National MLK 2010 Update

National MLK 2010 Update
January 25, 2010

Martin Luther King Jr. - 2010 Season of Service

Impacting Communities on MLK Day and 40 Days of Peace

Each Year on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, we ask ourselves how much of the dream has yet to be realized and then look to see what Martin would be doing in our communities if he was with us today.

Service For Peace chapters and subgrantees held MLK Day of Service program in 12 states, from Connecticut to California, and Florida to Washington, involving 15,397 volunteers in 261 service projects. In addition, another 7,787 volunteers came out in 68 service projects, during the 40 Days of Peace period. Projects targeted a range of social justice issues including: hunger, literacy, poverty, financial education, environment, education, beautification, health and wellness, and Haiti Relief. The local community impacts were expanded by coverage in over 40 media outlets and posted at http://serviceforpeace.org/newsview.php?id=152 . Following are samples of projects across the country during MLK Day and the 40 Days of Peace - www.40daysofpeace.org.

EDUCATION
Little Haiti, Miami. The Yvonne Learning Center (YLC), located in the heart of Little Haiti, Miami, was the site of Service For Peace’s signature project the "Outdoor Living Lab". This is an ongoing, year-long program that teaches students academics in an outdoor environment, connecting their lessons with nature and the environment. Throughout the MLK week prior to the day of service, including Dr. King's birthday on January 15th, 100 YLC students planted trees, weeded their vegetable garden, and mulched the pathways through their school garden. The middle school and high school students then participated in Saturday January 16th's MLK Day of Service, joining volunteers from Florida International University, seniors from AARP, Miami Dade College, and Miami Dade County Parks & Recreation to restore and beautify a special park in South Miami Dade. The YLC students had an engaging experience working side by side with college students and senior citizens, working with people from all over the county, from many different backgrounds. On Monday January 18, all YLC students and staff invited the community and special guests to their school's garden dedication. All participants were invited to join in the rejuvenation of their neighborhood and community while Haiti relief information was given out to everyone. The YLC students concluded this great week of service by encouraging everybody to continue being involved throughout the 40 days of peace and beyond!

Harrisburg, PA. Harrisburg's SuperReader Floyd Stokes and his SuperReader volunteers read stories about Martin Luther King Jr. to children and discussed his legacy.

Washington DC. Volunteers worked in a program that targeted elementary and middle school students from underserved communities in a special dance for peace program that seeks to promote the values of peace and conflict prevention through dance, art and service.

ENVIRONMENT
Tampa, FL. Over 1000 students from the University of Southern Florida (UCF), in partnership with Service For Peace, participated with the Mayor’s Beautification Program working to engage students with projects that develop individual responsibility and environmental stewardship. Volunteers worked on park restoration and beautification projects across Tampa Bay. One exciting development that has come about as a result of the USF MLK event is that the Center for Leadership & Civic Engagement (CLCE) has developed a new plan for sustainability with its largest community partner – the Mayor’s Beautification Project. The CLCE has committed to adopting a park and a bay after the January 16 event (both the park and the bay were sites at its January 16 event). CLCE will continue to send student groups to these two adopted locations throughout the year – creating an ongoing commitment and partnership for the students to take on in the community. It becomes much more than just a one-day clean-up and this formal commitment will allow the students to take greater ownership over the park and bay areas and encourage them to further consider the implications of their everyday actions on the environment.

Prescott, AZ. The Yavapai County VISTA Project engaged volunteers at Watson Woods Preserve to collect and prepare 12,500 Willow saplings. “Big for a Day” with Yavapai Big Brothers Big Sisters had over 25 adult volunteers matched with a local little brother or little sister; and, one of their largest projects at the Heritage Park Zoological Sanctuary drew 147 people who hauled 2,300 lbs of trash and brush from the park’s grounds.

Prescott, AZ. Brush Removal

Seattle, WA. 266 volunteers helped to plant 200 trees and remove invasive plants from 33,868 square feet of urban forest/green space area in the inner city area of Cheasty Green Space. Over the entire weekend, 470 volunteers planted 570 trees and cleared invasive plants from 41,662 square feet of urban forest and city park lands.

