HOUSTON (January 10, 2024) – Interfaith Ministries for Greater Houston’s iLead Youth Engagement Program is set to kick off its 2024 session with a special focus on the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. This year’s program, consisting of 19 students and parents, aims to honor Dr. King’s principles of respect and service by actively participating in volunteer activities that contribute to the betterment of the community.
The iLead Kick-Off, scheduled for Sunday, January 14, 2024, from 2-4 pm at the Linda and Fred G. Marshall Building at 3215 Fannin Street, will feature a diverse group of 8th graders engaged in meaningful service projects, focused on a volunteer activity inspired by Dr. King’s vision of the Beloved Community. According to the King Center, Dr. King’s Beloved Community is “a global vision, in which all people can share in the wealth of the earth. In the Beloved Community, poverty, hunger, and homelessness will not be tolerated because international standards of human decency will not allow it.” Participants and parents will come together to assemble bags of groceries that will be donated to Spring Woods Middle School in Spring Branch ISD.
In alignment with Dr. King’s ideals, the service project addresses the issue of food insecurity, a critical concern in our communities. iLead participants will receive a brief overview of food insecurity prior to their volunteer activity, emphasizing their role as “Beloved Community creators.” A fourth grade student who participated in HISD’s MLK Oratory Speech Contest will attend and read their speech aloud.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s holiday is designated as a national day of service, promoting volunteerism and community improvement. The iLead Youth Engagement Program seeks to embody this spirit by engaging its participants in hands-on service projects that resonate with Dr. King’s vision for a society free from poverty, hunger, and hate.
“We believe in inspiring, educating, and connecting students and parents across diverse faith and cultural backgrounds,” says Gayla Wilson, Community Engagement Program Manager – IRCP at Interfaith Ministries for Greater Houston. “Through iLead, we aim to foster stronger interpersonal relationships, communication skills, and networking abilities, all while instilling the values of service and respect inspired by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.”
Interfaith Ministries wishes to thank CITGO Petroleum Corporation for their generosity as lead sponsor of the 2024 iLead Youth Engagement Program. iLead is also sponsored in part by Lisa and John Walker and the Rabbi Samuel E. Karff Memorial Fund.
For more information about the iLead Youth Engagement Program, please visit https://www.imgh.org/ilead-program/.
ABOUT INTERFAITH MINISTRIES FOR GREATER HOUSTON
A United Way partner, Interfaith Ministries for Greater Houston (Interfaith Ministries) brings people of diverse faith traditions together for dialogue, collaboration, and service as a demonstration of our shared beliefs. Interfaith Ministries provides four main services: Meals on Wheels for Greater Houston and Galveston County which delivers more than 1.9 million meals each year to homebound seniors and people with disabilities across four counties; Refugee Services which, in conjunction with the U.S. State Department, resettles thousands of refugees in Houston; Interfaith Relations and Community Partnerships, which provides community services fostering understanding, respect and engagement among Houstonians of all faiths; the Vic Samuels Center for Volunteerism and Civic Service, which establishes a positive and lasting impact on the Greater Houston community through organized service and leadership through Volunteer Houston and SERVE HOUSTON. For more information, visit https://www.imgh.org/.
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