AHRC Nassau community members started the year on a positive note participating in the 40th Annual MLK Commission March and Commemorative Program organized by the City of Glen Cove and Glen Cove City School District. The event also serves as the launch of AHRC’s annual inclusive volunteering project successfully securing food donations to support over 60 families for three days.
Honoring the legacy of Dr. King through acts of service, this is the longest-running continuous MLK event of its kind in the nation. AHRC Nassau community members held the banner high and marched beside over a hundred community advocates from the First Baptist Church of Glen Cove to Wunsch Middle School where a program commemorating Dr. King was hosted by Sheryl Goodine, Mistress of Ceremonies.
The program included remarks from City of Glen Cove officials, Mayor Pamela Panzenbeck and Councilwoman Marsha Silverman, as well as citations presented to community leaders, including AHRC Nassau CEO and Planning Commission member Stanfort Perry.
From the podium, self-advocate Noah Probert, shared his experience and the need for increased inclusion. “Growing up with a disability, I had to face obstacles related to using a wheelchair. But I refused to let these obstacles define me,” said Noah, who finished his speech to a standing ovation. “Together, we can turn Dr. King’s dream into a reality and make every day an MLK Day.”
The event also marked the start of AHRC Nassau’s inclusive volunteer project where agency and community volunteers through the Long Island Volunteer Center, unite to provide food assistance to the Long Island community. 43% of New York families experienced food hardship in 2022. In response, organizers encouraged attendees to bring a non-perishable food item to the event which they donated to Nosh Delivers!, a food pantry in Glen Cove.
The volunteer project is made possible through an inclusive volunteering grant by The Arc of the United States and AmeriCorps, the federal agency that leads the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service.
To learn more, volunteer, or donate, please visit ahrc.org/dream.
See the event slideshow below.