“Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’”

These famous words of Martin Luther King Jr. were the motto for this year’s UW Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service, yesterday. More than 1,400 UW students, staff and alumni joined together to volunteer in more than 70 projects happening in the greater Seattle area. All these efforts were coordinated by UW’s Carlson Leadership & Public Service Center, along with The United Way of King County Volunteer Center.

“Students go out to organizations in the community where they fill volunteer roles, meeting whatever need the community organization has identified, dealing with issues from homelessness and poverty to literacy, to environmental restoration,” Matthew Wojciakowski, community engagement coordinator for the Carlson Center, said.

King’s birthday is celebrated as a national holiday on the third Monday in January, with community engagement projects occurring all across the nation. It is King’s lifelong commitment to improving communities, justice and freedom that inspires UW volunteers.

Junior and Sigma Lambda Gamma member Stephanie Peña spent the day volunteering with her sorority at Food Lifeline, a food distribution center located in Shoreline, packaging and labeling rice and noodles.

“We wanted to have a day on, not a day off,” Peña said, recalling Martin Luther King’s inspirational words. “Volunteering is humbling. You realize how much of an impact you can [have] on other people.”

Food Lifeline fed 675,000 people in Western Washington last year, with food distributed to 300 food banks, shelters and meal programs across 17 counties.

Cindy Etter, an ESL teacher at the UW, volunteered at Food Lifeline on MLK Day as well, noting, “Volunteering is something you get hooked to, and it is very enjoyable. You are able to meet people from all walks of life.”

UW alumna Cynthia Roat, who received her master’s degree in public health and is now a board member of the National Council of Interpreting in Health Care also volunteered at Food Lifeline. Roat, who brought along her 12-year-old daughter to help out, sees King as a great source of inspiration.

“Certainly Martin Luther King’s life was a study in service, even knowing that the road he took would possibly lead to his death,” Roat said. “Many leaders today as well have shown us the importance of reaching out and helping.”

The Husky Neighborhood Assistants along with Hillel — the Foundation for Jewish Life at UW — and 11 Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship candidates visiting the UW from 4 different continents, joined in on a north-of-45th neighborhood clean-up.

Julie Mendel, the project host, who lives in a house in the area, connects King’s vision to the community she lives in.

“Martin Luther King had a dream about community and shared responsibility,” Mendel said. “We are all part of this community, and no one is interested in seeing beer cans on their way home each day.”

This group of 25 scoured the area with garbage removal tools and trash bags, funded by the city of Seattle.

Project leader Robert Beiser, director of social justice at Hillel, highlighted the connection between King and the Jewish community.

“There were a lot of Jewish illuminaries and thinkers that were involved in the movement for equality in connection to Martin Luther King,” Beiser said, encouraging all UW students to volunteer on a regular basis. “UW produces more Peace Corps alumni than any other academic institution in the country. There is no reason for students not to start their focus on community service and be able to truly impact the lives of others in countless, meaningful ways.”

Reach reporter Evelyne Kolker at news@dailyuw.com