Wayne, PA – Disciples across the country have spoken with their hard work rather than just words to promote the spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy. Volunteers throughout the U.S. took to the streets to help reduce deaths and injuries from home fires, our nation’s top disaster threat. They also helped neighbors prepare for natural disasters and served in other projects. More than 10,300 volunteers served over 130,000 people, logging 40,727 hours in 38 states at 203 service sites coordinated by HOPE worldwide Chapters, American Red Cross, partnering chapters and 10 organizations who were awarded sub-grants from HOPE worldwide through funding from the Corporation for National and Community Service.
Highlights include:
- HOPE worldwide Chapters collaborated with the American Red Cross to participate for the sixth consecutive year in the Fire Preparedness Outreach program. The 2014 MLK Day efforts reached homes across the country with critical fire safety and preparedness information
- This year 21 organizations were awarded sub-grants to lead fire prevention and disaster preparedness education projects in at-risk areas.
- Over 900 HOPE worldwide and ARC volunteers gathered in the New York City Metro area in eight locations to honor the life and legacy of Dr. King by serving their neighbors.
- Also in the NYC Metro area, 160 hearty volunteers in Haverstraw NY educated over eight hundred local residents on the importance of fire safety in spite of an unexpected snowstorm which created blizzard conditions.
- In hurricane-ravaged areas of Staten Island, volunteers from the HOPE worldwide Hurricane Sandy Recovery Program honored Dr. King’s birthday by conducting home repairs for residents of Staten affected by Hurricane Sandy. Watch the FOX 5 News video about their impact.
- In Omaha, NE and Council Bluffs, IA, 152 volunteers educated 2,350 of their neighbors from areas at high risk for fires and held conversations about fire safety with 700 individuals.
