In the spirit of Martin Luther King Jr.’s enduring legacy, the College Possible Wisconsin Team rallied together for a day of service. We channeled our collective energy into three meaningful service projects that echoed the ideals of justice, equality, and community impact.
As the morning sun cast a warm glow on the winter snow, a dedicated group of College Possible Wisconsin volunteers joined the team at Milwaukee’s Urban Ecology Center. The center works to bring people in cities and nature together through recognizing and having respect for the cultural histories of the land that we occupy, and by providing wanted and accessible programming that prioritizes equity, dignity, and justice. This year we helped collect seeds from native plant species to create a healthy habitat for native flora and animals, and cultivate a thriving park and educational resource for all Milwaukee residents.
Simultaneously, another College Possible Wisconsin service project team rolled up their sleeves to learn MapSwipe. Properly mapping populations plays a major role in understanding populations and creating effective emergency response plans. Billions of people in vulnerable communities around the globe are absent from existing maps. In times of crisis, these unmapped areas may receive limited or no assistance, as first responders lack the essential information needed to help them. By using the cutting edge MapSwipe mobile app, our team aided the American Red Cross in updating existing maps with detailed information to better support populations after an emergency.
Meanwhile, a third group embarked on a mission to amplify our impact on our scholars through a self-care package outreach activity. The beginning of winter term can be a challenging time for scholars, as this is a time of year when many first-year scholars get the second semester blues. We assembled a range of items, including school supplies and snacks, into care packages to support and encourage our scholars’ progression through college. The assembled care packages will be distributed to scholars by their coaches as a “welcome back gift.” This provides a great opportunity to reconnect with their college coaches and offer an emotional boost.
The Martin Luther King Jr. National Day of Service was established to honor Dr. King’s legacy and the ongoing struggle for an equitable society. College Possible Wisconsin was honored to participate in this rewarding and impactful day in commemoration of Dr. King’s vision of the “Beloved Community.”
