DC Mayor Gray, US Rep. Norton, and DC Council Chairman Brown
Also Appear at January 16 Event

WASHINGTON, DC – JANUARY 17, 2012 – Arent Fox partner Lisa Estrada, who chairs the firm’s health care practice, spoke January 16 at Washington, DC’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service event along with District of Columbia Mayor Vincent C. Gray, US Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton, and DC Council Chairman Kwame C. Brown.

Lisa serves as the chair of the board of directors of Street Sense, a nonprofit organization that works to address the challenges of homelessness in Washington, DC by providing a low-barrier income-generation opportunity for homeless men and women who are looking for a path out of homelessness.

The Day of Service event was held at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library located at 901 G Street, NW, in Washington, DC, on January 12, 2012 from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm.

In her remarks, Lisa reminded the audience that “on the day Dr. King was killed, he was working to launch the People’s Campaign for Jobs and Opportunity.

“The next phase in Dr. King’s fight for civil rights was to be focused on the poor and the dignity that can be achieved through empowering people to help themselves,” Lisa said. “Dr. King’s death derailed the campaign, but it could not end it. Dedicated people and nonprofits in the District and throughout the country carry out Dr. King’s legacy each and every day. I’m proud to be a small part of one such effort at Street Sense, a street newspaper with a dual mission to educate our community about poverty and homelessness and to provide economic opportunities for our poor and homeless neighbors.”

The 25th Annual We Feed Our People (WFOP) outdoor soup kitchen and clothing distribution honored the life and legacy of Dr. King by providing critical services to at-risk and in-need members of our community. Serve DC is partnering with the District of Columbia Departments of Health and Employment Services to provide city services, health screenings, and life skills trainings to homeless District residents. Additionally, Serve DC distributed space blankets and hand warmers while presenting emergency preparedness tips relevant to the community.

The distribution of winter clothing to homeless residents began at 11:00 am, followed by food service at 12:30 pm.  Lisa, Mayor Gray, Rep. Holmes, Chairman Brown and other distinguished guests delivered their remarks at a brief program that began at 1:00 pm and concluding at 1:30 pm. The distribution of food and clothing continued until 3:00 pm.

The Martin Luther King Day of Service was designated by Congress in 1994 transforming the holiday into a national day of community service. It is a part of United We Serve, the President's national call to service initiative. It calls for Americans from all walks of life to work together to provide solutions to our most pressing national problems.