Events of Monday, February 22, 2021

Our Town Meal Distribution Program.  4 PM to 6 PM.  Martin L. King, Jr. Center.  The Our Town Meal Distribution Program is ready to help anyone with a need.  Here are the key details community members need to know about receiving free meals:  Come to the MLK Center at 1107 Adrian St. in Jackson from 4-6 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays between Feb. 1 and April 9, 2021.

• Please do not line up in your vehicle before 3:30 p.m. the day of distribution.
• If you come in a vehicle, please stay in your vehicle and follow signs to the distribution area.
• Walk-ups are welcome, but please be prepared to wait in line and social distance.
• Healthy meals from local restaurants are given to anyone who needs a meal.
• Meals are available on a first come, first serve basis.
• Volunteers in the distribution area will assist you.
• Meals are pre-packaged and can be reheated at home.
• Vegetarian options are available.
• Monetary donations are accepted but not required.

Find out more at http://www.cityofjackson.org/1005/Our-Town-Meal-Distribution

Jackson College Black History Month Event.  Black History Month Documentary Discussion – “Central Park Five,” Feb. 22, 3 p.m. via Zoom: https://zoom.us/j/664214957  https://jccmi.kanopy.com/video/ken-burns-central-park-five  Please watch the documentary before discussion. From award-winning filmmaker Ken Burns, “Central Park Five” tells the story of the five black and Latino teenagers from Harlem who were wrongly convicted of raping a white woman in New York City’s Central Park in 1989. This Peabody Award winning film chronicles the Central Park Jogger case, for the first time from the perspective of the five teenagers whose lives were upended by this injustice.

State Representative Julie Alexander Virtual Office Hours.   Rep. Alexander will be hosting a second installment of virtual office hours for this month on Monday, February 22nd from 4-5pm.  Rep. Alexander will be joined by Jackson Public Schools Superintendent Jeff Beal to discuss the current challenges facing our education system.  There will also be an opportunity for participants to ask questions via the zoom chat function. You can register for this meeting at the zoom link below:  When: Feb 22, 2021 04:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)  Register in advance for this meeting:

https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJMtfu6qrTktHNXxzVhdPELP1T7NjOZNPKAy

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

Red Cross Blood Drive. In honor of Black History Month this February, the American Red Cross encourages eligible donors, and especially those who have recovered from COVID-19, to give blood to honor the legacies of African Americans like Dr. Charles Drew and Dr. Jerome Holland. Their passion for helping improve the lives of patients in need of lifesaving blood products is carried on through dedicated blood donors, blood drive sponsors, volunteers and Red Cross employees.  Blood donation appointments can be made by downloading the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org, calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or enabling the Blood Donor Skill on any Alexa Echo device. As a thank-you for helping ensure a stable blood supply, those who come to give this February will receive a $5 Amazon.com Gift Card via email, courtesy of Amazon. (Restrictions apply. Additional information and details are available at RedCrossBlood.org/Together.)

Upcoming Blood Drives:

2/22/2021: 12 p.m. – 5:45 p.m., St. John’s Parish Center, 711 N. Francis Street

2/24/2021: 10 a.m. – 3:45 p.m., FOE 612, 301 Detroit St

2/25/2021: 12 p.m. – 5:45 p.m., Calvary United Methodist Church, 925 Backus

2/26/2021: 12 p.m. – 5:45 p.m., St Rita Parish, 10516 Hayes Road

VITA Tax Preparation.  Community Action Agency provides free Federal, state and city income tax preparation services through the IRS sponsored Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program. CAA provides trained IRS certified volunteer tax preparers to complete and e-file returns.  Tax preparers work with each client to ensure the client receives all of the money they are entitled to receive. This money could be from the Child Tax Credit, Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), Homestead Property Tax Credit, Home Heating Credit, among others. To learn more about the EITC visit the IRS EITC homepage.  Returns are electronically filed (e-filed) to speed up the receipt of the refund. Returns for prior years may be able to be completed for you.  Residents who have household incomes of less than $57,000 can get their tax returns prepared for free.  To schedule an appointment, call 517-247-2099.  caajlh.org

Jackson College Black History Month Event.  Black History Month Documentary Discussion – “Central Park Five,” Feb. 22, 3 p.m. via Zoom: https://zoom.us/j/664214957  https://jccmi.kanopy.com/video/ken-burns-central-park-five  Please watch documentary before discussion. From award-winning filmmaker Ken Burns, “Central Park Five” tells the story of the five black and Latino teenagers from Harlem who were wrongly convicted of raping a white woman in New York City’s Central Park in 1989. This Peabody Award winning film chronicles the Central Park Jogger case, for the first time from the perspective of the five teenagers whose lives were upended by this injustice.