Tuesday, March 31, 2009

International service will be celebrated as University of North Carolina Wilmington student members of Manna Project International-Wilmington (MPI-W) come together to raise funds to support La Chureca, a trash-dump community in Nicaragua. The event begins at 7 p.m. Saturday, April 4 in the Burney Student Center.

Two North Carolina bands, The Never and Do It to Julia, will perform throughout the night, and local artist Dan Brawley will use recycled materials to produce art that mimics the construction of a shack in La Chureca. MPI-W members will share stories and pictures from their international spring break service trips, which will be on display for sale. The evening will include a silent auction and raffle.

Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Admission is free and the event is open to the public. Donations will be accepted. All funds raised will be donated to support La Chureca, including the salary of a pediatrician to work at a clinic in the community for a year.

Since its formation in 2006, MPI-W has supported La Chureca. MPI-W is a chapter of the international service organization Manna Project International (MPI). MPI was established in 2003 by a group of students at Vanderbilt University with the mission of fostering communities of young adults and encouraging them to use their passions and educations to serve communities in need. MPI has since established two international sites in Managua, Nicaragua, and Quito, Ecuador, where volunteers live and work full-time to aid the communities. College chapters fulfill the local needs of immigrant populations and raise awareness of global issues.

MPI-W facilitates international volunteer opportunities through spring break and summer trips and participates in local fundraising projects for MPI's projects abroad. The group focuses on local service projects including the "Manna Buddies" tutoring program through which members tutor ESL students at Winter Park Elementary School, as well as volunteering with Centro Latino programs for the local Latino community.

MPI-W also engages students in global service by sending groups to Managua, Nicaragua. Over the recent March spring break, three groups of MPI-W members embarked on global service expeditions: one in Managua, Nicaragua, one in La Ceiba, Honduras and another in Las Terrenas, Dominican Republic.

Media Contacts:
Brittany Pickell, MPI-W student organizer, 386.843.3663 or bnp2594@uncw.edu
Joy Davis, UNCW Marketing and Communications, 910.916.8603 or davisjc@uncw.edu