United Way of the CSRA announced today that it has received a Day of Service grant of $15,187 from the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), the federal agency for volunteering and service. This award will support the MLK Service Day Project in 2021, enabling more local residents to unite in volunteer service.

With this grant, United Way of the CSRA, will hold a toiletry collection drive, where items are collected, organized, and packaged into hygiene kits for our severely impoverished and homeless populations in the CSRA. Kits will be distributed to local non-profits, government agencies, and school systems.

“Whether an individual is homeless, a victim escaping abuse, or a child noticed by a school social worker, individuals and families throughout our 12-county service area lack some of the most basic necessities,” says Angela Collins, Director of Community Impact of United Way of the CSRA. “Basic hygiene and appearance not only impact our health but also our self-esteem. Supplies like a toothbrush, soap, or deodorant, can have a big impact on the life of someone in need.”

The funds were awarded as part of the FY 2020 Days of Service grant competition, which includes awards for the Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service and September 11th National Day of Service and Remembrance. Both are designated national days of service by Congress which has charged the CNCS with leading these efforts. Since they began in 1995 and 2009, respectively, millions of Americans have given billions of hours of service and made a long-term commitment to community service on one of these two official days of service.

Martin Luther King Day of Service inspires hundreds of thousands of Americans to come together to serve their community. This day of service helps to empower individuals, strengthen communities, bridge barriers, address social problems, and move us closer to Dr. King's vision of a more beloved community.

Martin Luther King Jr and September 11th Days of Service are supported by the Corporation for National and Community Service, which engages millions of Americans of all ages and backgrounds in service each year through its Senior Corps and AmeriCorps programs and leads volunteer and civic engagement initiatives for the nation. For more information, visit nationalservice.gov.