CELEBRATE BLACK HISTORY MONTH WITH UNITED WAY & AALS

As the nation celebrates Black History Month, United Way Quad Cities is working with community partners to make it easy for residents to help address racial disparities that prevent Quad Citizens from living their best lives.

 

United Way’s African American Leadership Society is launching multiple initiatives throughout the month of February — such as recruiting blood donors, publishing a Black experience video series, and partnering with Black authors to support youth literacy in the Quad Cities.

We all have a responsibility toward making the Quad Cities equitable, respectful and offering opportunity for all. As a community, we must ensure all our kids are equipped to succeed in school and life, adults achieve gainful employment and financial stability, and residents have the support and services needed to lead a happy, healthy lives.

 

Together with our community partners, volunteers and donors just like you, we must share, recognize and celebrate Black history not only during February but all year long.

Fresh Films and Darryl Cross have teamed up with us to celebrate the voices of three Black Quad Citizens who have challenged expectations and influenced life in the community. 

At every educational benchmark we measure, cradle to completion, African American students in the Quad Cities are consistently at a disadvantage compared to their white peers.

 

Thanks to a generous gift from Quad City Bank & Trust, AALS will purchase copies of Shellie Moore-Guy’s children’s book "How Little Billy Learned to Play," loosely based on jazz musician and Quad-Cities-native Bill Bell, for local students of Madison Elementary School in Davenport.

 

In 2020, Black donors made up only 1.95% of the Quad Cities donor pool, according to the Mississippi Valley Regional Blood Center. Blood donations are in high demand because of COVID-19. All eligible donors are encouraged to give blood.

 

All month long, AALS and Mississippi Valley Regional Blood Center will look to recruit donors for the United Way / AALS Blood Drive on March 13, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the Lincoln School Community Center, 318 E. 7th St., Davenport. The blood drive is sponsored by Iowa American Water and WGVV 92.5 FM.

 

• Learn more about the African American Leadership Society.
• About United Way / AALS Black History Month Programming.
• Make your gift to AALS.