From left to right:
Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn; two Americorps members;
King County Councilman Larry Gossett;
Simon Amiel, Executive Director Seattle/King County City Year

FINANCIAL LITERACY
Bridgeport, CT. MLK Day 2010 concluded Service For Peace’s Financial Literacy and Community Engagement Program that provided a forum of corporate, college, school, non-profit, and government entities to capitalize their knowledge and resources into valuable training for 300 low-to moderate-income high school students in Bridgeport. The program training was conducted by economics students from the John F. Welch College of Business at Sacred Heart University and volunteers from Citi. The curriculum included sessions on: How to Make Your Money Grow, Where Does Your Money Go?, What is the Cost of Cool, and Setting Financial Goals. In addition, Sacred Heart college students mentored high school students on developing a plan for the process of getting into college, gaining access to potential colleges, and securing sources of financial aid.

Students from Bassick High School in Financial Education program
in partnership with Citi, John F. Welch College of Business
at Sacred Heart University and Service For Peace

The unique collaboration of trained college students and professionals from Citi provided an innovative cross sector group mentoring approach committed to the advancement of financial knowledge and social awareness. These students gained essential knowledge about managing finances, what it takes to get into college, and become more self-reliant. The program included a financial literacy workshop for low-income adults at the MLK Signature site in Bridgeport on MLK Day. Congressman Jin Himes spoke at the program which was part of a number of MLK Projects that engaged 1,620 volunteers on MLK Day in greater Bridgeport.

Anne Stolberg, Corporation For National And Community Service;
Charles Phillips, CEO, Service For Peace; Congressman Jim Himes, Bridgeport, CT;
Edina Oestreicher, University of Bridgeport; Nancy Kovacs, MLK Coordinator, Service For Peace

HEALTH AND WELLNESS
Bloomington, IN. A total of 90 volunteers, many of whom were health, dental, and vision professionals, offered screenings in just about all areas of health, dental and vision including screening for lead, developmental screening for young children, enrollment in WIC, dental screening, cleaning, and fluoride, speech, hearing, spinal, H1N1 immunizations, and vision screening and fittings for glasses for 100 low income children. The services were provided on MLK Day at the Shalom Community Center Children’s Health Fair. In addition, the Salvation Army vision screening had 52 individuals tested and fitted for eye glasses. This program was part of a larger MLK program in Greater Bloomington that engaged 2509 volunteers in 67 projects.

Dentists and volunteers provide free dental check-ups
at the Shalom Community Center’s MLK project - Children’s Health Fair

The Rev. Jesse Jackson was the keynote speaker at the city of Bloomington’s Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., birthday celebration. Jackson spent King’s final birthday with him in 1968 and walked with King during the height of the Civil Rights movement. Jackson told the packed house of a time just 50 years ago when he, the son of a World War II veteran, wasn't allowed in a South Carolina library. Audience members signed a peace pledge after the program and were given bracelets to remind them to keep living King's message. "Basically, we're just asking people to be compassionate with others, to show kindness to others," said Gail Merrill, of the 40 Days of Peace project. Most attendees left the event inspired to continue to strive for peace. "You've just got to have that dream and make it come true for yourself," said Cassandra Coleman.

ENVIRONMENT & BEAUTIFICATION
Louisville, KY. Home Deport volunteers did restoration work on West End School, a boarding school for boys grades 6 through 9. Deemed a National Historic Site, the school’s renovations must meet strict criteria, as set by the National Historic Registry. On MLK Day, 2010, a Home Depot Team met at the West End School to assist the teachers and staff with their ongoing renovations.
The school provides not only a safe home but also instruction, housing and summer activities for youth in the Louisville area. The school is housed in what was a black elementary school built in the 1920’s. One famous attendee at the school when it was in regular operation was Muhammad Ali, one of Louisville’s most famous sons.

Hope Deport volunteers doing restoration work on West End School

This team was part of 2000 volunteers that engaged in a number of environmental and beautification projects in Greater Louisville, KY, including 350 students from the University of Louisville.

Oakland, CA. 400 youth volunteers representing different groups such as Justice Corps and Cal Corps around the Bay Area volunteered at the Educational Eco-farm project in West Oakland. They planted trees, made garden beds in the community eco-farm and started up an aquaponic system that is self-sustaining. The aquaponic system introduced a way for the residents of Oakland to raise their own gardens and be able to grow fish at the same time. A community garden project had high schoolers get involved in internships instilling in them a sense of responsibility for the environment, and providing a positive alternative to gangs and drugs.

Sobrante Park Elementary School volunteers

HAITI RELIEF and RECOVERY
Queens, NY. A week before MLK Day, the disaster in Haiti occurred. All MLK partners immediately shifted gears to contribute to the relief and recovery effort. It was heartwarming the see how everyone was so ready to serve and give. One project launched was “One Million Pennies - Change for Haiti Drive”, that raised over a thousand dollars for Haiti in addition to hundreds of pounds of food and supplies for victims coordinated through Assemblywoman Grace Meng’s office.

