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Volunteer Florida offered assistance to AmeriCorps programs for 2011 MLK Day by helping coordinate development of multi-corps service project plans involving at least one additional national service program in their community. This year, twelve multi-corps MLK Day of Service projects engaged 467 AmeriCorps State members, 60 National Direct program participants, 26 VISTA members, 85 Senior Corps members and over 200 community volunteers! Congratulations to these programs for making 2011 MLK Day “a Day ON, not a Day OFF!”
AmeriCorps Members, community leaders and citizens all gathered to remember Martin Luther King, Jr. by serving their surrounding communities. The driving force of the projects was the community’s undeniable ability to exhibit teamwork and answer Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s question, "What are you doing for others?'"
AmeriCorps programs across the Sunshine State coordinated and developed service projects for their communities. The day welcomed over 460 AmeriCorps state members, 60 National Direct program participants, 25 VISTA members, 85 Senior Corps members and well over 200 community volunteers.
Orange Blossom Community Garden in North Sarasota received over 40 volunteers from Friendship Volunteer Center, AmeriCorps VISTA, AmeriCorps Serving Suncoast Seniors, The Newtown Community and New College. Organizations and community members gathered for garden beautification projects throughout the center. Volunteers planted seeds to birth new vegetables, reorganized storage areas, mulched and composted garden beds to assist growth of future flowers and plants, and repaved areas around the children’s garden. Orange Blossom Garden leaders Barbara Powell-Harris and Gail Harvey promenaded the area encouraging volunteers to continue their efforts in assisting the community and showing their appreciation for their attendance.
Hands on Miami, along with AmeriCorps members, AmeriCorps Switchboard Miami, AmeriCorps Miami Reads, Public Allies, and Teach for America, flooded the hallways of Miami Northwestern High School in Liberty City to exemplify their own beautification project: Painting hallways, courtyard areas and several murals around the campus.
AmeriCorps Member Chelsea Werner, managed over 100 volunteers for this project. “The event showed the community that something can be done, if we all come together to show we care,” said Werner.
Community members and leaders concluded their day with dirty clothing, filthy fingernails, and a little piece of the community that they contributed to maintaining, truly making it “a Day ON, not a Day OFF!”
For more information on how you can serve your community on MLK Day and the MLK 25 Challenge, visit www.mlkday.gov. |
Literacy AmeriCorps MLK Day Project
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