Albert Einstein College of Medicine honored the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. from January 19 to 21 with a series of service-themed events at Bronx nonprofit groups. As real-feel temperatures dipped into single digits, students, faculty, and staff headed outside to pack produce and groceries and distribute clothing and food across the borough.

Dean Yaron Tomer, M.D., in gray striped sweater, with other volunteers at Niño de la Caridad during Einstein’s MLK Week of Service.

“Our MLK Week of Service pays tribute to Dr. King and helps fulfill his call for compassion and hope,” said Yaron Tomer, M.D., the Marilyn and Stanley M. Katz Dean at Einstein and chief academic officer at Montefiore Einstein. “When we meet with and serve our Bronx neighbors, we learn about their needs and strengths, help support our community partners, and become better prepared to care for them as compassionate and competent physicians and community members.”

On Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Dr. Tomer, his wife, Gitit Tomer, M.D., and Einstein's executive dean, Marla Keller, M.D., joined a team at Niño de la Caridad, an organization dedicated to serving children that was established by a Montefiore Einstein faculty member, Denise Nunez, M.D. In assembly-line style, team members made hundreds of sandwiches and loaded drinks, snacks, and toys into bags later collected by grateful residents.

The MLK Week of Service events were coordinated by Einstein’s service-learning program, which emphasizes meaningful community engagement through all four years of education at the College of Medicine. Since 2022, Einstein students have logged more than 30,000 hours of service at dozens of nonprofits that assist middle- and high school students, people with disabilities, families, senior citizens, and cancer patients, among others.

Service as A Way of Life

For Kelli-Ann Francis, Einstein’s student life coordinator, the MLK Week of Service was a full circle moment of connection between the College of Medicine and the nonprofit group she co-founded, Immanuel Cares Global. Ms. Francis’ family, led by 84-year-old matriarch Linsea Newton, has a deep tradition of caring for those in need.

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“My grandmother opened up her home to many people over the years,” said Ms. Francis. “She always says: ‘As long as we can help, we should.’ Giving back and helping others is her way of loving her neighbors.”

A pandemic closet purge sparked an idea for sustaining that mission of generosity here and abroad. Realizing that they could collect donations from family, friends, and others, Ms. Francis and her sister, Shanique, launched Immanuel Cares Global to provide clothing, food, and social support to people in New York and Jamaica. Last year, the service-learning program added the group as one of the sites available for volunteers during the MLK week of events. Ms. Francis and her team set up a “Care Hub” of tents and tables of donated goods on the sidewalk in front of an emergency facility for the unhoused in the Hunts Point area of the South Bronx. “It’s important for us to be where the need is,” said Ms. Francis.

Recognizing Community Challenges

Fourth-year medical student Hannah Rosenthal was among several Einstein students, faculty, and staff members who signed up for this year’s Care Hub event, led once again by Ms. Francis, Shanique, their younger sister, Avana, their mother, Evette, and other friends.

Fourth-year medical student Hannah Rosenthal was among several Einstein students, faculty, and staff members who signed up for the Immanuel Cares’ event.

The group distributed 100 sandwiches, hot chocolate, apples, cookies, and bags of clothing and shoes outside of the BronxWorks Living Room drop-in center for unhoused adults. Ms. Rosenthal, who volunteered last year at the Care Hub, said she was drawn to return, noting that physicians should understand patients’ social and economic challenges as part of their overall health.

“I felt like I wanted to spend time interacting with the Bronx community,” said Ms. Rosenthal. “In preparing for residency, I want to be more grounded in the community.”

Other MLK Week of Service events included a produce- and grocery-packing event run by Grassroots Grocery, which provides healthy food to Bronx residents and other nonprofit groups, and a food distribution event led by Montefiore’s Project BRAVO.