MLK Day Service Projects: How To Help In New Berlin

NEW BERLIN, WI— Martin Luther King Jr. Day has been designated by groups and organizations nationwide as “a day on” since the third Monday of January was designated a national holiday in memory of the late civil rights icon. Even during the coronavirus pandemic, there are ways to make a positive difference in New Berlin on the Jan. 18 holiday this year.

Organized service projects have taken the place of the traditional work or school holiday in recent years. But in 2021, restrictions in place to slow the further spread of the coronavirus are impacting the ability to perform some good deeds.

Murals on two Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) bus shelters now feature winning artwork from the Marcus Performing Art Center’s 2020 Martin Luther King, Jr. Art Contest, which was open to K-12 students in Milwaukee, Wauwatosa, and West Bend.

The first shelter is located across the street from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary School at MLK Drive and Concordia Avenue in Milwaukee. The second shelter is alongside Golda Meir School Upper Campus at MLK Drive and Pleasant Street. Each mural includes multiple designs — inspired by Dr. King’s life and values — created by children and teenagers enrolled at Fairview Elementary School, Fernwood Montessori, Golda Meir School, Luther Burbank School, McLane Elementary School, Milwaukee Spanish Immersion School, Roosevelt Creative Arts Middle School, Wauwatosa East High School, Wedgewood Park International School, and West Bend West High School.
MCTS installed the murals as part of its annual sponsorship of the Marcus Performing Art Center’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Birthday Celebration.

This year’s event, which will be virtual due to the COVID-19 pandemic, is taking place at 1 p.m. on Sunday. Members of the public are invited to watch here.

Dr. King was an activist committed to peace, justice, and equality. As a visionary leader of the civil rights movement, King fought for racial and economic justice for the oppressed.
A wide range of unique murals have been installed on nearly two dozen MCTS bus shelters in recent years as part of the popular Bus Shelter Art Project. Visit RideMCTS.com/Art to see the designs and learn how you can bring artwork to your neighborhood.

Before the coronavirus pandemic, communities across the country held large events in various locations promoting service on the holiday.

Those have included Highland Park, Illinois, where the local human relations advisory group usually draws about 1,200 people every year to a service program that has turned into one of the city’s signature yearly events.

This year, the city will hold a virtual program to “honor the legacy of Dr. King's fight against inequity and his work to secure a just future for all,” Amanda Civitello, communications manager for the city of Highland Park, said in a news release.

Even if there aren’t any organized service projects planned nearby, there are several other ways to help those in need in or near New Berlin.

Donating to nonprofit organizations, volunteering with food banks and pantries, and delivering meals and groceries to seniors are a few suggestions outlined by the national volunteer program AmeriCorps.

A list of organizations supporting COVID-19 response efforts had been made available by the National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster.