January 17, 2012
On Monday, January 16, City Year Los Angeles mobilized over 1,000 Angelenos for a powerful day of service in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Kevin Callahan, Vice President, Disney Corporate Citizenship and Roberto Martinez, Local District 5 Superintendent, Los Angeles Unified School District joined us at Los Angeles Academy Middle School, where we beautified the campus to create a more welcoming environment for the school’s 2,000+ students. The Walt Disney Company was the presenting sponsor of the day of service, underwriting much of the cost of supplies and deploying 100 volunteers. Additional support was provided by JPMorgan Chase, Starbucks, and Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom.
“We are delighted to be the presenting sponsor of this MLK Day of Service with City Year, as part of our longstanding commitment to honor the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr.,” said Kevin Callahan, Vice President, Disney Corporate Citizenship, “Giving back to local communities through service is both a wonderful way to celebrate Martin Luther King’s extraordinary life, and is also at the heart of Disney’s outreach efforts. I am pleased to be in the presence of so many people who are donating their time and talent, including our own Disney VoluntEARS, to make a positive difference here at Los Angeles Academy Middle School.”
The day ended with a revitalized LA Academy. Twenty-eight brightly colored educational murals were painted around the campus and to create a more welcoming environment for the faculty, staff, and students. In addition, volunteers painted 75 college banners that will be hung in the school’s atrium and laid 30 cubic yards of mulch around the school grounds.
For more about City Year’s MLK Day of Service, check out our coverage in the Los Angeles Times, CBS, UCLA’s Daily Bruin and USC’s Neon Tommy. Also check out the City Year LA blog which features a video, photo slideshow and a reflection by corps member Liz Warden.
For more information about City Year’s MLK Day of Service, contact Laura Lee, Civic Engagement Program Manager, at llee11@cityear.org.
