VILLANOVA, Pa. – This year for Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service, UNITAS – Villanova Athletics diversity, equity and inclusion initiative – and the MLK Day of Service committee teamed up with the women's lacrosse team to assemble Blessing Bags to support local homeless shelters through the Bethesda Project.
The groups convened on Monday's Martin Luther King Jr. day to fill the bags with winter apparel and toiletries that had been collected through an MLK Day drive, done in partnership with the Philadelphia YMCA. Donations included socks, new or gently used winter hats, gloves, scarves and coats along with various toiletries and cases of water.
The drive took place in the week leading up to MLK Day, culminating at the men's basketball game against Butler on Jan. 16.
Along with the drive and Blessing Bags, UNITAS and the Villanova Black Alumni Association donated funds to the victims of the fire that occurred in the Fairmount neighborhood of Philadelphia on Jan. 5 that left 12 people dead.
UNITAS also provided various ways in which the entire Villanova family could honor the life and legacy of Dr. King through virtual engagement, building relationships with external community service organizations and strengthening their own education in relation to social justice.
UNITAS is a framework to build a welcoming and supportive athletic department through constructive dialogs, educational programming and community engagement. Through UNITAS, Villanova Athletics is committed to fostering an inclusive, anti-bigotry environment where every member of the community has a voice and feels respected, valued and safe.
