South San Francisco, CA January 17, 2017 Submitted by Joe Fragola, Kaiser Permanente 
On a cold and sunny Monday morning this week, some 30 physicians, nurses, staff, managers and families from Kaiser Permanente South San Francisco came together to take a day on instead of a day off in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service. The volunteers showed up to give back to the community of students and faculty at the Los Cerritos Elementary School in South San Francisco.
After a short welcome, the group split up into smaller teams to tackle sprucing up the school facilities. They organized and cleaned the Teacher’s Collaboration room, painted benches throughout the campus in bright colors and installed some new furniture. They also gathered up tiles painted by the students and attached them on a large board to make them more secure and hung them on the walls outside the classrooms so the students can see them and take pride in their efforts.
Los Cerritos Elementary School is a Thriving Schools designee in South San Francisco. Thriving Schools is a Kaiser Permanente program to help improve community health by creating a culture of health and wellness for students, staff and teachers in K – 12 Schools.
“We are grateful and honored to have the Kaiser Permanente volunteers here on MLK Day, said Kennelyn Celeste, Principal Los Cerritos Elementary School. “It means so much to the students and teachers when they see how much the school has brightened up and improved through the work of the volunteers.”
Joining the volunteers Monday was South San Francisco City Council member Rich Garbarino who came to thank all the volunteers for their work to make the community a better place. After signing in he got busy and pitched in to put furniture together for the Teacher’s Collaboration room.
“Providing great care and service to our members is key to what we do every day at Kaiser Permanente,” said John Skerry, MD, Physician-in-Chief. KP South San Francisco. “To take time to volunteer during the MLK Day of Service, allows us to fulfill our mission of giving back to the communities we serve. Our day sprucing up Los Cerritos Elementary School gives the students and teachers an improved atmosphere for learning.”
Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service is a program wide effort by Kaiser Permanente to honor the American civil rights leader while giving back to the communities it serves. This was the 13th annual MLK Day of volunteering. The physicians, nurses and staff all throughout the Northern California region served as volunteers at various community projects.
MLK Day John Skerry, Kennelyn Celeste, Sheila Fusaro
MLK DAY Hannah Fernandez Gotico, Sheila Fusaro, Jess Wang painting benches
MLK Day Cheryll Amacio KP GSF Public Affairs painting
MLK DAY KP volunteers organizing Teacher’s Collaboration Rm
MLK Day KP Volunteers at Los Cerritos School SSF 2017
MLK Day Council member Rich Garbarino with KP Volunteers assembling furniture
MLK DAY student painted tiles
Council member Rich Garbarino MLK Day 2017