
PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Pennsylvania Governor-elect Josh Shapiro traded his suit for an apron Sunday to lend a hand at a nonprofit in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
He spent the morning with other elected officials, like Lieutenant Governor-elect Austin Davis, as well as families, community members and volunteers at Vetri Community Partnership’s day of service on Spring Garden and N. 10th Streets.
At the event, they packed goods for those in low-income housing, made spice kits for programs that help out in the community and learned how to cook healthy meals.
Vetri Community Partnership CEO Maddy Booth says their day of service is all about helping people eat healthier and making sure food-insecure people in Philadelphia can enjoy a healthy meal or two.
Shapiro helped make a healthy hash before he packed boxes of food for those in need.
He said this is just a small representation of how he plans on governing.
“We recognize what Austin and I are about to step into together is a world of service – service to the good people of Pennsylvania,” Shapiro said.
Philadelphia councilmember Jim Harrity and council president Derrell Clarke were also at the event.
Harrity says these small acts of service mean the world to those in need.
“There’s a lot of people, especially in my neighborhood – I come out of Kensington – that are in need of a helping hand and it doesn’t mean you’re anything less except for the fact that we all go through trials and tribulations and every once in a while we all need a helping hand.”
Clarke hopes this will help inspire others to lend a helping hand.
“We’re asking people to get involved in a meaningful way every day of the year,” he said.