MLK Jr. Community Center

Reliant Teams Up With City Of Dallas To Help Vulnerable Residents Stay Cool This Summer With Beat The Heat Program

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WHAT: Summer months in Dallas are known for bringing sweltering heat to our city, and many residents are still looking for ways to stay cool in their homes. This Thursday, July 22, Reliant is partnering with the City of Dallas to improve living conditions for residents of South Dallas and Fair Park who are facing Texas’ devastating summer heat.

With Reliant’s support, the City of Dallas’ MLK, Jr. Community Center and West Dallas Multipurpose Center, will assist over 200 families throughout the summer with combination portable AC and coolers to beat the heat safely in their homes. Residents can call West Dallas Multipurpose Center at 214-670-6341 or MLK Jr. Community Center at 214-670-8418 to apply for a portable A/C unit.

Many low-income homeowners are not able to control the temperature in their home, impacting their health while summer temperatures rise. This is Reliant’s 12th consecutive year launching its “Beat the Heat” program in partnership with the City of Dallas. The program provides resources for Dallas-area vulnerable residents to stay cool and receive financial assistance for their electricity bills during the hottest days of summer.

Community Assistance by Reliant Energy

Across Texas, Reliant has provided more than $12 million to help Texans who need assistance with electricity costs through the CARE (Community Assistance by Reliant Energy) program since 2002. Anyone who needs help paying their electricity bill this summer can call 2-1-1 within Texas or visit 211texas.org. Reliant customers can also contact us 24/7 through a number of convenient ways, including at 1-866-222-7100, via online chat, or on the Reliant app.

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*Registration @ MLK is now closed for the portable A/C units.

MLK Back to School Festival

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The MLK Back to School Festival is a “one-stop-shop” for parents and students preparing for the new school year. On Friday, August 16, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., families can come to the Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Center (2922 MLK Boulevard, Dallas, TX 75215) and receive free school supplies, backpacks, uniforms, shoes, and more. There will also be vendors, a children’s play area, free food, and snow cones.

This event is open to all families with children in grades Pre-K to 12. Parents must provide a photo ID and children must be present to receive supplies. There are no zip code restrictions or income requirements to receive supplies.

When: Friday, August 16, 2019, from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Where: The Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Center, located at 2922 MLK Boulevard, Dallas, Texas 75215. 

Who: The Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Center hosts this annual event. This year’s sponsors include the City of Dallas, Miles of Freedom, Carter’s House, Capital One, Reliant Energy, Turning Paiges, and Panda Cares. If you are interested in becoming a vendor or sponsor, please call 214-670-8418 or visit www.dallasmlkcenter.com/back-to-school.

#BeGolden Golden Tables Remind Residents of The Golden Rule at Dallas Community Centers

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(DALLAS / FORT WORTH) To honor this year’s Juneteenth Celebration of freedom, #BeGolden is bringing the values of respect, empathy and compassion into focus by contributing 16 Golden Tables to Dallas area community centers, including MLK Community Center where the celebration will take place.

Golden Tables are painted gold and feature a plaque that says “May we always be welcoming and gather around the table in the spirit of The Golden Rule: “Treat others as you would like to be treated.”

#BeGolden is helping Dallas to build a more welcoming community, and these Golden Tables are a lasting way we can remind everyone that we are all neighbors and it’s up to us to make each other feel welcome. #BeGolden is based on The Golden Rule, a principle that rings true for every culture and every faith. #BeGolden began as an initiative of Bishop Edward Burns and the Diocese of Dallas and is supported by the Mayor’s office, The Richards-Lerma agency, Catholic Charities, The Belo Corporation and Dallas Morning News, and many other civic, faith, business, and school leaders. In particular, the City of Dallas’ Welcoming Communities office is a big advocate of #BeGolden, as it works so well with their mission to bridge the space between newcomers and existing Dallas residents, to find common ground, to foster informed understanding and to promote shared leadership.​​​​​

Since it was launched in April, 2018, #BeGolden has been a part of conversations in many organizations across Dallas and has spread to Louisville, Kentucky and San Antonio, Texas.

#BeGolden exists to build a more welcoming community in the Dallas area and beyond. #BeGolden aims to educate, inspire and generate action helping to create a world where we treat immigrants and all people the way we’d like to be treated, and encourage others to do the same. #BeGolden is supported by City of Dallas Mayor Rawlings, Catholic Diocese of Dallas Bishop Edward Burns, The Richards-Lerma agency, Catholic Charities, The Belo Corporation and Dallas Morning News, and many other civic, faith, business, and school leaders. begoldenjourney.com, and #BEGOLDEN JOURNEY on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

 Please also include WCIA on social media #DallasWCIA, @Dallas_WCIA Twitter, @DallasWCIA Facebook.

