Utahns assemble thousands of care kits at Thanksgiving Point's MLK Day service project

By Emma Benson, KSL | Posted - Jan. 19, 2026 at 8:03 p.m.

LEHI — Utahns across the state participated in service projects Monday in honor of Martin Luther King Jr.

Thanksgiving Point in Lehi teamed up with UServeUtah, the Ronald McDonald House and the Five.12 Foundation for their sixth annual MLK Day of Service. Hundreds of volunteers helped assemble 500 overnight kits for families and 2,000 weekend meal packs for school-aged kids facing food insecurity. The meals included granola bars, mac and cheese, pudding cups, oatmeal packets, juice boxes and more.

Each kit also included a Thanksgiving Point STEM activity, giving kids a hands-on way to keep learning while at home.

"We love the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. and what he did about giving back," said Stephen Ashton, senior director of the Butterfly Biosphere and Curiosity Farms at Thanksgiving Point. "This is our way of giving back and our way of working together with this incredible community that we're in to support kids from all backgrounds."

For Kelly Griffin, the event was a chance to get her kids involved in giving back.

"We just want them to be service-oriented and think outside themselves," she said. "It helps them grow and be productive members of society."

If you weren't able to attend, there are numerous ways to contribute to your community. Thanksgiving Point offers a volunteer program, and websites like justserve.org, idealist.org and createthegood.org can help you find local opportunities to make a difference.