The Tifton-Tift County Main Street Program and PLIGHT, Inc. are partnering to coordinate this year’s MLK celebration and the community activities associated with it, including the Martin Luther King Jr. Breakfast.

The partnership will use the Hands on Georgia model and the Main Street Program will network with volunteers to collect canned goods and non-perishable food items. The community outreach program will not only exemplify how collaborations can be effective but it will also meet the needs of the community by stocking the local food banks with much needed items.

“I am pleased to embrace this partnership because it will encourage individuals and volunteers alike to make an emotional connection between the services they perform and the lifelong ethic of service embodied by Dr. King,” said Charles Carter, the president of PLIGHT, Inc.

According to Fran Kinchen of the Main Street office, Dr. King was unique in his universal beliefs that everyone can achieve greatness through service, Carter said. Dr. King expressed his belief that to serve and by doing so be great, requires only “a heart full of grace” and “a soul generated by love,” Kinchen said.

Kinchen and Carter are asking for the community’s help to make the event successful. People are invited to donate canned goods or non-perishable items to help restock the food banks and soup kitchens — all of which are in dire need of food to serve the community’s hungry. Items can be dropped off at the Main Street office at 504 Main St. or at the Jan. 19 breakfast.

The MLK Breakfast will be held at 8:30 a.m. Jan. 19 at Abraham Baldwin College’s Donaldson Dining Hall. Tickets are $9 with children 5 years old and young admitted free. Tickets must be purchased in advance as there will be no tickets sold at the door this year.

This year’s speaker for the breakfast is the Rev. Gregory Durr Sr. of Adel. Rev. Durr is pastor of Holy Community Church in Adel and is very active in the community. Everyone is invited to attended the breakfast.

For tickets and more information, please contact Fran Kinchen at 229-556-7439 or Lorenzo Williams at 229-386-4360.