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Honoring Martin Luther King Jr. by giving back to underprivileged students

Posted at 5:22 PM, Jan 18, 2021
and last updated 2021-01-19 10:50:52-05

LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — "Everyone can be great, because everyone can serve.”

Those words from the Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. were put into action on this “day of service”

The NAACP-Las Vegas chapter partnered with other organizations for the Free Care Kit Pickup today at Canyon Springs High School to help students in need.

2021 MLK STORIES

"These are things that our kids need and when they are not here we can’t see it. So we don’t know their needs. With this event, they can just come by and pick up some of the things they need and go. They don’t even have to ask for it." said Canyon springs High School Principal Greg Hunter.

The NAACP partnered with the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) to give students non-perishable items, unisex sanitary items and school supplies.

They were prepared to serve more than 3,000 students with the help of donations from other organizations.

NAACP-Las Vegas chapter President Roxann McCoy told us: "We can not do things alone. In this world, in order to move the needle and be impactful, we need collaboration. With the collaboration comes partnerships. We partnered with the Human Rights Campaign. Between their resources and relationships and our resources and relationships, we were able to gather all of these other organizations together in order to make this common cause a success."

They received more donations than they thought they would.

One partner, the Girl Scouts of Southern Nevada, has not let the pandemic stop them from giving back to the community.

"We are here today because this is very special to us. Martin Luther King Jr. understood how important girl scouts are to the community. Especially as we were looking for diversity. Girl Scouts has always been at the forefront of being diversity partners. So of course we partnered with our local NAACP chapter to have a wonderful part in a day of caring," says Girl Scouts Chief Mission Delivery Officer Yvette Hairston.

An NAACP Girl Scout troop is in the works.

With events like these, the NAACP and the Human Rights Campaign want to continue to work together to achieve common goals.

"We have many people of color that identify as LGBTQ. Our rights are inherently linked together, so when we stand arm in arm, we can do more good together. That’s an example of what is happening here today," says HRC Volunteer Leader Alex Bybee.

The NAACP has more events planned for this year. For more information, please visit here.

Partners:
Human Rights Campaign
Girl Scouts of Southern Nevada
Palm Mortuary
The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas
Caesars Entertainment
Thomas & Jones Funeral Home
Affordable Cremation & Burial Services
King David Memorial Chapel and Cemetery
Nellis Area Spouses' Club
Aristocrat Careers
Discovery Children Museum
IGT Gaming
Boyd Gaming Corporation