Collecting food and supplies
for Haiti Relief Effort on MLK Day

It brought to light that Dr. King’s vision of the Beloved Community extends beyond the American borders, through the whole human race. This sentiment was reflected in the words of speakers, public officials, interfaith leaders and the reflections of many of the 1000 volunteers who participated in MLK Day projects.

Stamford, CT. Scofield seventh grader Jasanti Harkness, 12, volunteered at the Ferguson Library on MLK Day as part of a larger Stamford Public Schools fundraising efforts for Haiti. "I heard what happened in Haiti, and I felt really bad, so I came out here to help," Jasanti said. Shawn Auslander who runs an after school program at Turn of River Middle School, Stamford, CT said: "This is not one day of honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, it's something we have to instill in our lives every day, to understand one another not just today, but every day. Community service leads different races, creeds, religions and generations towards an advancing goal."

Atlanta, GA. Volunteers from Spellman College created no-sew blankets to be donated to Haiti and the Atlanta Day Shelter.

Spelman College students in Atlanta, GA creating blankets for youth in Haiti

HUNGER
Palo Alto, CA. The Oshman Family Jewish Community Center and Village Harvest mobilized 20 volunteers who picked 900 lbs of fruit in the pouring rain from homes around the Palo Alto & Mountain View area that was distributed to local food agencies and organizations. Village Harvest organizes and coordinates local backyard fruit harvesting. A backyard fruit tree usually produces far more fruit than a household can use themselves, and there is more going to waste from local backyards and farms to provide for the hungry in the local community.

NON-VIOLENCE
Cincinnati, OH. 50 volunteers from Public Allies and Target read speeches by Dr. King and led discussions on non-violence at the 20/20 Youth Detention Center.

Youth volunteers at 20/20.

40 DAYS OF PEACE HIGHLIGHTS
The following are samples of 40 Days of Peace projects across the country.

Atlanta, GA. Our most successful program was our “This I Believe Forum” which we had a great turn out from the Atlanta community. Started by Edward R. Morrow in 1951, one of the goals of “This I Believe” is to facilitate a higher standard of active public discourse by inspiring people to reflect, encouraging them to share, and engaging them in a conversation about personal values and beliefs that can shape a life, a community, and a society. Each of our panel participants, State Rep. Alisha Thomas Morgan, Mayor Shirley Franklin, and CIO Lance Lyttle of Atlanta Hartsfield Airport each wrote an essay of personal belief and shared it with the audience. The essays were so moving that this event will be held every year.

Bloomington, IN. In the article “Giving Back”, the BHSN News covered a report capturing the spirit of service during the MLK day and 40 Day of Peace period. The article noted that the 40 Days of Peace program complements the City’s “A Day On! Not A Day Off” Campaign. Craig Brenner, the Special Projects Coordinator for the City’s Community and Family Resources Department was featured in the article saying that the 40 Days of Peace Program has as its foundation the idea that when individuals do their best to embody such virtues as kindness and respect, the culminating result will be the kind of community that Martin Luther King Jr. envisioned: a community where diversity is embraced. The most innovative aspect of the 40 Days of Peace program concerns a new organization which formed within the past year called BloomingPeace Partners. This group of volunteers has organized community meetings and conversations for the purpose of making Bloomington a city of peace. The two co-chairs, who began attending the MLK Commission meetings in 2009, arranged numerous presentations in public and private schools and trained volunteers to speak in classrooms and assemblies, using materials including wrist bands, pledge cards and DVDs featuring excerpts from Dr. King’s speeches. The BloomingPeace Project volunteers have greatly expanded the 40 Days of Peace efforts where 40 Days of Peace Pledges were administered to over 1,000 students in the first two weeks following the King holiday.

Miami, FL. What excites people most is the sustainability being developed in Service For Peace projects in greater Miami and South Florida. They are actually seeing a community of peace being built. The highlights during the 40 Days of Peace, were the 100 Dream*Catcher Libraries in Little Haiti, the Outdoor Living Lab in Little Haiti, and the Earthquake relief for Haiti in Little Haiti/Miami. The Dream*Catcher Libraries project brought volunteers from Royal Caribbean who began working on the library building in February, patching walls, fixing doors, and priming the interior and exterior walls. A large number of RC employees are continuing painting and building the library through March. This 40 Days of Peace brought on many new partnerships including: staff and employees from Royal Caribbean, staff from MoneyGram, staff from University of Miami, young entrepreneurs - all committed to expanding the peace building in South Florida.

