Join HELP and the City of Dallas for the 2023 MLK Day Parade on Monday, January 16, 2023!“It Starts With Me”
For more information about the 2023 MLK Day Parade, visit www.dallasmlkcenter.com/mlk-parade.
MLK Jr. Community Center
2022 MLK Winter Warmup (Event Recap)
On Saturday, December 17, the Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Center hosted its annual Winter Warm-Up, a community-based effort to provide new coats, hats, and gloves to over 800 children in need. Registered guests participated in a drive through to receive a free winter coat, hats, and gloves, along with shelf-stable food items.
LIRA provided free hats, gloves, socks, and blankets to the homeless, along with a hot meal, sponsored by Accident & Injury Chiropractic.
Community Partners included LIRA, HELP, Peter and Dena Silberman, Terris Perkins, Jr., Miles of Freedom, CBRE, Empowering the Masses, KIPP Texas Public Schools, Accident & Injury Chiropractic, Green Careers Dallas, Kelly Drake, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. (Alpha Sigma Lambda Chapter), Continental Societies, Dallas Black Chamber of Commerce, Foremost Family Health Center, Dallas Public Library, Transportation Unlimited, Inc., Gigi Gervasi, Doris Edmon, Crystal Tyler, and Rosesharon Wright.
Call For Student Artists! 2023 Black History Month Art Display
Call for Student Artists! Submit Art for Black History Month Display at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Center
The City of Dallas Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Center is seeking student artists to participate in an art display at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Center in celebration of Black History Month. Artwork will be displayed inside of the MLK, Jr. Community Center from February 1 – February 28, 2023.
CRITERIA
Students in grades 6-12 in the Dallas area can participate.
Artwork should reflect the theme “It Starts with Me,” exploring the diversity of Black culture. Submissions may incorporate (but are not limited to) historical leaders, groups, events, flags, or a personal interpretation of the theme in relation to Black History Month. Acceptable mediums include (but are not limited to) paint, pencil, marker, ink, poetry, sculpture, collage, or photography.
HOW TO SUBMIT
Submit artwork to the Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Center (2922 MLK, Jr. Blvd., Dallas, TX 75215) along with the following details:
- Artist Name
- School
- Grade
- Art Title
- Description of artwork
DEADLINE
- Submit art by January 30, 2023, by 5:00 p.m.
- Art Pick Up: March 1, 2023
CONTACT
For more information, contact Natashia Cooper at natashia.cooper@dallas.gov or call 214-670-8418.
Celebrating Juneteenth at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Center (Event Recap)
On Saturday, June 18, 2022, the Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Center, in collaboration with LIRA Group, hosted the MLK Juneteenth 3K Walk & Festival.
An estimated 750 people came out to enjoy the Juneteenth festivities. This year’s theme was “2022 Better Me, Better You” with a primary focus on the walk for “Freedom” and health and wellness. There were more than 280 registered participants in the Center’s first ever 3K freedom walk, which included local community members, community partners, and other supporters of the MLK Center. Attendees enjoyed a variety of vendors, live entertainment, and free activities for children.
Special guests included Dianne Gibson, Mistress of Ceremony; Event Co-Chair Betty Carter Hooey, MLK Advisory Board (District 15); Donniesha Johnson, Fitness Instructor; Leon Shaw, Singer; Event Chair Elaine Sacks, MLK Advisory Board (District 1); Jhayce Anderson, Youth Performer; and Emma Rodgers, Dallas Civil Rights Museum Curator. Breakfast was provided by DFW Voices. Lunch was sponsored by In-N-Out Burger. Music was provided by DJ Trikky and Jeff the DJ.
Community Partners included the City of Dallas, LIRA Group, HELP, Reliant, Geico, Miles of Freedom, Chase Bank, Accident & Injury Chiropractic, Dallas Park and Recreation, In-N-Out Burger, Dairy Farmers of America, Humana, American Airlines, The Afiya Center, the Walls Project, Oasis Focus, Baylor Scott & White, Kroger, and DFW Voices.
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MLK Grand Reopening Meet & Greet (Event Recap)
On Saturday, June 11, the Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Center hosted a Grand Reopening Meet and Greet event to showcase new programs and services available at the center.
Guests had the opportunity to take a guided campus tour and network with our community partners. Lunch was sponsored by Empowering the Masses, Dallas Black Chamber of Commerce, and Williams Chicken.
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2022 MLK Black History Month Celebration (Event Recap)
The Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Center’s 2022 Black History Month Celebration was a two-part event, a virtual celebration of unsung artist Arthello Beck, Jr., and a free drive-through giveaway for the community.
The virtual event premiered on Friday, February 11, celebrating the life of artist Arthello Beck, Jr. and recognizing the efforts of the MLK Center’s community partners. The video is available to watch on YouTube.
Produced by Tailored Penguin Media Company, special contributors included the City of Dallas, Reliant, an NRG company, LIRA Group, Miles of Freedom, Foremost Family Health Center, Empowering the Masses, the South Dallas Cultural Center, Deborah Sutton, & Ms. Mae Beck.
