UPDATES FROM THE MLK COMMUNITY CENTER
Friday, April 24th, 2020
EXTRAORDINARY SERVICE IN EXTRAORDINARY TIMES
Here’s what we’ve been up to this week
It’s hard to believe but it’s been 6 long weeks of emergency hunger services to Newport County in these extraordinary times. As of today, April 24th, the MLK has provided food to over 2,400 people since March 13th. We continue to see first-hand unprecedented need: many clients are now timing repeat food pantry visits to the first day of eligibility(for example, many who last received food on 4/10, came back to the pantry today, exactly 14 days later). In short: our neighbors are really struggling to put food on the table.
As always, if the MLK can help you during these uncertain times, please reach out: (401) 846-4828. Call us Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
NATIONAL VOLUNTEER WEEK
It’s National Volunteer Week! Although we’ve had to suspend volunteering at the Center because of the pandemic, of course we have to shout out our amazing volunteers.
Over the course of a year, about 700 volunteers give countless hours of their time and talent at the MLK. Some people volunteer with a team from work. Some volunteer for a school project. Some volunteer as a family over Thanksgiving and Christmas. Some volunteer when they return to Newport for the summer. Some volunteer almost every day. Regardless of how you volunteer: thank you, everyone. We appreciate you, and we miss you!
Click here to check out some more photos of just a few of our amazing volunteers.
EARTH WEEK
This past Wednesday, April 22nd was the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day
Rotting veggies = rich compost and healthy soil! We set aside produce that’s damaged or past its prime for Rhodeside Revival LLC to compost and for Simmons Farm to help feed livestock. Loving Mother Earth is part of loving our community, and that’s part of the MLK this Earth Day and every day. And, we send a shout-out to our friends who work so hard on behalf of our island home: Clean Ocean Access, Norman Bird Sanctuary, Newport Tree Conservancy, Aquidneck Land Trust,
Aquidneck Community Table, and Save The Bay. We appreciate all that you do!
ZOOM FUNDRAISER
Join us this Wednesday, April 29th
Some good friends of the Center are coming together to put on a night of great music, mixology lessons, an auction, and socializing COVID-19 style: on Zoom! Zoom in with your favorite cocktail this coming Wednesday, April 29th from 6:30 – 8:00 p.m. to get in on the fun. All proceeds benefit the MLK Center!
$25.00 minimum donation
Zoom Room ID: 879-6607-4541 Online Auction Facebook Event
SHOP LOCAL & SUPPORT THE MLK
Support local businesses, while also supporting the MLK! We are so thankful for all of our small business partners.
- Cory Farms Past & Presents is offering a 10{9c53042864d6633bf2db1751356d150642c8291f4631350ba2d56f5b9a7a0e43} discount on all phone purchases and will match your discount with a donation of the same amount to the MLK Center.
- Buy a $100 Island Carpet gift card to use now or later and they’ll pass the full $100 on to the MLK Center.
Both are unique and creative ways to support our community…in more ways than one.
HERE TO HELP
As a reminder, we remain open to provide:
- Grab-n-Go Breakfast every weekday, 7:30 – 8:30
- Food2Friends delivery for homebound seniors
- Mobile Food Pantry to low-income housing communities
- A modified on-site food pantry Monday, Wednesday, Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The time between pantry visits has been reduced from once a month to every 14 days because we know this is a particularly difficult time for everyone.
Sometimes, the greatest gifts come from within.
Today, one of the MLK staff gave us this note along with a check marked “Pay it Forward.”
We ❤️ our staff. They amaze us, every day.
