LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Friday, volunteers from Louisville's National Panhellenic Council Divine Nine fraternities and sororities partnered with Dare to Care and Agape Day to deliver food to people in need. The day of service was part of the city’s Juneteenth Jubilee, commemorating the abolition of slavery.
Volunteers delivered more than 130 food boxes with fresh fruits and vegetables and frozen meat to people in need. They drove the boxes to families throughout metro Louisville, providing a healthy meal to hundreds of people.
Organizer and Juneteenth Jubilee Celebration Commissioner Al Cornish said it's important to honor Juneteenth through a day on, a day of service, not a day off.
"We understood the fact that we could all sit at home or we could go out and shop, but it's really a day to give back,” he said.
Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. member and educator Anthony Dickerson put that message into action by volunteering. He said it's encouraging to see more and more people recognize a moment in history that has always been close to his heart.
"I've had people ask 'What is that?' and I say 'Well, we've been doing it in the Black community for a long time,' it's just the other communities that did not really know and didn't know the importance of Juneteenth,” he said.
Juneteenth Jubilee celebrations will continue through the weekend, ending with a worship service at Burnett Avenue Baptist Church at 1p.m. on Sunday, June 20.
►Make it easy to keep up-to-date with more stories like this. Download the WHAS11 News app now. For Apple or Android users.
Have a news tip? Email assign@whas11.com, visit our Facebook page or Twitter feed.