BALTIMORE — This year there were no drums or dancing on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, but that was no problem for one non-profit dedicated to honoring MLK's mission no matter the circumstances.
"He had a dream of wealth disparity and to close the gap. We know that we still have gaps and suffering in our community and that people still need food. And so, we wanted to move the dream forward today," Director of Operations for "We Our Us" Corey Barnes said.
This yearis the second parade in a row to be canceled, with wintry weather and a bitter cold to blame.
"We love this parade. The mayor loves this parade. Everyone loves this parade," Barnes said. "We don't control inclement weather... I'm sure they made the right decision," he added.
The non-profit group was planning to bring together 5,000 people to be a part of the city's spectacle as well as other events.
"We were going to have a, what we call a stop the beef contract, meet with some of the gang members in the community, and kind of have a peace agreement with them," Barnes said.
Down the block from where the festivities would have started at MLK Jr. Boulevard and North Eutaw Street, there was a parade of cars lining up on Madison Avenue for the group's annual food drive, which was still on despite the falling temperatures.
"We have 6,000 plus pounds of food, we have bread, we have turkey, we have steaks, we have chicken, we have vegetables we have sweets. you name it, we got it," Food Director Kenneth Parker said.
The city has made no announcements to reschedule the event.
"We Our Us leaders are looking forward to next year but say no matter what mother nature has in store, they'll always show up.
The group is always looking for more volunteers. You can find more information on their website.
