READING, Pa. – On a day meant to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., many in Berks County didn’t take a day off, they took a day on.
Across Reading, service showed up in different forms: planting, feeding, creating, all tied together by one goal: helping others.
At the City of Reading greenhouse, volunteers gathered for planting Seeds of Change. Just a few miles away in Shillington, service took on another form, one meal at a time.
“We’ve got lots of sandwiches being made. We have blankets going to neighbors who may need something to keep them extra warm this winter,” said Jamie Babczak, Pastor, Emmanuel United Church of Christ.
Those sandwiches were then delivered to New Journey Community Outreach in Reading, a place that serves hundreds of people every single week.
“This is our dining hall,” said Jeff Laylon, the program director at New Journey. “On any given day, we serve between 300 and 400 people, whether it’s a hot meal, food from our pantry, or clothing.”
Laylon says days like this are a reminder of why service matters.
“Martin Luther King asked, ‘What are you doing for others?’” Laylon said. “That’s something I ask myself every day.”
For community leaders, the work goes beyond food. It’s about connection across age, faith, and background.
“It is a privilege to be able to serve this community,” Laylon added. “Many of the people who come here have been pushed to the edges of society. We want this to be a place where everyone is welcome.”