Thousands of Volunteers Will Help Protect Their Neighbors from Home Fires
Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service Projects Will Target Vulnerable Residents and Neighborhoods
Wayne, PA, Dec. 9, 2011 – Twenty-two organizations have been awarded grants to lead fire prevention education projects in neighborhoods at risk for home fires. HOPE worldwide, one of six National Service Team Leaders for the 2012 Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service, is partnering with the Corporation for National and Community Service to engage more than 6,000 volunteers in protecting their neighbors.
Residential home fires are America’s biggest disaster threat. Dr. King believed that as a nation, we are more united and at our best when we serve others. One answer to his question “What are you doing for others?” is to help prepare and protect our vulnerable neighbors from unnecessary deaths and injuries during disasters. On average in the United States in 2009, someone died in a fire every 175 minutes, and someone was injured every 31 minutes, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Residential fires in 2009 claimed the lives of 2,565 residents and injured another 13,050 with older adults and African Americans at increased risk.
On MLK Day, Jan. 16, 2012 and the preceding weekend, volunteers will celebrate Dr. King by canvassing door to door or holding other community events to promote practical and simple fire safety habits; the value of smoke alarms in working condition; and the need to create and practice a fire escape plan.
The 22 grants will help volunteers reach more than 100,000 households with this critical information.
Grantees include:
$10,000
HOPE worldwide – Southern California Chapter
$7,500
HandsOn Nashville, Inc.
The Benefit Bank of South Carolina, SC Office of Rural Health
$5,000
HandsOn Greater DC Cares
HOPE worldwide – Washington Chapter
$2,500
HOPE worldwide – Boston Chapter
HOPE worldwide – Dallas/Fort Worth Chapter
HOPE worldwide – Houston Chapter
HOPE worldwide – Mid Atlantic and North Virginia Chapters
Missouri Southern State University
Washington DC Jewish Community Center
American Red Cross of Northeast Indiana
American Red Cross of Southeastern Wisconsin
$1,000
Senior Neighbors, an Alexian Brothers ministry
American Red Cross, Tippecanoe County Chapter
HOPE worldwide – Charlotte Chapter
HOPE worldwide – Denver Chapter
HOPE worldwide – Fresno Chapter
HOPE worldwide – Jacksonville Chapter
HOPE worldwide – Minnesota Chapter
HOPE worldwide – Omaha Chapter
HOPE worldwide – Tampa Bay Chapter
In 1994, Congress passed legislation encouraging Americans to observe MLK Day as a national day of service that brings people together from different backgrounds to meet needs in their community. The Corporation for National and Community Service was designated as the lead federal agency to execute MLK Day. MLK Day provides Americans the opportunity to celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. King through service to meet local and national needs. For more information visit MLKDay.gov.
About the Corporation for National and Community Service
The Corporation for National and Community Service is a federal agency that engages more than five million Americans in service through its Senior Corps, AmeriCorps, and Learn and Serve America programs, and leads President Barack Obama's national call to service initiative, United We Serve. For more information, visit NationalService.gov.
About HOPE worldwide
HOPE worldwide, ltd. is a tax exempt 501(c)(3) faith-based non-profit public charity headquartered in Wayne, PA with programs in 68 countries and more than 100 U.S. cities. Founded in 1991, HOPE worldwide is celebrating its 20th anniversary and has a volunteer base of 37,000 to support its programs in the U.S. For more information, visit www.hopeww.org.