HISTORY OF THE MLK DAY OF SERVICE
The National Martin Luther King Day of Service was created in 1994 through federal legislation co-authored by former Pennsylvania U.S. Senator Harris Wolford and Atlanta Congressman John Lewis, both veterans of the Civil Rights Movement with Dr. King. Wolford and others led some 3,000 volunteers in 150 service projects, along with corporate sponsors, community leaders, students, volunteers and people from throughout the region all to honor Dr. King’s legacy and uplift the community as he would have, with a “Day On” of service, not a “Day Off." Since that time, the project has caught hold around the U.S. and grown tremendously. By example, the Greater Philadelphia King Day of Service, which includes Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware, held the record in 2011 for the largest King Day of Service event in the nation. A record 75,000 people of all ages and backgrounds volunteered in some 1,200 service projects.
MLK DAY OF SERVICE IN TAMPA BAY
In 2019, Hillsborough Community College became the fiscal tracking agent and will lead the Consortium which will include and be administered in 2019-2020 by HCC, Broward College, St. Petersburg College and the State College of Florida. This project offers awards to organizations or groups to develop and complete a service project that will positively impact the community, while honoring Dr. King’s legacies of non-violent activism, racial equality, service to others and social uplift.
PURPOSE
The awards are intended to encourage service projects that address education, health, clean energy/environmental stewardship, economic opportunity, disaster preparedness, veterans and military families’ issues, public safety, while supporting neighborhood projects, or a proposal that you feel will positively impact our community. Please note these funds are available solely to engage people in volunteer projects.
All projects should demonstrate collaboration with others in the community. Partner with organizations such as colleges, volunteer centers, youth service organizations, sororities, fraternities, military family support programs, city departments, service organizations, athletic organizations, elementary and middle schools, high schools, parent teacher associations, professional organizations, businesses, corporations, etc.
We look forward to working with you this year!