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Contact: Elyse V. Walter
(517) 241-0063
verberkmoese@michigan.gov
The Michigan Community Service Commission, Michigan Nonprofit Association, Michigan Campus Compact, and Volunteer Centers of Michigan today announced the distribution of $15,000 in mini-grant funds to support 2011 Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service projects across the state this January.
Thirty organizations from across Michigan received the funds to coordinate service projects that tackle critical challenges in their communities; including education, economic opportunity, supporting veterans and military families, health, clean energy and environmental stewardship, disaster preparedness, and public safety. Grants range in value from $200 to $1,000.
"Although small amounts, these funds will support critical components of 30 MLK Day service projects in Michigan," said Kyle Caldwell, President and CEO of Michigan Nonprofit Association. "Now these organizations can afford the necessary supplies and resources to implement projects that will make a difference in their communities."
The annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Day was initiated by Congress in 1994 and has been developed beyond a federal holiday honoring Dr. King into a national day of community service. In honor of this special day, thousands of service projects will be planned across the country grounded in Dr. King's teachings of nonviolence and social justice. The 2011 MLK Day occurs on Monday, January 17.
"We encourage everyone to find a way to serve in honor of the 2011 MLK Day," said Paula Kaiser VanDam, Executive Director of the Michigan Community Service Commission. "Several of our mini-grant recipients are currently seeking volunteers. If you're interested in serving, visit www.mlkday.gov to search for opportunities in your area."
The 2011 Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service mini-grant funds were made possible thanks to generous contributions from the Michigan Community Service Commission, Michigan Nonprofit Association, Michigan Campus Compact, and Volunteer Centers of Michigan in an effort to engage more volunteers in national days of service.
Thanks to these mini-grants, hundreds of Michigan citizens will be engaged as volunteers this January.
Mini-grants were awarded to the following organizations:
|
City |
Organization |
Mini-Grant Amount |
Project Details |
|
Ann Arbor |
Ann Arbor Community Center |
$250 |
A health-related information fair will be held to educate young people about career options on Monday, January 17. |
|
Ann Arbor |
City of Ann Arbor's Natural Area Preservation |
$400 |
A stewardship volunteer workday will be held on Monday, January 17 to clean up the Furstenberg Nature Area. |
|
Ann Arbor |
Michigan Prisoner ReEntry Initiative of Washtenaw County |
$400 |
Volunteers will renovate a formerly foreclosed home for a local family on Monday, January 17. |
|
Battle Creek |
HandsOn Battle Creek |
$400 |
HandsOn Battle Creek, local Battle Creek school districts, and Kellogg Community College will collaborate on MLK Day to engage middle school youth in an effort to prevent bullying among local youth on Friday, January 14. |
|
Detroit |
Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. - Detroit Alumnae Chapter |
$600 |
The Around the World Birthday Party will be held on Monday, January 17 for children of substance abusing mothers living in shelter housing. |
|
Detroit |
Marygrove College |
$600 |
Students will assemble hygiene kits on Monday, January 17 to be given to the Detroit Veterans Center. |
|
Detroit |
Michigan Forward |
$650 |
In partnership with the Detroit Lincoln Branch Public Library, Michigan Forward will host The Urgency of Now: Bringing Dr. King's Dream to Life Reading Party on Saturday, January 15. |
|
Detroit |
New Mount Sinai Community Services Organization |
$750 |
On Monday, January 17, volunteers will conduct a service project to educate the community about living on the streets and sensitize citizens to the homeless. |
|
Detroit |
Wayne State University - Center for Urban Studies |
$500 |
Members of the Center's AmeriCorps program will conduct a community event focused on crime prevention on Monday, January 17. |
|
Detroit |
Wayne State University - Dean of Students Office |
$566 |
Three student organizations will hold a donation drive the week of January 10 to collect items for care packages to be distributed to local veterans and troops overseas. |
|
East Lansing |
Michigan State University - Residential College in Arts and Humanities |
$500 |
Students will travel to Detroit to renovate an urban greenhouse on Monday, January 17. |
|
Grand Rapids |
Arbor Circle |
$999.62 |
Volunteers will put together and distribute personal hygiene packs to community youth during the week of January 10. |
|
Grand Rapids |
Grand Rapids Club of The National Association of Negro Business and Professional Women's Club, Inc. |
$750 |
Volunteers will renovate a vacant home on Monday, January 17. |
|
Grand Rapids |
Heart of West Michigan United Way Next Generation |
$750 |
Volunteers will assist with a greenhouse clean-up at the local Veteran's Home on Monday, January 17. |
