30. Volunteer for MLK Day, 1/17/11

I am blessed to work for a wonderful company that has fully embraced community. In honor and recognition of Dr. King, the values he espoused, and his contributions to the nation and the world in advancing civil and human rights, the National Diversity Council established an annual Programwide Day of Volunteerism beginning January 17, 2005. On this Day, Kaiser Permanente aspires to take a leadership role in our communities by remembering the values that Dr. King’s life exemplified and proclaiming this “A Day On, Not a Day Off.” This novel approach to celebrating Dr. King’s life potentially places over 100,000 Kaiser Permanente employees and physicians into our communities to provide valuable services and to further advance the Kaiser Permanente legacy that parallels Dr. King’s values.

On Monday, January 17, 2011, KPNW celebrated Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. by sponsoring their 7th annual MLK Day of Service. On this special day, the region commemorated Dr. King’s legacy by letting a percentage of staff do community service work at several sponsored sites. Those who stay behind to do their jobs will be supporting the effort by covering for their colleagues who are volunteering. This annual tradition is a living tribute to the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. It is also part of our service credo: We are here to make lives better. Kaiser Permanente is taking a novel and appropriate approach to commemorating and celebrating Dr. King’s contributions and values. Because we are a not-for-profit, community-benefit organization, service to community is central to the Kaiser Permanente mission. Consider, for example, that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said that we must decide whether to “walk in the light of creative altruism or the darkness of destructive selfishness. Life’s most persistent and nagging question is: what are you doing for others?” Service, after all, is what Dr. King believed to be the hallmark of a full life. Given Kaiser Permanente’s deeply embedded core values and leadership role in issues of diversity, equal opportunity, inclusion, and community benefit, it is appropriate that the organization recognizes and celebrates the alignment of these values with those so eloquently articulated and impressed upon the world’s consciousness by this great American.

To this end, one of my friends and fellow transcriptionsts, Keri, and I volunteered at the Beaverton Food Bank on this day of volunteerism. Our shift was for 2-1/2 hours, and in that time we sorted over 8000 lbs of food. From that 8000 lbs of food, we packed over 6200 meals. That means in the short time there, I alone was responsible for packing 152 meals for a family of four.

Here are just a few facts about hunger:
More than 73% of households receiving emergency food reported incomes below the federal poverty level - $22,050 for a family of four.

A basic family budget — enough to cover the essential needs for a family of four — was $45,274 in 2007, while a full time job at Oregon's 2010 minimum wage provided only $17,500.

High unemployment due to the current economic recession resulted in 240,000 people per month eating meals from an emergency food box last year, up from 200,000 the previous year. Of those, 33% are children. OFB Network agencies continue to see new faces...people who never thought they would need emergency food.

Last year, volunteers contributed 93,000 hours to Oregon Food Bank. That is the equivalent of 45 full-time employees. Most of the non-profit companies out there could not survive without volunteers. I would challenge each of you to chose your favorite charity and give, either give with your money or time, whichever you can, because it does make a difference.