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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Joseph Rendeiro
jrendeiro@nclr.org
(202) 776-1566
Washington—NCLR (National Council of La Raza) will honor the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday on Monday, January 16, by carrying out community service activities throughout the nation. NCLR staff will join local nonprofit organizations that are members of the NCLR Affiliate Network in paying tribute to Dr. King through community service projects throughout the week. Members of the public are invited to participate in these service activities; the description of each project and contact information is listed below by state and community organization.
District of Columbia/Maryland
Maryland Multicultural Youth Center (MMYC)—Riverdale, Md.
Latin American Youth Center (LAYC)—District of Columbia
The MMYC AmeriCorps members will combine efforts and energy to present a cultural expression in gratitude and honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. There will be music, poetry, dance, and reenactments of his famous speeches. The location is Buck Lodge Middle School, 2611 Buck Lodge Road, Adelphi, Md.
Contact: Christian Martir, christian@layc-dc.org
Illinois
Association House of Chicago—Chicago, Ill.
AmeriCorps members will be joining City Year Chicago in transforming and uplifting three community centers in Chicago’s North Lawndale neighborhood with murals, painting, and construction projects. The check-in and opening ceremony will be held at Henry Ford Academy, located at Power House High, 931 South Homan Street, Chicago.
Contact: Erika Tejeda, etejeda@associationhouse.org
Instituto del Progreso Latino—Chicago, Ill.
There will be a clothing drive in honor of Dr. King’s legacy. Please bring families who you know who may be in need of clothing to the event on Monday, January 16, between the hours of noon and 4:00 p.m., to receive complimentary shopping bags and clothes. This event will be held in the community room on the second floor at 2520 S. Western Avenue in Chicago.
Contact: Carlos Flores, c.flores@idpl.org
Texas
Centro de Salud Familiar La Fe—El Paso, Texas
The AmeriCorps program will present an educational program to children about the teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. at the Child Crisis Center of El Paso, an emergency shelter for children who come from abusive households, homeless parents, or dangerous living conditions. AmeriCorps members will engage the children in activities and lessons that highlight the values of Dr. King and how they might apply these to their lives. Additionally, the members will collect and sort food for the needy as part of the El Paso County food drive in honor of Dr. King.
Contact: Victor Obevoen, vobevoen@lafeprep.org
Information Referral Resource Assistance (IRRA)—Edinburg, Texas
IRRA AmeriCorps members will lead service projects in honor of Dr. King at various service sites in the Texas Valley, including Brownsville, Rio Grande City, Mission, Edinburg, Weslaco, and Raymondville. Projects will include presentations with the learners at their sites. Each student will read a line from the “I Have a Dream” speech that Dr. King delivered at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C.
Contact: Alexandria J. Nieto, ajnieto@irra.org
California
Unity Council—Oakland, Calif.
The Unity Council AmeriCorps members will conduct restoration work and invasive plant removal with East Bay Regional Parks and Recreation to support and care for local wildlife and natural habitats. Wear comfortable, weather-appropriate clothes and closed-toe shoes. Please bring your own water bottle.
Contact: Anthony Zapien, azapien@unitycouncil.org
Youth Policy Institute (YPI)—Los Angeles, Calif.
YPI AmeriCorps members will be creating an edible garden at Gratts Learning Academy for Young Scholars (GLAYS). The project will include removing old planters, weeding, planting new trees, and building and creating planters and benches. The project will benefit the students of GLAYS Elementary School in an effort to promote literacy (the garden will be used as a reading garden) and health (they will be planting edible plants and seeds).
Contact: Ana Lopez, alopez@ypiusa.org
NCLR—the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States—works to improve opportunities for Hispanic Americans. For more information on NCLR, please visit www.nclr.org or follow along Facebook and Twitter.
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