SOLVE Volunteers Honor Dr. King’s Legacy Through Day Of Service (Photo) -01/21/25
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Additional photos available for download here
Portland, Ore., January 21, 2025—Yesterday, SOLVE volunteers across Oregon and Southwest Washington came together to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy through meaningful community action. This annual event encourages community members to contribute to positive change and strengthen connections within their neighborhoods.
At the heart of this year's efforts was a major cleanup event at Irving Park in Portland, proudly presented by Kaiser Permanente. Close to 350 volunteers gathered to support the Historic Albina Neighborhood and surrounding areas, working together to remove litter and beautify the community. The event exemplified the spirit of service and unity that Dr. King championed.
"Kaiser Permanente is proud to partner with SOLVE for this year's Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service," said Ron Shoals, Community Health Relations, Kaiser Permanente Northwest. "We know that cleaner communities are healthier. 80 percent of people's health is determined outside of the clinical environment, and most significantly by the socioeconomic conditions in the neighborhoods where people live, work and play. Our partnership with SOLVE reflects our shared commitment to fostering healthier environments for everyone."
In addition to the Irving Park event, dedicated volunteers participated in impactful projects across the region. These included a forest restoration effort at Mary S. Young Park, a restoration day at Westlake HOA Oak Woodlands, planting and propagation Day of Service organized by the Water Resources Education Center Vancouver, WA, a Multnomah Village trash and graffiti cleanup organized by the Multnomah Neighborhood Association, a community cleanup led by the Hockinson High School Band in Bush Prairie, WA, the ongoing Tidy Up Downtown Hillsboro initiative, and a land tending event at Powell Butte organized by the Johnson Creek Watershed Council.
Overall, SOLVE's Irving Park event engaged nearly 350 volunteers who collectively worked along Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd and the surrounding neighborhood to remove 2,100 pounds of litter making a lasting impact on the community.
"SOLVE is proud to be part of a powerful movement, caring for our city and communities beyond Oregon in memory of Dr. King. This Day of Service is more than just picking up trash; it's about fostering community connections and empowering individuals to actively better their neighborhoods," said Kris Carico, CEO at SOLVE. "The collective effort showcased during this event is a manifestation of the power of individuals coming together to create positive change."
SOLVE provided free cleanup supplies, event planning support, and access to a volunteer registration platform to empower individuals and groups to lead their own service projects. This commitment reflects SOLVE's mission to inspire collective action for a cleaner, healthier environment. For more information about SOLVE and upcoming volunteer opportunities, please visit www.solveoregon.org.
About SOLVE
SOLVE brings communities together to take care of our environment and enhance our waterways. Since 1969, the organization has grown from a small, grassroots initiative to a national model of volunteer action. Today, SOLVE mobilizes and trains thousands of volunteers of all ages across Oregon, and SW Washington, to clean and restore our neighborhoods and natural areas, while empowering a community of environmental stewards for our state. You can follow SOLVE on Instagram at @SOLVEinOregon, Facebook at @SOLVEOregon, or at www.solveoregon.org.
ABOUT KAISER PERMANENTE
Kaiser Permanente is committed to helping shape the future of health care. We are recognized as one of America's leading health care providers and not-for-profit health plans. Founded in 1945, Kaiser Permanente has a mission to provide high-quality, affordable health care services and to improve the health of our members and the communities we serve. We currently serve nearly 12.5 million members in 8 states and the District of Columbia. Care for members and patients is focused on their total health and guided by their personal Permanente Medical Group physicians, specialists, and team of caregivers. Our expert and caring medical teams are empowered and supported by industry-leading technology advances and tools for health promotion, disease prevention, state-of-the-art care delivery, and world-class chronic disease management. Kaiser Permanente is dedicated to care innovations, clinical research, health education, and the support of community health. For more information, please visit: about.kaiserpermanente.org