Stories & Voices
5,000 New Yorkers Join in Service for MLK Day 2019
January 24th, 2019

The 5,000 volunteers who participated in this year’s MLK Day of Service and the week leading up were part of 5,000 acts of greatness. They brought to life Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s words, “Everybody can be great…because anybody can serve.”

And serve they did. Some literally serving meals to older adults. Others making care packages for foster children, stocking food pantries, and much more. UJA-Federation’s Time for Good partnered with 20 agencies across 71 sites to provide opportunities for participants to help their communities throughout New York City, Long Island, and Westchester.

We spoke with some of the volunteers at Commonpoint Queens (Central Queens Y), one of UJA’s partners, about their experience and why they came to serve.

UJA Federation of New York >> <p><em>Ali Neubuger</em></p>
<p>&ldquo;Every year our company does a day of service. Coming here, I knew we were doing MLK vision boards. Making these vision boards is inspiring &mdash; to look at these magazines and pinpoint the words that inspire you and make you feel empowered.&rdquo; -Ali Neubuger, Superfly employee, creating MLK vision boards</p>

Ali Neubuger

“Every year our company does a day of service. Coming here, I knew we were doing MLK vision boards. Making these vision boards is inspiring — to look at these magazines and pinpoint the words that inspire you and make you feel empowered.” -Ali Neubuger, Superfly employee, creating MLK vision boards

UJA Federation of New York >> <p><em>Leticia Antwi (left)</em></p>
<p>&ldquo;Commonpoint Queens is like a second home to us. If we&rsquo;re not in school, we&rsquo;re probably here. And not just for work, but because we want to be here, with all the different programs that they offer. It&rsquo;s great to be a part of something and have a major influence on the community.&rdquo;- Leticia Antwi, blood drive volunteer</p>

Leticia Antwi (left)

“Commonpoint Queens is like a second home to us. If we’re not in school, we’re probably here. And not just for work, but because we want to be here, with all the different programs that they offer. It’s great to be a part of something and have a major influence on the community.”- Leticia Antwi, blood drive volunteer

UJA Federation of New York >> <p><em>Ellen Winkler (right)</em></p>
<p>&ldquo;I&rsquo;m a member of the Y also, and I do a lot of things here. I love this place. I call it my happy place. Everybody&rsquo;s friendly, and it&rsquo;s very interfaith also. They have all kinds of programs and I love it. Keeps me busy.&rdquo; &ndash; Ellen Winkler, senior lunch volunteer</p>

Ellen Winkler (right)

“I’m a member of the Y also, and I do a lot of things here. I love this place. I call it my happy place. Everybody’s friendly, and it’s very interfaith also. They have all kinds of programs and I love it. Keeps me busy.” – Ellen Winkler, senior lunch volunteer