SUNY Chancellor King Participates in Day of Service to Honor Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
January 20, 2026
Chancellor King Joins Empire State Service Corps Members in Albany to Assemble Literacy Kits
National Day of Service Pays Tribute to Dr. King's Life and Legacy with Volunteer Actions
Albany, NY — State University of New York Chancellor John B. King Jr. participated in a day of service to honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Chancellor King joined SUNY Trustees Courtney Burke and Luca Rallis, SUNY Adirondack Trustee Colleen McDonald, volunteers from SUNY, members of the Empire State Service Corps, and other volunteers at the United Way of the Greater Capital Region in Albany to assemble literacy kits for the organization's partnership with the Dolly Parton Imagination Library Program.
"Our Empire State Service Corps members and other SUNY students serve our state in a multitude of ways that benefit all New Yorkers," said SUNY Chancellor King. "Public service empowers people from all backgrounds to come together to make a positive difference in the lives of others. We are proud to demonstrate Dr. King's legacy on this day, and every day, by being a source of equity, upward mobility, and active citizenship."
The SUNY Board of Trustees said, "Volunteers throughout the state have stepped up as part of this day of service to give back to their communities. We applaud Chancellor King, SUNY system staff, and our Empire State Service Corps members for their continued dedication and investment into their communities through their service work."
During the day of service event, Chancellor King and other volunteers helped assemble literacy kits for children who receive books from the United Way of the Greater Capital Region and the Dolly Parton Imagination Library. The literacy kits provide hands-on activity packs that help supplement the books they receive from the organizations, and each kit includes tools to help caregivers bond with their children, activities for kids that inspire a love of reading and support school readiness, as well as a fun snack item.
More than 35 students, faculty, and staff from the Empire State Service Corps and area SUNY campuses assembled the literacy kits, which will be distributed to the Children's Museum at Saratoga.
President and CEO of United Way of New York State Therese Daly said, "We are honored to partner with SUNY, Chancellor King, the students, and the Empire State Service Corps to help young children in our communities build a strong foundation for learning. Programs like the Dolly Parton Imagination Library ensure that every child, regardless of background, has access to books and resources that inspire a lifelong love of reading. Funding and supporting initiatives like this remain a key priority for United Way at the state level, because early literacy is critical to a child's success and the health of our communities."
President and CEO of United Way of the Greater Capital Region Peter Gannon said, "It's been proven that by helping young children build strong reading foundations at an early age and getting them school-ready before they start kindergarten, we can set them up for success in academics and in life. United Way of the Greater Capital Region is grateful to Chancellor John B. King Jr. for his leadership and commitment to service, and for shining a spotlight on the power of early literacy to change lives. As we honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy through this Day of Service, we are proud to partner with SUNY volunteers assembling literacy kits that will strengthen family connections, deliver more books to children around the Capital Region, and help inspire a lifelong love of reading."
The SUNY Day of Service is part of SUNY's ongoing efforts to promote civic engagement and support local communities and New Yorkers in need. In recognition of National Blood Donor Month, SUNY campuses have partnered with non-profits to organize and host blood drives to ensure people receive the life-saving care they need. During the fall semester, SUNY students, faculty, and staff gave back to their fellow New Yorkers by volunteering at local food banks, food pantries, and soup kitchens, and also donated food to assist those impacted by food insecurity. Members of the Empire State Service Corps also participated in Governor Hochul’s Day of Hunger Action to combat food insecurity in their communities during the food insecurity crisis.
Dolly Parton's Imagination Library is a book gifting program that sends a free, high-quality, and age-appropriate book to all registered children until they turn five. United Way of the Greater Capital Region launched their partnership with Dolly Parton's Imagination Library in 2024 in nine counties in the Capital Region, including Albany County, Columbia County, Fulton County, Greene Country, Montogomery Country, Rensselaer County, Saratoga County, Schenectady County, and Schoharie County.
In the first year of the program, United Way of the Greater Capital Region enrolled more than 13,000 children and delivered over 175,000 books. Children under the age of five, who reside in any of the nine counties served by the United Way of the Greater Capital Region are eligible to enroll in the program.
About the State University of New York
The State University of New York is the largest comprehensive system of higher education in the United States, and more than 95 percent of all New Yorkers live within 30 miles of any one of SUNY’s 64 colleges and universities. Across the system, SUNY has four academic health centers, five hospitals, four medical schools, two dental schools, a law school, the country’s oldest school of maritime, the state's only college of optometry, 12 Educational Opportunity Centers, over 30 ATTAIN digital literacy labs, and manages one US Department of Energy National Laboratory. In total, SUNY serves about 1.7 million students across its portfolio of credit- and non-credit-bearing courses and programs, continuing education, and community outreach programs. SUNY oversees nearly a quarter of academic research in New York. Research expenditures system-wide are nearly $1.5 billion in fiscal year 2025, including significant contributions from students and faculty. There are more than three million SUNY alumni worldwide, and annually one in three New Yorkers who earn a college degree is a SUNY alum. To learn more about how SUNY creates opportunities, visit suny.edu.
Share this:
Holly Liapis
518-320-1311
Email the Office of Communications
