The Jaffrey Civic Center has partnered with a New Hampshire non-profit relief organization for a humanitarian drive in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. 

The Civic Center, along with NuDay Syria will be collecting various items to donate to people in Syria from Jan. 11 to Jan. 26.

“It’s really exciting, we are all excited,” said Peggy Ueda, a member of the Civic Center’s MLK committee. “I feel like our event has always been commemorative, giving people an opportunity to come together over the words of Martin Luther King Jr. This drive allows us to take actual action.”

This is the second time the Civic Center has incorporated a Day of Service into its MLK Day celebration, Ueda said. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday was designated as a national day of service in 1994 after previously being signed into law as a national holiday in 1983. 

Ueda said the drive was inspired by the theme of this year’s MLK Day celebration – “We are all one humanity.” 

One of the committee members knew of someone local who volunteered for NuDay Syria  – an organization focused on bringing humanitarian aid inside Syria – which prompted the connection between the two organizations. 

“NuDay totally depends on local activists, schools, community and religious groups as well as individuals and families to collect donations and send them off on our containers,” NuDay Syria Founder and CEO Nadia Alawa said. “We call our containers #VesselsofLoveandHope because they really are. These huge vessels of much needed relief and aid directly affect lives and are tangible ways of building bridges from families here in the US to families inside Syria. We love getting everyone involved and that love is contagious.

A wide variety of items will be collected through the drive, including: dry and canned foods, new and gently used clothing, sewing supplies and fabric, household furniture, bedding and sleeping supplies, infant and feminine hygiene products, school supplies and games, soccer and sports equipment, bikes and scooters, stuffed animals and toys, medical supplies, crutches, walkers, wheelchairs, and building equipment and tools. 

“We saw it as an opportunity for people who have so many things they may not want that are too good to throw out,” Ueda said. 

Donations can be brought to the Civic Center from 9 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday.

Volunteers are also needed to help sort and pack the goods on Saturday, Jan. 26 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The rain date is Sunday, Jan. 27 from noon to 4 p.m. 

For more information, contact the Civic Center at 532-6527 or mlkjaffrey@gmail.com.

Nicholas Handy can be reached at 924-7172 ext. 235 or nhandy@ledgertranscript.com.