Updates from the MLK Community Center: 4/10/20
HOW WE’VE HELPED SO FAR
Since the COVID-19 crisis began, the MLK has remained open to provide daily breakfast each weekday, Food2Friends food delivery for homebound seniors, Mobile Food Pantry to low-income housing communities, and a modified food pantry three times per week, with a core group of full-time staff. We’ve reduced the time between pantry visits from once a month to every 14 days because we know this is a particularly difficult time for everyone.
As of April 10th, the MLK has provided food to over 1,900 people since March 13th; over 380 are new, first-time clients of the Center. To put that into broader context: the Center has served over 45{9c53042864d6633bf2db1751356d150642c8291f4631350ba2d56f5b9a7a0e43} of the all the Hunger Services clients served in 2019, in just one month. So many of you have given so generously to sustain our work: thank you.
How are you holding up? How can we help? Be sure to stay in contact with family and friends during this time, and try to stay busy with positive hobbies. If we can help in any way, please reach out.
Never been to the MLK? Take a VIRTUAL TOUR
Many of you support us but have never visited the Center. Thanks to our friend Joe Fitzpatrick of RE/MAX Fitzpatrick Team, we can bring the MLK to you. Joe interviewed Executive Director Heather Hole Strout on Instagram Live. In the interview, Heather tours the Center and outlines how our community’s help matters now more than ever.
,Tour the MLK
MOBILE FOOD PANTRY
Site visits continue in April
The Mobile Food Pantry is still on the road, bringing prebagged groceries, personal care items, frozen meat, eggs, and fresh produce to neighborhoods across Newport County. Clients can get help every 14 days and can reside anywhere in Newport County. We will be at the following locations throughout the month:
- Tues. April 14th: Calvary Baptist Church (4 Ludlow Terrace, Middletown), 12-12:45 p.m.
- Tues. April 14th: Quaker Estates (Portsmouth), 1:30-2:15 p.m.
- Thur. April 16th: Parkholm Senior Center (Newport), 12-12:45 p.m.
- Thur. April 16th: Oxbow Farms (Middletown), 1:30-2:15 p.m.
- Tues. April 21st: Hancock Estates (Tiverton), 12-12:45 p.m.
- Tues. April 21st: Tiverton Housing Authority (99 Hancock St.), 1:15-2 p.m.
- Tues. April 28th: AHEPA II Apartments (Newport), 12-12:45 p.m.
- Tues. April 28th: Donovan Manor (Newport), 1:30-2:15 p.m.
COVID-19 RESPONSE FUND GRANT
The Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Center is grateful to be a first-round grant recipient of the COVID-19 Response Fund Grant, made possible by many generous donors through a partnership between the Rhode Island Foundation and United Way of Rhode Island.
This critical funding is supporting our work providing emergency food assistance for Newport County.
We’re here for you, Newport County.
The MLK’s masked and gloved staff waving from the Center’s entrance, 4/9/20.
PHOTO CREDIT: Olga Enger of Studio Newport/Waves through Walls project
