The numbers are in! 1000 volunteers turned out for SPF MLK Day of Service. There were between 500 and 700 volunteers at the Fanwood-Scotch Plains YMCA activities alone. Volunteers of all ages collected donations, baked, sewed, danced and performed to make their community a better place. 

"Over a 1000 volunteers planned, ran and volunteered today," co-founder Michelle Shapiro Abraham said. "St. Judes had to close their open event because over 100 people turned up to make over 300 goodie bags. 5 huge bags were collected for Second Chance Toys, 250 bags of pretzels for Meals on Wheels and 1200 Valentines were made for Veterans."

Although the event brought hundreds of families together to give back on "a day on rather than a day off," the event also hosted training sessions for organizations like Contact We Care suicide awareness and prevention and Literacy Volunteers of Union County. Shapiro noted that Mobile Meals had eight volunteers sign up for delivery training.

Others stuffed envelopes for Resolve, collected donations for Dress for Success, sewed wheel chair bags and blankets, taught dance, or participated in a discussion following a documentary hosted by Social Justice. Girl Scout Troop 289 and the Scotch Plains Fanwood High School Blue Diamond Step Team performed in a Variety Show at The Chelsea.

Shapiro extended her gratitude to the committee and the "many hands" who put this event together, including The Chelsea, who donated the lawn signs that stood outside the various SPF locations hosting volunteer events. 

"Families finished one project and headed right to the neXt one. They just kept going from event to event!" Shapiro marveled

To check out the story and photo gallery of the Opening Ceremony for the 3rd Annual MLK Day of Service, click here. Have photos from today's events? Upload them here! Have photos of the opening ceremony? Click the link and upload those photos to share in that story!