Three North Carolina universities – NC Central University, Pfeiffer University, and UNC Greensboro – have been awarded grants as part of the MLK Day of Service Community Partnership Project, which provides funding for service projects that work toward alleviating hunger and supporting veterans. These schools, all members of North Carolina Campus Compact, are among 40 colleges and universities across the U.S. that will be part of the project, which is funded by the federal Corporation for National and Community Service and administered by Iowa Campus Compact (IACC).
The 2016-17 grant recipients include:
- American University Center for Community Engagement & Service
- Bard College
- Belmont University
- Berry College
- Broome Community College
- Buena Vista University
- Central College
- Coe College
- Concordia University-Portland
- Drake University
- Florida International University
- Grand View University
- Kent State University
- North Carolina Central University
- Oregon State University
- Otterbein University
- Owens Community College
- Pfeiffer University
- Raritan Valley Community College
- Rogers State University
- Rutgers University Newark
- Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota
- Sam Houston State University
- Spokane Falls Community College
- SUNY Geneseo
- Syracuse University
- University of California, Los Angeles
- University of Central Arkansas
- University of Colorado Boulder
- University of Maine
- University of Montana
- University of Mount Union
- University of North Carolina at Greensboro
- University of Northern Iowa
- University of Pittsburgh
- University of South Carolina Leadership and service center
- West Virginia University
- Western Illinois University- Quad Cities
- Winthrop University
- Youngstown State University
The purpose of the MLK Day Community Partnership Project is to mobilize college students, community members and community organizations to observe MLK Day not as “day off,” but as a “day on.” Grants range from $1,000 to $3,000.
Last year, the project recruited 39,281 volunteers throughout the U.S. 10,175 veterans were served and 189,276 pounds of food were distributed to Americans in need. Seven NC schools contributed to these efforts for the 2016 MLK Day Community Partnership Project, including NCCU, UNCG, and Pfeiffer.
“Iowa Campus Compact is excited and thrilled to fund these MLK Day of Service projects that value civic learning on the same level as community impact,” says Justin Ellis, assistant director of IACC and manager of the MLK Day of Service grants.
IACC was awarded a federal grant to manage the MLK Day Community Partnership Project in 2015.
The MLK Day of Service Community Partnership Project is funded by the Corporation for National and Community Service and supported by four other State Campus Compact partners: Campus Compact of the Mountain West, New York Campus Compact, North Carolina Campus Compact, and Wisconsin Campus Compact.
For more information about North Carolina Campus Compact’s work supporting MLK Day, visit this page.