What do both the New England Patriots and the Playworks Massachusetts AmeriCorps Members have in common? They are all champions! Like any great team, this year’s 12 AmeriCorps members serving with Playworks Massachusetts are committed to making an impact on the children and families they serve daily. To date, this year’s AmeriCorps members have served almost 12,000 hours, worked with 8,500 children in 12 low-income urban elementary schools, and shoveled two tons of snow! We are proud that our community looks up to our members as coaches, leaders, and friends.
Most recently, Playworks AmeriCorps members celebrated the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. by leading two service projects across the Commonwealth: the Project 351 Service Launch and Boston Care’s MLK Family Play Zone. Our AmeriCorps members helped plan and implement both service events reaching approximately 1,000 total people.
At the Project 351 Service Launch, members led ice-breaker activities and projects at three different stations at Brighton High School. They specifically worked with 8th grade students from across the Commonwealth to create winter care packages for the Long Island Shelter and New England Center for Homeless Veterans, paint inspirational murals for the Pine Street Inn, and create a tribute video in honor of local Fallen Heroes of the Massachusetts Military Heroes Fund. Marcia Robinson, the Project 351 Service Village Lead, said “the [Playworks AmeriCorps Members] are a team of rock stars who jumped in and did whatever was necessary to provide a thoughtful and inspirational service experience for our students. They both honored and embodied the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. by demonstrating to our young people their profound spirit of service, character, and kindness. Thank you for bringing the joy and fun!”
On the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Playworks AmeriCorps members partnered with Boston Cares at their annual service day event. Playworks AmeriCorps members led volunteers in a variety of activities including an interactive family play zone where volunteers and their family members had the opportunity to learn about inclusive play and be active. To see pictures from the event click here.
AmeriCorps Week is a time to salute AmeriCorps members for their service – congratulations to the Playworks Massachusetts AmeriCorps members for being champions in the community and making a difference in the lives of many. In addition to the incredible work on MLK weekend, members continue to drive impact across the Commonwealth by running a four-component physical activity and play program for thousands of children daily. Thank you to the Massachusetts Service Alliance for their partnership in this important work.
About the Massachusetts Service Alliance
The Massachusetts Service Alliance (MSA), established in 1991, is a private, nonprofit organization that serves as the state commission on community service. Its mission is to catalyze the innovation and growth of service and volunteerism by creating partnerships that maximize resources, expertise, capacity, and impact.
MSA fulfills its mission by investing public and private funds to cultivate and strengthen a state-wide network of high quality service and volunteer programs, especially those that demonstrate innovative program models or that engage underserved and diverse communities, individuals, and networks; and by building and strengthening strategic partnerships and alliances with private, public and nonprofit organizations throughout the Commonwealth.
