LMSD Hosting Annual Martin Luther King Jr Afternoon Of Service Jan 15

LOWER MERION TOWNSHIP, PA — The Lower Merion School District is inviting students and their families to give back to their community at the annual Martin Luther King Junior Afternoon of Service.

This year's event will be held from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Jan. 15, 2026 in the Harriton High School cafeteria

Student and parent/guardian organizations will offer opportunities to participate in hands-on community service projects that benefit a variety of causes and align with King's famous quote: "Everybody can be great, because everybody can serve."

Many of the sponsoring organizations, such as HSAs and student groups, will be holding collections at their schools prior to the Afternoon of Service.

Participants are also asked to bring the following items with them to the event:

• Individual snack items
• Toiletry items
• New (unused) socks
• Children's books (good/excellent condition)

Among the projects in which participants can take part:

• Making sock rolls for The Giving Tree
• Sorting books for a Philadelphia elementary school
• Creating Sunshine cards for Sunrise Senior Living residents
• Assembling hygiene bags for Philly House and Cradles to Crayons
• Making Thank-you cards for staff at CHOP
• Making keychains for As We Rise Foundation
• Making animal toys for Main Line Animal Rescue
• Creating Dream Clouds to inspire LMSD students
• Participating in CPR demonstrations with Simon's Heart Foundation
• Packing snack bags for Ronald McDonald House
• Packing dental hygiene bags for those experiencing houselessness
• Painting Starfish and learning about recycling
• Decorating touchstones for Camp Erin

A new feature for this year's Afternoon of Service is the Best Buddies from Lower Merion High School will be hosting a sensory room for students who may need time away from the noisy activities in the cafeteria to participate in a more quiet way.

Elementary and middle school students should be accompanied by an adult.