Priming the front of the Yvonne Learning Center building,
a sister building of the Dream*Catcher Library

One of the garden plots in the Outdoor Living Lab

Volunteers from the food drive for Haiti victims

Hellen Marshall and Queens Borough President.

Queens, NY. The Child Center of New York South Ozone Beacon hosted a youth career day with adult mentors from various fields. This was a launching point for the centers clothes, food and penny drive for Haiti victims that extended through the 40 Days of Peace. In addition, the center integrated creative ways to tie in performing arts with non-violence and peaceful lifestyles. They expanded the partnership base to include the LIFE Camp and Minista Jazz and the temple of Hip Hop.

Washington, DC. One of the greatest successes during MLK day and the 40 Days of Peace period is the achievement made collaborating and building partnerships with other diverse groups, organizations and individuals all of which united towards one cause. Dance 4 Peace, one of the highlighted projects, is a curriculum that seeks to promote peace and oneness and encourages diversity and emotional awareness as it relates to conflict prevention. The project engaged youth from after school programs and elementary- junior/senior high school. Various dance workshops were carried as the platform to raise awareness on social issues as well as a way to encourage participants to engage in meaningful service initiatives within and around their communities not as a one day event but as a part of daily life. Through these events, various acts of kindness and service were highlighted and emphasized.

Dance for Peace Workshop - Partner groups
join together with youth in a dance workshop.

SUB GRANTEES
We are grateful to the outstanding effort of our wonderful subgrantees who grew the impact of this year MLK Day program during the National Day of Service and ongoing through the 40 Days of Peace campaign:
Youth Count, Prescott Valley, AZ; Service For Peace, Oakland, CA; Oshman Family Jewish Community Center, Palo Alto, CA; Service For Peace, Bridgeport, CT; Service For Peace, Washington, DC; Service For Peace, Miami, FL; Spelman College, Atlanta, GA; City of Bloomington Martin Luther King, Jr. Commission, Bloomington, IN; Service For Peace, Louisville, KY; Family Federation for World Peace – Queens, Queens, NY; Service For Peace, Cincinnati, OH; American Family Coalition of Pennsylvania, Harrisburg, PA; Service For Peace, Seattle, WA.

PARTNERS & SPONSORS
We are grateful to our wonderful partners and sponsors across the county who invested in making the 2010 MLK of Service a great success:
AARP; AHEC (Area Health Education Centers); And Tomorrow Answers; Asian American Lead; Atlanta Day Shelter; BBYO; Black Family Day; BloomingPeace Partners; Boys Club of New York – Abbe Clubhouse; Brown Middle School; Cal- Corps Berkeley; Centronia; Child Center of New York, South Ozone Park Beacon at MS 226; Chinese American Planning Council; Church of Scientology; Cincinnati Public Schools; Citi Bank; City of Bloomington Volunteer Network; City Of Oakland; City of Oakland Parks and Recreation and Public Works; City Year; Community Foundation of Bloomington and Monroe County; Congregation Kol Emeth; Council Members of Oakland; Dance 4 Peace; Earth Corps; Emergency Feeding Program; First Step for Families Shelter; Florida International University; Free Synagogue of Flushing; Gideon Hausner Jewish Day School; Harrisburg School District; Heritage Park Zoological Sanctuary; Home Depot; Indiana University; International Chinese Association; Japanese Cultural and Community Center; JCPS; Jewish Community Endowment Fund: Teen Philanthropy Initiative; Justice Corps; Keddem Congregation; Keep Oakland Beautiful; Kijiji Grows; Life Camp; LMPD; Lovin’ Life Ministries; Miami Dade College – Homestead Campus; Miami Dade County Parks & Recreation; More better Food ; Nature Conservancy; Northwest African American Museum; Office of Assemblywoman Grace Meng; One World Youth Project; Prescott Coffee Roasters; Prescott Creeks ; Prescott United Methodist Church; Project Sunshine; Public Allies (CNCS); Queens Borough President’s Youth Board; Raising Expectations; Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines; RSVP. FGP; Sam’ Club; Scientology Environmental Task Force; Seattle YMCA; Sodexho; Southern Blossoms; Starbucks; State Farm Insurance; Subway; Target; State Farm Insurance; Tomorrow’s Answer; United Way of Capitol Region; University of Bridgeport; University of Cincinnati; University of Louisville; University of South Florida; UPS; Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle; Urban Releaf; Wal-Mart; WFHB 91.3 FM Community Radio; WFIU 103.7 FM Public Radio; WHAS Crusade For Children; Wholeness for Humanity; YMCA; Youth Ambassadors; YVC.

