College students gathered on Martin Luther King Jr. Day at Legion Field in west Birmingham. Although there was much to celebrate that day, they were not there to celebrate. They were not there to perform work for a return, and they were not there to earn college credit.

They were there to volunteer.

Benga Harrison, director of Hands on Birmingham, explained.

“Hands on Birmingham is a volunteer organization. We work with different nonprofits, the city of Birmingham and the schools, and bring volunteers to them. We’ll scope a project and determine how many volunteers they need and what kind of supplies they need, and then gather people to help,” Harrison said. “On this MLK Day, Hands on Birmingham has about 40 to 45 projects going on in the city.”

Volunteer group Hands On Birmingham is lifting the city up by meeting needs from Alabama NewsCenter on Vimeo.

Harrison has worked in the nonprofit world in Birmingham for 16 years. Through her different positions, she developed skills that helped her allocate the support needed around a project. Those skills include leadership, fundraising, organizational development, training and education.

“Our mission at Hands on Birmingham is to help bring about positive social change in the Birmingham area, by giving nonprofits and the organizations we help volunteer opportunities,” Harrison said. “Seeing these young people here today makes me believe that mission is alive.”

A Birmingham native, Harrison loves practicing her passion of giving back to the community she grew up in, through citizens realizing the importance of volunteerism.

“This is my city, this is my home and this is where I live. I believe that unless we help the weakest link, none of us will improve. Everybody is important and must meet those basic needs,” Harrison said.

Hands on Birmingham’s Benga Harrison talks with Birmingham Mayor William Bell at a large MLK Day volunteer event at Legion Field. (Karim Shamsi-Basha/Alabama NewsCenter)

Benga Harrison stands among Hands on Birmingham volunteers as Mayor William Bell speaks to the group. (Karim Shamsi-Basha/Alabama NewsCenter)

Hands on Birmingham volunteers scrape paint as part of an effort to spruce up Legion Field. (Karim Shamsi-Basha/Alabama NewsCenter)

Hands on Birmingham provides the volunteer power to get things done for Birmingham nonprofits, schools and other groups. (Karim Shamsi-Basha/Alabama NewsCenter)

Hands on Birmingham volunteers are all smiles during a day of service at Legion Field. (Karim Shamsi-Basha/Alabama NewsCenter)

Hands on Birmingham volunteers scrape paint as part of an effort to spruce up Legion Field. (Karim Shamsi-Basha/Alabama NewsCenter)

Hands on Birmingham volunteers are all smiles during a day of service at Legion Field. (Karim Shamsi-Basha/Alabama NewsCenter)

Hands on Birmingham executive director Benga Harrison. (Karim Shamsi-Basha/Alabama NewsCenter)

On this sunny day at Legion Field, Birmingham Mayor William Bell greeted the students and welcomed them, and then got them fired up. They spread out around the aging stadium and scraped and painted and repaired. Young people did their part as the citizens of a city that will always need that spirit of volunteerism.

“I’ve only been the executive director of Hands on Birmingham for one year, but I already see the importance of learning about your own city,” Harrison said. “When you start understanding the issues and problems in your community, you can then provide solutions.”

This year’s MLK Day had many celebratory events throughout the city. At Legion Field and with the help of Hands on Birmingham, college students celebrated the legacy of community, giving and volunteerism through sweat and scraped knees.

Alabama Bright Lights captures the stories, through words, pictures and video, of some of our state’s brightest lights who are working to make Alabama an even better place to live, work and play. Award-winning journalist Karim Shamsi-Basha tells their inspiring stories. Email him comments, as well as suggestions on people to profile, at karimshamsibasha@gmail.com.