsy Horvath, Taylor Kline, Kris Shearer, and the AmeriCorps team at Westmont Hilltop School District challenged their students on a sharing with others and appreciating differences. The team at Conemaugh Township School District collected supplies to benefit those experiencing domestic violence who are served by a local shelter.
Ayiana Biddle and the team at Penn State Student Farm engaged other State College area members in a Community Outreach Meal at Abba Java Coffeehouse-- utilizing produce from the farm to feed local folks a warm and healthy meal on a very cold January evening.
These are just a few of the incredible projects that the 2024-2025 PMSC AmeriCorps members created and led this month. 30 years in, and STILL getting things done in major ways for the benefit of the people, land, and water of Southwestern and Southcentral, PA. We are: PMSC AmeriCorps. #pmscAmeriCorpsyear30
Visit: https://photos.app.goo.gl/uWDVnZdhfLyfgQCo6 for more photos from the PMSC AmeriCorps 2025 MLK National Days of Service.
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