Volunteers come together to honor George Floyd's 48th birthday

The first ever George Floyd Volunteerism Week runs Oct. 10-16 and is organized by the Fayetteville-based George Floyd Memorial Foundation.

Floyd, who was killed by a police officer during an arrest in Minneapolis, Minn., in May 2020, would have turned 48 this week.

The event will work to bring together 100,000 volunteers in Fayetteville, where Floyd was born, and around the country for various service projects like litter pickup, working at food banks and animal shelters, and encouraging people to vote.

People who participate are encouraged to post on social media tagging @justiceforgeorge and using the hashtags #bethechange and #justiceforgeorge.

“George Floyd was a living example of how everyone can make a significant impact in their own communities,” said Jacari Harris, executive director of The George Floyd Memorial Foundation. “When his life was tragically cut short, it became our mission to ensure that his legacy lived on through the kindness of others.”

The foundation has awarded more than $50,000 in scholarships to law school, college and high school students, including gifting $25,000 to Fayetteville State University.