ELECTED OFFICIALS.
We sincerely thank the public representatives who came out and demonstrated their support:
Adrian M. Fenty , Mayor, Washington, DC; Cheri Hamilton, City Council, Louisville, KY; David Tandy, City Council, Louisville, KY; Dow Constantine, King County Executive, WA; Grace Meng, Assemblywoman, New York, NY; Jean Quan, Councilmember, Oakland, CA; Jim Himes, Congressman, Bridgeport, CT; Jodi Rell, Governor, Bridgeport, CT; Larry Gossett, King County Councilmember, WA; Linda Thompson, Mayor of Harrisburg, PA; Martha Flores- Vasquez, District Leader, New York, NY; Michael Bond, Councilman at large, Atlanta, GA; Mike McGinn, Seattle City Mayor, WA; Nancy Nadel, Councilmember, Oakland, CA; Peter Koo, Councilman, New York, NY; Peter Maier, Seattle Public School Board Member, WA; Rep. Dam Rohrer, PA State Representative; Rev. Lancforter, Founder of Healthy Oakland, CA; Robert Reid, Mayor of Middletown, PA; Tim Burgess, Seattle City Councilmember, WA.

SUPPORTERS
A diverse array of engaged citizens serving and leading their communities invested their time and effort:
Alan Sataloff, CEO, Oshman Family Jewish Community Center, Palo Alto, CA; Betsy Wells, CNCS-State Director, Louisville, KY; Chad Stokes, Founder, State Radio (music band), Seattle, WA; Daryl Johnson, Representative of H.J. Russell Construction Company, Atlanta, GA; Dr. Beverly Tatum, President of Spelman College, Atlanta, GA; EriAm Sisters, Featured on America’s Got Talent, Seattle, WA; Erin Jones, Asst. to Superintendent of Public Instruction for Washington State, Seattle, WA; Gloria Roberts, City Council President, Harrisburg, PA; Imam Shamsi Ali, Director, Islamic Center of New York, New York, NY; Kathy Walker, Volunteer Coordinator – The Mission Continues, Washington, DC; Kelly Summerford, City council, Harrisburg, PA; Ken Holmes, Dean of Students, Bridgeport, CT; Kris Engskov, Regional VP, Pacific Northwest Region, Starbucks, Seattle, WA; Larry Greer, Wal-Mart Store Manager, Cincinnati, OH; Lavanya Reddy, President, Federation of Indian American Associations of WA, Seattle, WA; Michael Dotson, SVP Community Impact Manager, Bank of America , Seattle, WA; Mr & Ms USF, Miami, FL; Neil Salonen, President of University of Bridgeport, Bridgeport, CT; Pastor Raymond E. Lankford, Co-Founder of Healthy Oakland, CA; Rabbi Aaron Schonbrun, Congregation Beth David, Palo Alto, CA; Rabbi Elisheva Salamon, Keddem Congregation, Palo Alto, CA; Rabbi Wiesser, Rabbi, Free Synagogue of Flushing, New York, NY; Rev. Isaac Newton Farris, Jr., President and CEO of The King Center, Atlanta, GA; Rev. Nolan, Community Activist, New York, NY; Robin Diaz, Former first lady of the mayor of Miami (Manny Diaz), Miami, FL; Sara Potler, Atlas Service Corps – US Program Director, Founder and director – Dance for Peace, Washington, DC; Steve Kipp, VP of Communication, Comcast, Seattle, WA; Sybil Gallagher, Founder, Counting all Crows Organization, Seattle, WA; Wanda Whiteside, Pres. University Community Neighborhood Assoc., Atlanta, GA.

CNCS and NATIONAL MLK LEAD AGENCIES
We are very grateful to the support of our main sponsor the Corporation for National and Community Service and the other Lead Agencies promoting the King Day of Service nationally:
The Points of Light Institute and its Hands On Network; Youth Service America; Campus Kitchens; The National Alliance for Faith and Justice; and Campus Compact.

COMMENTS (1)

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Joanna Walsh
2010-06-03 20:57:03

Kudos for a job well done!