Sharing the Dream will host its 16th Annual Concert and Festival honoring the Life and Work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in January of 2011. Sharing the Dream is working with the GrassRoots II, Inc. organization to present this event on Oct. 10 from 2 to 4 p.m. in Arroyo Grande.The afternoon concert will feature music, food, beer and wine and works to promote the ideals of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. This organization offers free clothing, household items, and emergency food to feed the homeless and others living on the Central Coast who cannot afford to provide for themselves or their families. The work began in the '60s as a result of a national program created after Martin Luther King’s 1964 march on Washington. Inspired by that march and Rev. King’s Message, President Lyndon B. Johnson established the War on Poverty, funding the program. Because funding became available for it, all over the nation community organizers began to assess the needs of those living in poverty. Central Coast resident Maxine Lewis, an African/American woman, was that community organizer in San Luis Obispo.
The funds helped the organization, Grassroots, to address the unmet needs she saw- through Welfare Rights, Activism, Advocacy, and Services. In 1972, when federal funding for the War on Poverty ended, her organization became GrassRoots II, Inc. symbolizing a rebirthing of the work. Today, with the help of volunteers and private donations, GrassRoots II, Inc. struggles to continue fulfilling its Mission Statement, “improving the quality of life for low income people and families”. The upcoming sixth annual Sharing the Dream October Fundraiser will be held on Sunday, Oct. 10 from 12 to 4 p.m. in the Beautiful Edna Valley at 1615 Tiffany Ranch Road, Arroyo Grande, Calif. The fundraiser will include local entertainment featuring Louie Ortega, Al "Shival" Redwine, Tim Jackson, and Michael LoveGene. Lunch will be provided by Bon Temps Creole Café and there will be beer and wine for purchase. The $20 ticket can be purchased by contacting a Sharing the Dream or GrassRoots II, Inc. representative. The ticket provides entry into the event and lunch. If you donate 5 Non-Perishable Food items to GrassRoots II, Inc., your ticket cost will reduce to $15. The funds raised from this event will help Sharing the Dream continue to provide culturally responsive events to the citizens of San Luis Obispo County and other educational opportunities, like the First Annual Essay and Art Contest held in 2009. For more information on how you can help or be a sponsor, visit www.slosharingthedream.org.
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