More than 80 volunteers from Kaiser Permanente helped out with the Clark County Food Bank on Monday, while Hockinson High School students were among the volunteers who helped clean up their campus as part of the day of service

For years, Martin Luther King Jr. Day has been celebrated as a day of service, a day for volunteers.

Kaiser Permanente has taken that mission to heart for 15 consecutive years in Clark County.

On Monday, 82 volunteers inspected and repacked more than 25,000 pounds of food, helping to provide approximately 21,000 meals for Clark County neighbors via the Clark County Food Bank.

The Clark County volunteer effort was one of 56 projects supported by Kaiser Permanente across Southwest Washington and Oregon. In total, more than 600 volunteers participated. 

“We are proud to once again invest in our community by helping provide nutritious food to families and individuals facing food insecurity,” said Wendy Watson, president of Kaiser Permanente Northwest. 

Among many other volunteer activities in the region, Hockinson High School Band students and community members picked up litter around the school campus in Brush Prairie, part of SOLVE’s service day. SOLVE started as an anti-litter and anti-vandalism and now also takes care of the environment and enhances waterways.

More than 800 volunteers across Oregon and Southwest Washington picked up more than 6,000 pounds of trash. 

“What made this day especially meaningful was seeing people not only take action through cleanup and restoration, but also stay to connect, whether through conversation, creativity, or simply being together as a community,” said Kris Carico, CEO of SOLVE.