“Everybody can be great…because anybody can serve.” ~ Martin Luther King, Jr.
Temple Law faculty and students can now sign up for one of three law school-sponsored service opportunities on Monday, January 16th, the Martin Luther King Day of Service. Not only is service is a fundamental value in the legal profession, but these events help to continue Temple Law’s proud tradition of community engagement and leadership. Both day and evening classes have been cancelled to ensure that all law faculty and students can participate in the day’s events. Members of the Temple Law community may also bring family members, subject to the limits and conditions set by each site.
The three service opportunities available to Temple Law students and faculty are described below. If you’re interested in participating, please sign up for a project online. For more information, please contact the Director of Public Interest Programs, Lisa Hurlbutt, at lisa.hurlbutt@temple.edu.
- Jane Addams Place, Lutheran Settlement House, 9AM-2PM, 25 S. 43rd Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104 (43rd and Ludlow, between Market and Chestnut – accessible via the Market Frankford subway line, 46th Street Station stop): 24 volunteers needed. This will be a hands-on service day beautifying an emergency homeless shelter for women and children with projects including painting, clean-up, child craft activities, and community legal education presentations. Lunch provided. Please wear clothing you don’t mind getting dirty/paint on. Children 12 and up are welcome but must be registered individually. SPIN Points: 1 Point Per Hour.
- City Year: A Day of Service at Warren G. Harding Middle School, 8AM-2PM, 2000 Wakeling Street, Philadelphia, PA 19124 (corner of Torresdale and Wakeling Streets, approx. 10 minute walk from the Arrott Transportation Center stop on the Market-Frankford subway line, or drive/carpool): 10-12 volunteers needed. Volunteers will help to create a more colorful, inspiring, and harmonious space through painted murals and small building projects. Lunch will be provided. Please wear clothing you don’t mind getting paint on. Ages 18 and up only. SPIN Points: 1 Point Per Hour. Please sign up today!
- VITA Tax Preparer Pro Bono Training with Prof. Alice Abreu: 10AM-4PM in Klein Room K2B. Professor Alice Abreu leads this annual training to the Temple law community for the federal VITA program. 100+ spots available. Participants are prepared and certified to assist low-income taxpayers in filing their annual income tax return. Once certified, participants can volunteer this tax season at any VITA site, including at the Sheller Center for Social Justice here on campus. This is an essential service that helps low-income taxpayers to obtain often substantial refunds without reduction by preparer fees and exposure to predatory or unlawful practices. Participants should bring a laptop, preferably not a Mac. Lunch provided. Those who attend this training on a volunteer basis (not as part of a course requirement) who also go on to volunteer with the VITA program can claim the allotted SPIN points for the training (1 point per hour), plus a SPIN point for every hour volunteered.