On Friday January 17, 2020, Millennial Action Project (MAP) staff spent the morning volunteering at A Wider Circle, a charity with the mission of ending poverty through on-the-ground programs and services. MAP traveled to Silver Spring, MD where we first heard from Rachael Buck, Director of Volunteer and Outreach Programming. She told us about the goals of A Wider Circle and their upcoming nationwide initiatives to raise the poverty line while still working locally to help over 20 households toward economic self-sufficiency every single day. From there, MAP staff split up into a number of different groups at various spots throughout the organization’s headquarters: some sorted home goods donations, others transported items from the warehouse to the display floor, and still others worked directly with individuals to help load up cars and trucks with the furniture and other household items that they had selected. By the end of our time volunteering, MAP had helped six families to furnish their homes with high-quality items and had taken in hundreds of donated objects. Encouraging dignity in asking for help is a large part of the mission of A Wider Circle, and it felt good to know that we were assisting in doing that.

This act of community service was inspired by Martin Luther King Jr. Day, which took place the following Monday. It is a tradition to volunteer to celebrate this holiday and the life of Martin Luther King Jr. In order to give back to the community in which we live and work, MAP felt it would be best to serve at a local charity that also includes a broader mission.

In addition to providing for more stable homes, A Wider Circle also participates in workforce development by offering professional outfits and advice to people who are searching for a career. They manage a warehouse of business clothing, provide resources for interview preparation, and give advice on writing resumes and cover letters. Their goal is to help community members establish economic self-sufficiency through stability and neighborhood development. In serving with and supporting A Wider Circle, MAP hopes to contribute to their mission and was delighted to volunteer with them over Martin Luther King Day weekend. To find out more about A Wider Circle or if you are interested in volunteering, visit their website.