Volunteers In Service To America (VISTA) members participated in Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service activities in Brewton, Mobile and Monroeville. Projects such as these were taking place across the nation to further Dr. King’s work by addressing hunger, homelessness and poverty.

A crowd of over 200 people attended a program sponsored by the Monroe County Retired Seniors Volunteer Program at the Old Monroe County Courthouse. This program was designed to encourage young people to take advantage of educational opportunities so they can reach their full potential.

In Mobile, more than 750 were in attendance to hear Paul B. Ruffin, the U.S. Army's first black senior research scientist, stress the importance of education as the key to success. The breakfast was sponsored by The Port City Chapter of Blacks in Government and was held at the Bishop State Community College.

Escambia County RSVP provided free services and lunch to senior citizens of Brewton including free tax counseling, benefits check up and Medicare counselors. State Representative Alan Baker was the guest speaker at the event.

“This year, we're seeing more projects focused on helping those suffering during these tough economic times,” said Nicola Goren, Acting CEO of the Corporation for National and Community Service, the federal agency charged with leading the MLK Day of Service. “By serving on King Day, hundreds of thousands of Americans will make real and lasting impacts on the lives of people in need in their communities.”

Earlier this year, the Corporation for National and Community Service approved the South Alabama Community Network, as an AmeriCorps VISTA project. VISTA members are assisting with community outreach on behalf of The Community Foundation of South Alabama.

The Corporation for National and Community Service is a federal agency that engages more than five million Americans in service each year through its core programs, Senior Corps, AmeriCorps, and Learn and Serve America.

 

 

 

 

 

February 2010