BLOOMFIELD, NJ -- The Bloomfield Martin Luther King Day of Service Committee has
been carrying out good works in the civil rights hero’s name for the past five
years, particularly gathering food supplies for residents in need, and painting
murals in Bloomfield public schools that emphasize King’s values. This year,
the committee is setting an ambitious goal of collecting 5 tons, or 10,000
pounds of food for local pantries.
Additionally, volunteers will help create 1,000 hygiene kits for needy individuals at the day of service on Saturday at
the Bloomfield Presbyterian Church on the Green at 147 Broad St. from 8:00am to
approximately 12:30pm. Contents for these kits, such as shampoo,
toothbrushes/paste, deodorants, soaps, etc. have been donated by individuals as
well as local organizations. Residents can also deposit these items at Town
Hall, the public library, and firehouses.
“We have spoken to organizations that provide
social services and we are collecting items based on their feedback. The MLK
Committee will focus on our most vulnerable residents; the homeless, those at
risk of homelessness, those who have food insecurities or those who do not have
enough money to buy basic hygiene items like soap or toothbrushes etc. By
supporting this project, you are supporting your family, friends and
neighbors,” said Councilwoman Dr. Wartyna Davis, who started
Bloomfield’s Day of Service initiative in 2014. “Like the murals that our
committee members painted in Bloomfield schools in recent years, this food
drive and supply drive will serve as tangible reminders that Dr. King’s legacy
lives on in our community. I strongly encourage any interested persons to
participate in Saturday’s festivities.”
The Township of Bloomfield began its annual
six-week long, community-focused Season of Giving on December 4th with the
Christmas Tree lighting outside Town Hall, and will continue the Season of
Giving with the Martin Luther King Day of Service.
The MLK Day of Service Committee is a (501c3)
non-profit that has helped collect food and clothing for drives that took place
last month, and will continue to collect supplies for Bloomfield-area shelters
and community aid organizations. For ways to make a difference in the
Bloomfield community during the six-week Season of Giving and MLK Day of
Service, please visit their
website, the group
Facebook page, or e-mail Councilwoman
Dr. Davis at BloomfeldMLKday@gmail.com. All donations to the MLK Day of Service Committee are tax
deductible and can be made in honor of a family member or friend.
Committee members include Rev. Ruth Boling, Ms.
Bridgit Brown, Mr. Luis Felix, Councilwoman Dr. Wartyna Davis, Ms. Debbie
Freeman, Ms. Jenni Gamble, Councilman Ted Gamble, Mr. Doug Grant, Dr. Djanna
Hill-Tall, Ms. Claudia Jackson, Councilman Nicholas Joanow, Ms. Dana Moore, Ms.
Vanessa Phipps, Ms. Paula Peikes, Ms. Jody Polidoro, Ms. Melissa Santiago, Mr.
Michael Sceurman, Mrs. Mary Todaro, Deacon Robert Walker, and Township
Administrator Matthew Watkins.
“I would like to thank everyone on our MLK Day
of Service Committee for their vision and hard work to honor Dr. King’s legacy
of community service, charity, and unity,” said Mayor Michael Venezia.
“I encourage everyone who has or has not shared in the communal spirit of our
annual day of service to join us Saturday morning at the Presbyterian Church on
the Green. I am grateful to Councilwoman Davis for spearheading this great
initiative that has become a staple of Bloomfield community service. The
Township Council and I have and will continue to support this very important
work, and I am excited for what promises to be a great day.”
A Town-wide celebration will follow, on the
federally-celebrated Martin Luther King Day, Monday January 21, from
3:00-4:00pm at New Light Baptist Church, 89-91 Dewey St. The theme of the
service is “A Knock at Midnight: a Community Answers.”
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