|
Hamtramck |
Hamtramck Drug Free Community Coalition |
$500 |
Volunteers will assemble "Drug-Free Kid Kits for Parents" on Monday, January 17. |
|
Jackson |
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Jackson County |
$500 |
Volunteers will join together to make repairs to the Salvation Army Community Center on Saturday, January 8. |
|
Kalamazoo |
Michigan Citizens Education Fund |
$400 |
Kalamazoo Loy Norrix High School students will conduct a project to collect donations for health-care baskets to be delivered to local organizations this January. |
|
Lansing |
Arts Council of Greater Lansing |
$517 |
Local youth and the community will join together on Monday, January 17 to create an uplifting public mural commemorating Dr. King's legacy. |
|
Lansing |
Greater Lansing African American Health Institute |
$250 |
The 2011 MLK Day will kick-off a year's worth of events to educate the community on health. A health fair will be held on Saturday, January 15. |
|
Marquette |
Great Lakes Center for Youth Development |
$340 |
Members of the North Dickinson County High School Student Council will lead an educational service project for local fourth graders on Monday, January 17. |
|
Mio |
Fairview/Mio AuSable Schools Peer Mentoring Program |
$373.38 |
Elementary and high school students will interview residents of the local rest home to conduct an oral history project throughout the month of January. |
|
Monroe |
American Red Cross of Monroe County |
$197 |
Volunteers will educate neighborhoods about fire safety and prevention on Saturday, January 15. |
|
Monroe |
Sodt Elementary School |
$550 |
Students and community members will make cards and care packages on Friday, January 14 to send to send to troops overseas. |
|
Redford |
Developing K.I.D.S. |
$400 |
A day of fun physical activity will be held for youth on Monday, January 17. |
|
Redford |
Ways to Family Self-Sufficiency, Inc. |
$400 |
Volunteers, during the month of January, will assist those in need of completing Department of Human Services paperwork to receive necessary services. |
|
Rochester |
Oakland University |
$500 |
Students will visit Pontiac High School to paint murals and conduct other service activities on Saturday, January 22. |
|
Shelby |
Shelby Public Schools |
$500 |
Local students will host a mobile pantry on Thursday, January 20 to distribute food items to families in need. |
|
Southfield |
Lawrence Technological University |
$400 |
College-age volunteers will be connected with high school students to work on literacy projects to benefit Beyond Basics on Saturday, January 22. |
|
Southgate |
The Guidance Center |
$607 |
Downriver CARES AmeriCorps will host their annual MLK Day project on Monday, January 17 in Ecorse. Working with Ralph Bunch Academy, volunteers will pain murals, garden, and beautify a school. |
|
Traverse City |
United Way of Northwest Michigan Volunteer Center |
$450 |
Volunteers will provide an educational message to students in Traverse City Area Public Schools about Dr. King's legacy, promoting equality, respect, and diversity on Friday, January 14. |
|
|
TOTAL: |
$15,000 |
|
Additional information about the 2011 Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service can be found at www.michigan.gov/mcsc or www.mlkday.gov.
###
BACKGROUND:
The Michigan Community Service Commission builds a culture of service by providing vision and resources to strengthen communities through volunteerism. In 2010-2011, the MCSC is granting nearly $9 million in federal funds to local communities for volunteer programs and activities. The MCSC is funding 26 AmeriCorps programs, 25 Learn and Serve programs, and seven Volunteer Michigan grantees. The Governor's Service Awards and Mentor Michigan are also premier programs of the MCSC. The MCSC is housed in the Michigan Department of Human Services, whose mission is to assist children, families, and vulnerable adults to be safe, stable, and self-supporting. The Corporation for National and Community Service grants the federal funding the MCSC administers.
Celebrating 20 years, Michigan Nonprofit Association increases the capacity of Michigan's nonprofits to serve, strengthen and transform communities. With nearly 1,000 members, MNA serves as a statewide network for the sector, a resource center on effective management practices, and as an advocate for the nonprofit community. For more information, visit www.MNAonline.org.
Michigan Campus Compact promotes the education and commitment of Michigan college and university students to be civically engaged citizens, through creating and expanding academic, co-curricular and campus-wide opportunities for community service, service-learning and civic engagement. For more information, please visit www.micampuscompact.org.
The Volunteer Centers of Michigan strengthens, develops and connects Volunteer Centers throughout the state. Our goal is to ensure that all volunteer centers have the capacity to positively impact every Michigan community and their citizens through volunteerism. We believe that volunteer centers play a leadership role in mobilizing people and resources to deliver creative solutions to community problems. For more information, visit www.mivolunteers.org.