St. Pete College, community provide meals to hundreds of families on MLK Day

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - St. Petersburg College students, faculty, and community partners came out to honor Martin Luther King Jr. with a day of service. 

"This is not a time to stay home," said SCP President Dr. Tonjua Williams. "This is not a day off. It's a day on." 

Their goal was to handout non-perishable food boxes to 500 families in need. "Hope Villages of America" provided the boxes. They provide free social services for people in need. 

"To me there or only two types of people in this world," said Kirk Ray Smith, president of Hope Villages of America. "Those in need and those in position to help those in need and so if you are in the position to meet the need, I think you have the obligation to do so. I think that's what Dr. King was all about." 

For students like Tiffany Gil, the experience has enriched their lives. 

"MLK Day here and everywhere is important because it really is a day for us to come together and to serve our community. Not just a day off or to just enjoy a day at the beach," Gil said.

Dr. Williams said the distribution is about creating a caring community.  

"We want to make sure that all that we touch and talk to and work with realize that they are important to us and that we care about them and we want them to strive," she said.