St. Petersburg – The LGBT Welcome Center will celebrate MLK Day of Service by putting the finishing touches on its newly renovated kitchen. Wells Fargo volunteers will help complete the kitchen in the newly open space run by Metro Wellness and Community Centers on Monday, Jan. 19.
Volunteers will paint and help in other ways to make sure the job is completed by the end of the holiday.
The Welcome Center celebrated its inaugural opening on Dec. 12 with a huge celebration that had a turnout of more than 200 people, including Mayor Rick Kriseman and County Commissioner John Morroni. The goal of the center is to provide a more visible presence in St. Petersburg, especially along its new home at 2227 Central Avenue in the city’s Grand Central District.
LGBT Welcome Center Director Chris Rudisill said that with the MLK Day of service award—which was $5,000—the organization can finally install its coffee bar.
Rudisill said there was a need for a center like this for the community and hopes it to become a bustling center for the LGBT community that provides workshops, events and visitor resources. It’s only the third center of its kind in the country.