Media Release #BeGolden Golden Tables

Beat the Heat

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Reliant and the City of Dallas kicked off summer Beat the Heat centers on June 6 with a press conference at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Center. Special guests included Andrea Russell, Vice President and General Manager of Reliant; Philip Huang, Director of Dallas County Health and Human Services; and Pamela Jones, Division Manager at the MLK, Jr. Community Center.

Reliant’s Beat the Heat centers keep Dallas residents cool as temperatures and electricity usage begin to rise. The centers are designed to provide residents with a safe and comfortable environment and to help reduce home electricity use during the hottest days of summer.

Beat the Heat centers are open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Center and the West Dallas Multipurpose Center (2828 Fish Trap Rd.).

For more information about Beat the Heat cooling centers, please contact 214-670-8418.

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Can We Talk?

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‘Can We Talk?’ attendees created vision boards to represent their future goals and dreams.

On Thursday, May 30, we hosted “Can We Talk?” which was a free workshop to encourage social services professionals to rethink stress, avoid burnout, and implement more self-care practices in their daily lives. 

Topics included mindfulness, health and wellness, and different ways to manage stress. Guests also learned about the health benefits of meditation and created vision boards to represent future goals and dreams.

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Thank you to our guest speakers and sponsors!

Angie Hoquang (Public Affairs Specialist, Social Security Administration)

Sonia James (Founder, State of Mind Today)

Debra Mitchell-Ibe, LCSW

Elaine Maddox (Chaplain, Dallas Fire-Rescue)

Jacqueline Villegas (Case Manager, Family Care Connection)

Thien Dao (LCSW, Parkland Hospital)

Genevieve Eversley, MSW, LBSW-IPR, SHRM-SCP, IPMA-SCP (City of Dallas)

Dr. Joseph DuChene, DuChene Natural Health

DFW Sahaja Yoga Meditation

AIDS Healthcare Foundation

Community Council of Greater Dallas

Community Partner Program

Dallas 311

Flower Road

Gilead Sciences Inc.

MLK Branch Library

Nothing Bundt Cakes

Olive Garden

Patricia Whitfield & Chef Patrick

Prism Health North Texas

Regional Black Contractors

Pinot’s Palette

Sam’s Club

The Fairmont Hotel

The Henry

Theresa Beckwith-Davis

World Vision

Spring Into Action

The Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Center Events

Pictured above: Deborah Sutton, Caseworker at MLK, Jr. Community Center & Vee Jackson Haywood, Vice Chair of the MLK Advisory Board. 

On Monday, May 20, we hosted “Spring into Action,” an initiative to help the homeless by providing free care packages with toiletries, towels, snacks, and more.

Thanks to our donors and sponsors, we were able to give 75 care packages to our neighbors.

If you would like to donate any toiletries or snacks to the MLK Social Services Department, please contact 214-670-8442.

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Thank you to our sponsors:

Trusted World

City of Dallas Youth Commission

Foremost Family Health Center

Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. (Alpha Sigma Lambda Chapter)

Sons of Solomon

World Vision

Carter’s House

Walgreens

The Giving Tree

Mary LaJoyce White

Mary Macheru

Eunice Rodgers

Charda Greene

Volunteer Appreciation Day

The Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Center Events

April is National Volunteer month and each year, the Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Center takes the time to honor volunteers who lend us their time and support throughout the year, making it possible to better serve our community.

On April 30, we hosted “Volunteer Appreciation Day,” bringing our volunteers together for lunch and recognizing their support and commitment to service. 

Thank you to our volunteers! You truly make a difference!

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Can We Talk?

The Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Center Events ,

Mark your calendars! Attend a free workshop empowering social service professionals with tools to avoid burnout and reduce stress, by refocusing and transforming your outlook on life. Guests will have the opportunity to network and share resources, enjoy lunch and discussion, and win door prizes.

Topics Include:

  • Another Way to Wellness
  • The Mind-Body Connection
  • Harmful Negative Influences
  • Positioning Yourself

RSVP via Eventbrite or by calling 214-670-8442.

Hosted by the Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Center. Visit us online at http://www.dallasmlkcenter.com.