On January 19th, SAU+AmeriCorps VISTA Fellows and Saddle Up & Serve members honored Martin Luther King, Jr. by participating in a Day of Service focused on food insecurity and community members with disabilities in Magnolia.

Volunteers supported three initiatives throughout the day:

• The Cooking Matters program, hosted at SAU on the Square, invited SAU students to learn and practice basic cooking skills to support healthier living.
• Two teams participated in a Cook Day, supporting the Mulerider Market, working in the SAU Student Affairs kitchen and the SAU President’s House kitchen to prepare meals for distribution through the Mulerider Market.
• The Abilities Unlimited service project focused on painting, cleaning, and general renovations to their office space and cafeteria, creating a cleaner, more functional environment for staff and clients.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is the only federal holiday designated as a National Day of Service to encourage all Americans to volunteer in their communities. Engage AR, the primary coordinating entity supporting the Governor’s Commission on National Service and Volunteerism, provided SAU+VISTA and Saddle Up & Serve grants of $500 each to support their respective events.

Grant funding from Engage AR directly supported both the Cooking Matters and Mulerider Market Cook Day initiatives, which focused on addressing food insecurity. Funds were used to purchase five complete cooking sets for student participants, along with five egg cookers that were given to students to take home and use after the class, promoting and making accessible residence hall-friendly nutrition. Engage AR funds also covered the cost of ingredients and supplies for meals prepared during the Mulerider Market Cook Day event.

This MLK Day of Service was made possible through the support and leadership of dedicated SAU staff and community partners. Kathy Gean, Director of Service Learning & SAU+VISTA, worked with the Mulerider Market Cook Day team, while Malli Dooly, SAU+VISTA Volunteer Services Fellow, managed the Cooking Matters class at SAU on the Square. Beth Camp, Assistant Director of AmeriCorps Programs & Volunteerism, led efforts at Abilities Unlimited, with Megan McAllister, Director of Saddle Up & Serve, assisting both the Abilities Unlimited and Cooking Matters teams throughout the day.

Additional support was provided by Gigi Baucum, retired Director of Aramark Catering Services at SAU for 12 years, and Linda Hicks, spouse of SAU President Dr. Bruno Hicks, who volunteered as cooks in their ongoing efforts to address food insecurity on campus. Dr. Donna Allen, Vice President for Student Affairs, continues to support student service learning, food security initiatives, and community engagement, making service opportunities such as these possible.

About SAU+AmeriCorps VISTA:  Funded by the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), SAU+AmeriCorps VISTA focuses on poverty alleviation through college degree completion. Learn more at https://web.saumag.edu/vista/

About Saddle Up & Serve:  Saddle Up & Serve is a transformative AmeriCorps+EngageAR service initiative at SAU that empowers students to make a meaningful impact in the areas of healthy futures, education, and economic opportunity. Learn more at https://web.saumag.edu/saddleup/