Yes We Did!

The PWC VISTAs helped usher in a new era on January 19th, MLK, Jr. Day, with a new President to follow, strengthened committment to service and fresh hope. As President Obama says, "Yes we can!" - and we did. The VISTAs and other volunteers served the day away at South Lansing Community Development Association (SLCDA) (http://www.slcda.org/) completing their goal of strengthening future farm markets with advertising equipment, but also washing and painting the church SLCDA's staff is housed in. In the Spring, VISTAs will embark on step two of this project's goal in linking local people with local food in one of Lansing's food deserts. When the weather warms, the Project will assemble this fresh equipment and assist with further set-up. Check out http://www.ingham.org/ce/CD/home.htm and http://www.slcda.org/ for further details in the coming weeks.

MLK Day: Healthy Environment Supporting Healthy Lifestyles

For the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service (1/19/09) PWC VISTAs in partnership with the South Lansing Community Development Association, Grace United Methodist Church and the MI Department of Community Mental Health will be sewing and painting flags along with assembling and painting sandwich boards for local gardener and farm merchants to use at the Benjamin Davis Farm Market (Lansing, MI) in the Spring. This educational farm market event will help provide healthy food access in food deserts as part of the Environmental Change to Support Health initiative funded by Food Stamp Nutrition Education and the Michigan Nutrition Network. PWC AmeriCorps VISTAs will "Make it a Day On... Not a Day Off"!