Organizers are declaring success following Wednesday's 7-1-6 CommUNITY Day at Martin Luther King, Jr. Park. Nearly 1,500 people took part in the event, with free hot meals and bags of produce provided to community members. Shannon Schunke, Vice President of event sponsor Trusted Gives, said the number of organizations involved has grown over the last three years.
“There's power in numbers when you're working together, and you put together an event with so many different volunteers from so many different organizations, it just means so much to the community,” Schunke said.
Over 30 staff members of BTPM were among the volunteers. Another sponsor was Dion's Dreamers, the foundation created by Buffalo Bills offensive lineman Dion Dawkins, who drew huge crowds during his visit to the park.
Dozens of children walked away with free bikes and bike helmets, courtesy of Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield. It's not the company's first initiative at the park, said Vice President for Community Affairs Michael Ball. His company funded the revitalization of the water basin. Employees helped to build a new playground.
"So, it's just a place that we're really proud of and we're excited to be with the community today."
Under the produce tent, Chris Ring was busy handing out free peppers and cabbage provided by Tops Friendly Markets. Ring recently joined the Trusted Gives board of directors. "You can see that it really affects the local community."
A long line was forming around a nearby tent where Charlene Thomas was cutting hair for free. Her organization is Haircuts for Those in Need.
"The need is here, right? The need is in the city," Thomas commented. "Many people can't afford hair care. And we bring that to them. That way they can have more money for their bills, or they're not putting off getting a haircut for so long because they don't have the money to do it."
Over 70 organizations were tabling throughout the event. Simon Husted was there for Shared Mobility which offers low-cost access to e-bikes.
"They don't have all the information available to them about discount programs available," Husted said of residents in the East Side neighborhood. "That's why an event like this is really helpful. It bridges that information gap."
