City Announces Grant Recipients for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commission Service Projects

Bloomington, Ind. - Mayor John Hamilton has announced the grants that the City of Bloomington's Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday Celebration Commission has awarded to local organizations for "A Day On! Not a Day Off" volunteer service projects.  Funds are being awarded to local groups to help them acquire the materials and supplies volunteers will use during the 2020 MLK Day of Service and subsequent "40 Days of Peace." Mayor Hamilton urges residents to honor Dr. King by participating in one of the day's many community-centered activities. Funding totalling $5000 was provided by Compassion Games, a nonprofit that supports service projects around the world.

"Martin Luther King Jr. Day is a great opportunity to reconnect with one another and serve our community through volunteering," Hamilton said. "We’re grateful to receive national funding to partner with our hard-working local nonprofits in making the 2020 King holiday, 'A Day On! Not a Day Off.'”

The groups receiving funding, with the titles of their projects, are listed below. Additional volunteer service projects that did not request project funding also will be taking place around Bloomington Monday, January 20. For more information and a list of service projects in need of volunteer assistance, please visit http://www.bloomingtonvolunteernetwork.org/mlk or contact Special Projects Coordinator Michael Shermis at (812) 349-3471.

Organizations Awarded Volunteer Service Project Grants for the 2020 MLK Day of Service:

Medicare for All Indiana:  The Color of Medicine (a documentary film focusing on the Homer G. Phillips Hospital in St. Louis)

Recovery Engagement Center:  MLK Day of Service Health Fair

Creation Care Partners:  Community Energy Fair

Middle Way House:  Middle Way House Supply and Service Project

Midwest Pages to Prisoners Project:  MWPP Pack-a-thon

Monroe County Youth Council:  Social Justice in Action: Youth-Led Learning and Service

College Internship Program:  A Tree of Service Pledges

The Project School:  Project: Place

Stepping Stones:  MLK Day of Service - Helping Homeless Youth Attain Jobs

New Leaf New Life:  New Leaf New Life Reentry Workshops and Letter Writing Nights

Glen Carter Memorial Toolshare:  Community Tools to Survive and Thrive

Wheeler Mission:  Brightening the Men's Shelter