UTRGV gives back on Martin Luther King Jr. Day

During the Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service, 300 UTRGV students are expected to volunteer throughout the Rio Grande Valley.

Vanessa Sandoval, program coordinator for the UTRGV Office of Leadership and Mentoring, said the day of service is an opportunity for students, faculty and alumni to help their community by volunteering at various nonprofit organizations.

“Students who volunteer not only give back to their community but it is to honor Martin Luther King [Jr.] and what he stood for,” Sandoval said.

Last year, about 250 students from both Edinburg and Brownsville campuses volunteered. This year’s goal is 300 volunteers from both campuses.

Students can volunteer at several organizations, including the Good Neighbor Settlement House in Brownsville, Amigos del Valle in Edinburg, the McAllen Nature Center and Pharr’s Food Bank of the Rio Grande Valley.

Morning volunteers will arrive at their location at 8 a.m. and work until noon. Those who choose to volunteer in the afternoon will work from 2 to 5 p.m.

Students interested in volunteering can sign up on Engagement Zone until Sunday.

Other upcoming volunteering opportunities are UTRGV’s January Chambray. This event will raise awareness of nonprofit organizations to the UTRGV community. For Brownsville, students will volunteer Jan. 21 and Edinburg students are designated to volunteer Jan. 23.

“It’ll be a community service fair for students, faculty, staff to learn and engage with our nonprofit agencies from the community,” Sandoval said.

Alternative Spring Break is also approaching. Days will be designated for student volunteering in the community. By the end of the week, students should have gained a total of 20 service hours, Sandoval said.

On Service Saturdays, there are sites in the upper and lower Valley where students can volunteer.

“Volunteering allows you to realize that there are other people worse off than you and you giving back to them … is your way of trying to help them,” said Mark Pease, an economics freshman with volunteering experience.

Pease plans to volunteer again soon.