WORCESTER—For 41 years, Worcester’s Martin Luther King Jr. Annual Community Breakfast has brought the city together each January to do something Dr. King championed relentlessly: sit side by side, reflect honestly and recommit to the work ahead.
On Monday, Jan. 19, that tradition continues at Assumption University, where hundreds are invited to gather for a morning rooted in remembrance, recognition and renewal.
Founded in 1985, the breakfast has become one of Worcester’s longest-running community observances honoring King’s life and vision. According to the announcement, the breakfast was created to foster unity across differences—a mission organizers say remains just as urgent today.
“This event is an opportunity for people to enjoy themselves and continue the legacy of Dr. King,” said Nellie Toney, co-chair of the MLK Breakfast Committee, in the announcement. “Hundreds of people from all races, religions, ages and genders gather together. To keep that going for 41 years is a beautiful thing.”
This year’s keynote speaker is Jennifer Davis Carey, former executive director of the Worcester Education Collaborative, whose career has centered on equity and inclusion across K–12 and higher education. Carey has held leadership roles including director of minority recruitment at Harvard and Radcliffe Colleges and director of college counseling and diversity at Bancroft School, and previously served the state in senior government positions. Organizers say her work reflects the breakfast’s long-standing emphasis on education, access and community leadership.
The program also recognizes people whose service has etched a lasting mark on Worcester. Honorees include Worcester firefighter Kervin Lima, Worcester NAACP President Fred Taylor, and Philip Niddrie, a founding member of the MLK Breakfast Committee who dedicated four decades to organizing the event.
Several students also receive scholarships funded through the committee’s scholarship subcommittee and its annual golf tournament. Since 1985, the committee has awarded more than $200,000 in scholarships, with additional support provided by Quinsigamond Community College.
Local organizations join the occasion to connect attendees with volunteer opportunities throughout the year, extending the spirit of King’s legacy beyond a single day. Guests are also encouraged to bring a new, age-appropriate book related to Dr. King, civil rights, justice, or equity for second- and third-grade students in Worcester and Fitchburg public schools—books students can take home and keep.
The book drive is being coordinated by the Worcester Area Mission Society and United Congregational Church, which are also accepting tax-deductible cash donations to purchase books on donors’ behalf, according to event organizers. Books may be donated at the breakfast or directly through WAMS in the weeks following the event.
The public is invited to attend the breakfast, which will be held at Assumption University’s Plourde Recreation Center, 500 Salisbury St. Doors open at 7 a.m., with the program beginning promptly at 8 a.m. Shuttle service from campus parking lots to the venue will be provided by the WRTA.
Anyone wishing to purchase tickets could contact Rose D’Errico at rderrico@qcc.mass.edu.
