PA Cyber Leads Statewide Service Project in Honor of MLK
Students and Families to Mark 40th Federal Observance of Holiday with Week of Nine Volunteer Events Across PA
January 15, 2026
PA Cyber students, family members, and staff are supporting their communities in the coming days through a united statewide effort to honor Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy. They will donate meals, supplies, and their time to various organizations, including Steel City Table, Allentown Rescue Mission, and Caitlin’s Smiles.
Note: PA Cyber invites the media to attend any of the nine locations to capture the spirit of these events. Please see the enclosure for event times, locations, and on-site contact information.
“At PA Cyber we’re committed to providing a dynamic educational experience and delivering innovative teaching in a culture of caring,” said PA Cyber CEO Brian Hayden. “As Dr. King famously said, ‘Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’
“These volunteer opportunities extend lessons beyond the classroom and exemplify that learning is a social activity strengthened through personal and civic engagement,” added Hayden.
The cyber charter school is hosting the following events throughout the state:
- January 20 in Erie: PA Cyber families and staff will make 200 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches that will be donated to the Emmaus Soup Kitchen.
- January 20 in Philadelphia: The PA Cyber Philadelphia office has partnered with the Delaware County Food Bank to collect and repackage rice for donation.
- January 20 in Pittsburgh (Warrendale): PA Cyber families are invited to make sensory kits and birthday cards for Friendship Factory and children throughout the community.
- January 21 in Allentown: PA Cyber families and staff will assemble personal care kits for the Allentown Rescue Mission.
- January 21 in State College: Participants will make blankets for the Out of the Cold shelter in Centre County.
- January 22 in Greensburg: PA Cyber families and staff will make 250 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches that will be donated to Feeding the Spirit.
- January 22 in Harrisburg: PA Cyber families are invited to assemble craft kits for children in hospitals with serious health challenges. Assembled kits will be donated to Caitlin's Smiles, which impacts children throughout the Northeast.
- January 22 in Pittsburgh (South Side): After making bagged lunches, participants will deliver them to Steel City Table.
- January 22 in Wilkes-Barre: After making scarves, students will walk to Public Square and a bus station to distribute scarves to homeless people.
“This service project not only brings our students and families together to give back to our local communities – it also shows them that there is no one right way to give back,” says Mike Bergstrom, representative of PA Cyber’s Greensburg office. “The variety of volunteer activities that our offices take part in is astounding.”
About PA Cyber
Serving students in kindergarten through 12th grade, the Pennsylvania Cyber Charter School is the longest-operating online public school in Pennsylvania. PA Cyber’s online learning environments, personalized instructional methods, and curricula choices connect Pennsylvania students and families with state-certified and highly qualified teachers and rich academic content aligned to state standards. Founded in 2000, PA Cyber is headquartered in Midland (Beaver County) and maintains a network of support offices throughout the state. As a public school, PA Cyber is open for enrollment to any school-age child residing in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.