When Jerry Jones first joined Rock Island’s Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center as program manager in 1998, he was onboarded into a small station of five employees.
“I walked through a linoleum-coated hall that led to an office that had one computer in it,” Jones said. “One computer, and a whole place in need of renovation.”
Decades later, the center has expanded to a fully staffed team, offering youth programming, community events and pioneering projects within the Quad Cities. Now executive director, Jones and the community are celebrating the MLK Center’s 50th year in the Rock Island community.
While the community and building has since grown, Jones said the mission of the MLK Center has remained the foundation.
“The vision for the King Center, when it initially was conceived, was to be a one-stop shop for a community that's one of the most distressed in the Rock Island area,” Jones said. “To be able to be here five decades later and to still be consistent with that vision is inspiring.”
The MLK Center will open to the public on Friday, March 21 from 3 to 7 p.m. to celebrate the milestone with an anniversary party. The event will offer an open house, refreshments and programming at 4 p.m., reflecting on the Center’s history and presenting visions for the future.
Tours of the building will also be available, highlighting the MLK Center’s new STEAM lab established earlier this year, featuring a wall of robotic legos, smart boards, 3D printing and laser cutting.
“We are no longer working from a deficit,” Jones said. “We're working from a position of financial strength, which gives us the opportunity to take advantage of opportunities to be innovative, and to be inspirational to a community that wants to engage and be more empowered in the decision-making that we do that affects their lives.”
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