Organizations celebrate the spirit of MLK through community events

Published on January 27, 2022 in

Brooklyn Mull and her sister, along with their mom Sarah Mull, attend Kids On The Go’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day event

Brooklyn Mull recently learned about the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. in her first-grade class, but it wasn’t until she attended an event at Kids On The Go that King’s legacy came to life for the 6-year-old. 

Brooklyn and her siblings joined dozens of other families this month to work on art projects in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Some painted rocks that will line an outdoor peace garden this spring, while others created diverse human cutouts, handprints and stars aligned with famous quotes by the civil rights leader. 

The art day was made possible by a mini-grant from United Way for Southeastern Michigan. In addition to Kids On The Go, Destined for Greatness, Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc.’s (Lambda Rho Zeta Chapter) Pearls of Hope Foundation and Lighthouse of Oakland County received mini-grants totaling $10,000. 

“When the COVID-19 pandemic prevented us from engaging volunteers in as much traditional, in-person volunteer service, we decided to reallocate a portion of our volunteer project funding to nonprofit and community organizations that were still engaging volunteers for COVID-safe, in-person opportunities,” said Tonya Adair, chief people, equity and engagement Officer at United Way for Southeastern Michigan. “The funding opportunity was specifically designed to be low barrier and accessible, so not only has it allowed us to continue to impact the community positively through volunteerism, but it has allowed us to partner with and support organizations that we previously had not worked with.” 

All Are Welcome 

Kristin Schena, executive director at Kids On The Go

Kids On The Go is a nonprofit program designed to provide children who have special needs with physical, occupational, speech and recreational therapies all year. 

For Brooklyn’s mom Sarah, the organization is “a life saver.” 

Brooklyn, who has gross motor delays and a mild hearing impairment, has participated in activities with Kids On The Go since she was 3. “They’re great. They provide so much support,” Sarah said. Speaking of the MLK Day event, she added, “Events like this celebrate a good cause and get the kids out of the house. That can be hard for kids with special needs— especially in the winter.” 

The MLK-inspired art installments will permanently adorn the halls of the NonProfit Center at Pare, which Kids On The Go shares with four other St. Clair Shores-based nonprofits. 

“We were so excited to open our doors to the community and welcome people in to have a little fun and hopefully learn a little bit, too,” said Kristin Schena, executive director at Kids On The Go. “The theme for the event is ‘all are welcome here,’ and that’s a message that resonates with our kids, across the nonprofits in our building and out into the community.” 

Volunteers stationed at each table assisted kids as they sorted through paints, stickers, yarn and other materials to bring their projects to life. 

For 14-year-old Sarah Pentecost, who has autism, the event was an opportunity to learn about history and ask questions in an environment free from judgement. She has participated in events with Kids On The Go since she was a toddler. 

“I made a heart for the wall,” Sarah said, holding out the jeweled shape that will soon hang on the wall. “Now we can go learn about history.” 

In Service of Others 

Shantia Johnson and Angela Johnson

In Detroit, the team at Destined for Greatness took a different approach to MLK Day – embracing  King’s spirit of service by expanding on their regular weekly basic needs giveaways. 

Men, women and children of all ages visited the organization’s community resource center for a long list of items including diapers, formula, clothing, food and hygiene kits. A team of volunteers helped the day go smoothly, unloading trucks and assisting individuals as they shopped for items. 

For Shantia Johnson, who is due to give birth to her first child any day, the giveaway could not have come at a better time. She attended the event with her mother Angela Johnson to stock up on diapers, formula and other baby items.  

“It’s so awesome what’s happening here,” said the soon-to-be grandma. “It really helps to lighten the load for people that are struggling.” 

What began as a mentoring initiative for young girls has expanded to include a wide range of programs and community-driven events, according to Destined for Greatness Founder Shadora Ford. 

“In addition to mentoring, we started providing items our girls needed like sanitary items, diapers, etc.,” Shadora said. “We realized that the only way to heal these young ladies was to heal their families and their community. That’s why we opened our family resource center.” 

Powering Community 

Shadora Ford, Destined for Greatness founder

In 2021, Destined for Greatness volunteers dedicated more than 1,500 hours to serving the community. Shadora acknowledges the difficulties they faced serving the public during a pandemic. She leaned heavily on her faith and her favorite MLK quote to keep the team going. 

“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere,” she said, quoting King. “Food disparities, lack of resources — to me, that’s an injustice. We’re providing resources that make justice possible.” 

Shadora and several volunteers recently began renovating a 14-room suite that will become the new headquarters for the organization to offer more programs and support in a safe environment. 

“We’ve survived 12 years not because we’re sitting in an office but because we’re out here doing the work. Servitude is the reason for our success,” Shadora said. “We’re grateful to United Way for providing us with the resources to help us serve.”  

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