Media Release

ALACHUA COUNTY, FL - On January 9, 2014, the Alachua County Foster Grandparent Program (FGP) will participate in the “National Martin Luther King (MLK) Day of Service.” This is the fourth year the Foster Grandparents will participate in a MLK Day of Service project, a nationwide volunteer initiative sponsored by the Corporation for National and Community Service. The media is invited to cover the event from 11:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m., at the Senior Recreation Center (5701 NW 34th St., Gainesville).

Approximately 100 Foster Grandparent volunteers, all age 55 and over, will work in teams to make “life packs” (baskets of food and daily essential living items donated by the Foster Grandparents and the FGP Advisory Council) for distribution to The HONOR Center and local veterans.

According to the national organizers, “This milestone is a perfect opportunity for Americans to honor Dr. King’s legacy through service. The MLK Day of Service empowers individuals, strengthens communities, bridges barriers, creates solutions to social problems, and moves us closer to Dr. King’s vision of a beloved community.”

The HONOR Center (providing Hope, Opportunities, Networking, Outreach and Recovery), located in Gainesville, is a facility providing comprehensive homeless programs, including Permanent Supported Housing, HUD-VASH, Grant and Per Diem Transitional Housing, Health Care for Re-Entry Veterans, and Veterans Justice Outreach.

For more information, contact FGP Program Coordinator, Sheryl Baker at 352-264-6757.