SCF Participates in MLK Day of Service

Grants Awarded for Community Service Projects

(Bradenton, Fla., January 16, 2014) — State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota (SCF) has awarded $121,193 for community projects as part of the communitywide 2014 MLK Day of Service.

SCF received funding from the Florida Legislature to provide opportunities for Manatee County community members to participate in the nationwide effort to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with a day of community service on the federal holiday, Jan. 20, 2014. In this pilot year, the grant is focused on the areas of Bradenton and Palmetto.

The following community organizations received the grants:

• April Childers Consulting  LLC hosted individual workshops on "How to Grow Your Business" to increase the knowledge base of Bradenton and Palmetto business owners.
• Beauty, Health, and Nature will host a workshop to educate young women about hygiene and hair care 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. Jan. 20 at the Palmetto Youth Center, 501 17th St. W.
• Black Entrepreneurs Club hosted a workshop Jan. 11 to teach minority students how to start their own businesses and encourage their entrepreneurship efforts through mentoring.  
• Boys and Girls Clubs of Manatee County will provide breakfast for 500 at-risk youth, families and the homeless 8 a.m. - 10 a.m. Jan. 20 at Boys and Girls Club, 1600 10th St. W., Palmetto. Students also will receive backpacks filled with school supplies.
• Central Community Redevelopment Agency will revitalize an existing park by installing a basketball goal, playground surface area, barbecue grill, trash receptacles and a new gazebo roof 9 a.m.-noon Jan. 18, at Love Park, 11th Avenue and Second Street West in downtown Bradenton.
• Charisma Café and Teahouse will host a "Mommy, Daddy and Me" tea party and activities, including family portraits, face painting, family-oriented games, art projects and storytelling 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. Jan. 19, Jan. 26, Feb. 2 and Feb. 9 at 1004 10th Ave. W., Bradenton.
• 201 Church of Christ will host a forum for African-American and Latino males to address the      importance of good mental and physical health 8 a.m. - 6 p.m. Jan. 20 at 201 MLK Ave. E., Bradenton.
• Early Learning Coalition of Manatee County Inc. will encourage parents to read with their children by distributing books to students that address Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s values of community collaboration nonviolence, volunteerism and social      equality. Books will be distributed at the MLK Parade Jan. 18 in Palmetto and Jan. 20 at Kelly-Brown Center, 1701 Third Ave. E., Palmetto.
• Education Consultants Consortium Inc. will renovate the Kelly-Brown Center, 1701 Third Ave. E., Palmetto,  7 a.m. - 9 p.m. Jan. 20 to create a safe environment for youth to participate in structured activities.
• JJ Frost Holdings Inc. will host a culturally diverse vendor fair with an opportunity for community members or groups to express their cultural heritage in dance or spoken word 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. Jan. 20 at the Palmetto Youth Center, 201 17th St. W.
• Sarasota-Bradenton Kappa Alpha Psi will provide computer literacy skills and training to increase students' overall academic performance and develop positive social skills through mentoring. The event will be held 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Jan. 20 at 1720 26th Ave. E., Bradenton.
• The Ivy Foundation Inc. will host a lunch and workshop 11 a.m.-2 p.m. at the Kelly Brown Center, 1701 Third Ave. E., Palmetto, to provide basic computer training to veterans and homeless youth in Manatee County.
• Manatee-Sarasota Democratic Black Caucus will offer an eight-week civics course for minority students to equip young people with the skills to become responsible voting adults. The first class will be held at 5:30 p.m. Jan. 23, at the Kelly Brown Center, 1701 Third Ave. E., Palmetto.
• Natural Perfection Inc. will provide a workshop 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. at the Palmetto Youth Center, 501 17th St. W., to help young males and females develop healthy lifestyles that lead to improved quality of life and self-esteem.
• Orange Ridge-Bullock Elementary School will send fifth-grade students to the MLK museum in Atlanta, Ga., and inspire the student body to respect diversity and become ambassadors for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s ideals through a school courtyard revitalization effort. The project will begin at 9 a.m. at Orange Ridge Bullock Elementary, 400 39th Street W., Bradenton.
• Ortygia LLC, Meals on Wheels, Salvation Army, Am Vets and Elder Services will provide meals to elderly, disabled and special needs residents who live in and around the Village of the Arts community. The event will be held noon - 7 p.m. Jan. 20 at 1418 13th St. W., Bradenton.
• Palmetto Youth Center will host "Unity the Path to the Dream," an essay and speech contest to help middle school and high school students understand the value of education and appreciate the diversity in the community 6-10 p.m. Jan. 17 at Palmetto Youth Center, 201 17th St. W.
• Redeemed Christian Center will host a "Unity in the Community" celebration to promote  respect for diversity, wellness and collaboration 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. Jan. 20 at Just for Girls, 1011 21st St. E., Bradenton. Underprivileged students also will receive school supplies.
• The SCF Collegiate School National Junior Honor Society and Diversity Club will host "The Dream Preferred Project" workshops at 5:30 p.m. Jan. 22 and 7:30 p.m. May 28 at SCF Bradenton, 5840 26th St. W., building 19.  Students also will mentor, tutor and provide academic guidance to at-risk students in Manatee County.
• Simple Science Books Corp. will give 500 free science books to students and provide hands-on projects to increase students' interest in science and mathematics Jan. 17-20 at various locations in Bradenton and Palmetto.
• Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc. and Five Pearls of Excellence Inc. will offer "Social Media: Are Teens Killing the Dream?" 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Jan. 20 at TEAM Success Campus, 202 13th Ave. E., Bradenton, to explain how inappropriate uses of social media can limit teens' opportunities in higher education, employment, scholarships and military service.