Original artwork by Arthello Beck, Jr. will be displayed at the MLK Branch Library and the South Dallas Cultural Center through the month of February.
Part two of the celebration was a free drive-through giveaway on Saturday, February 12, for 250 families to receive free food, hygiene supplies, cleaning products, and more. Care packages were provided to the homeless with blankets, socks, and hygiene products, along with a hot meal. Music was provided by DJ G Smoove.
Our community partners include Reliant, an NRG company, LIRA Group, Miles of Freedom, H.E.L.P., Foremost Family Health Center, Empowering the Masses, First Choice Social Services, In the City For Good, Oasis Focus, and KBP Foods KFC.
Watch Video:
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2021 MLK Winter Warm-Up
On Saturday, December 18, the Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Center hosted its annual Winter Warm-Up event, a community-based effort to provide new coats, hats, and gloves to 800 children in need.
Registered guests participated in the drive through to receive a free winter coat, a food box with fresh produce and dry goods, STEAM kits from the Dallas Public Library (MLK Branch), gloves from KIPP, laundry detergent and hand sanitizer from In the City For Good, and teddy bears and toys from White Rock United Methodist at Owenwood, in collaboration with Kelly Drake, MLK Advisory Board member. COVID Vaccinations were also available on-site, provided by Abundant Life AME Church and Foremost Family Health Center.
Additional sponsors included Carter’s House, Alpha Sigma Lambda Chapter of Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., Bob’s Steak and Chop House, Empowering the Masses, Enterprise Foundation, LIRA Group, Accident & Injury Chiropractic, Oncor, Peter & Dena Silberman, Terris Perkins, Jr., Hope.Encourage.Love.Protect. (HELP), Foremost Family Health Center, The Richards Group, Heroines of Jericho, Miles of Freedom, Star Medical Specialties, KIPP, Transportation Unlimited, In the City for Good, Bridgford Foods, Texas State Federation of Garden Clubs, Turner 12, Geico, Rose Wright, Doris Edmon, Crystal Tyler, Emma Rodgers, ABZ Solutions, Bimbo, and Dairy Farmers of America.
Special thanks to our volunteers who contributed their time and labor to make this event a success. We could not do it without you!
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Oasis Focus, Inc. and North Texas Food Bank host Mobile Food Giveaway at the MLK, Jr. Community Center
On Wednesday, December 8, the Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Center partnered with Oasis Focus, Inc. and the North Texas Food Bank to host a mobile food pantry for residents in the South Dallas area.
It was a drive though event serving 250 families with free produce and dry goods from the North Texas Food Bank, hygiene and cleaning supplies donated by Sir Kendricks Smile for Autism, and other donated items from Oasis Focus, Inc. and The Concilio.
To learn more about Oasis Focus, Inc. please visit their website at https://www.oasisfocus.org.
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The MLK Fresh Produce Distribution Center Reopens at the MLK, Jr. Community Center
On Tuesday, December 7, the MLK Fresh Produce Distribution Center reopened at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Center after closing due to the ongoing pandemic.
The new distribution hours will be every Tuesday starting at 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. or while supplies last. There are no income or zip code restrictions to receive goods.
Food distribution will also take place every Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at the Park South YMCA, located at 2500 Romine Avenue, Dallas, TX 75215.
If you have any questions or are interested in becoming a volunteer, please contact Cinthia Mendoza at Cinthia@milesoffreedom.org.
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2021 MLK Thanksgiving Basket Giveaway
On Saturday, November 20, the Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Center hosted its annual Thanksgiving Basket Giveaway to provide complete Thanksgiving meals to families in need.
Over 500 guests participated in a drive-through event to receive bags filled with stuffing mix, vegetables, bread, desserts, and more, along with a turkey or whole chicken, and a ham for a complete holiday meal.
This year’s sponsors included LIRA Group, Dallas Fire Department, Transportation Unlimited, Terris Perkins, Jr., Abundant Life AME, Bimbo, Boss Fight Entertainment, Empowering the Masses, Foremost Family Health Center, Oak Street Health, Miles of Freedom, Alpha Sigma Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., The Original Bob’s Steak and Chop House, Brian Eberstein, Kappa Zeta Chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., the Giving Tree Ministries, First Choice Social Services, Ellen’s Kitchen, Hope Encourage Love Protect (H.E.L.P.), Ben E. Keith, Storks Nest Fund of Dallas, The Richards Group, Enterprise Foundation, and the Highland Park Police Department.
Our gracious volunteers included St. Luke United Methodist Church, Refulgent Star, Diva Girls Rock, Kappa Zeta Chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., H.E.L.P., Alpha Sigma Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., MLK Community Courts, Foremost Family Health Center, The Richards Group, and Team MVP.
The Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Center also partnered with Miles of Freedom and the Botham Jean Foundation at the Park South YMCA to provide free turkeys and Thanksgiving trimmings to 500 families in need.
Thank you to our partners, sponsors, and volunteers- we could not do it without you!
View Photo Gallery (2021 MLK Thanksgiving Basket Giveaway)
