FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Greenville, South Carolina: Alpha Phi Alpha Greenville Foundation Announces Yvonne Smith Reeder as 2026 Martin Luther King Jr. Citizenship Award Recipient
Greenville, SC — The Alpha Phi Alpha Greenville Foundation (AGF) is pleased to announce Ms. Yvonne Smith Reeder as the recipient of the 2026 Martin Luther King Jr. Citizenship Award. Ms. Reeder will be honored during the Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration, to be held on Saturday, January 10, 2026, at noon.
The Martin Luther King Jr. Citizenship Award is presented annually to individuals whose life’s work exemplifies Dr. King’s enduring legacy of service, justice, community leadership, and civic engagement. Ms. Reeder’s more than four decades of dedicated service to the Greenville community make her a fitting and highly deserving honoree.
A devoted community advocate, lifelong learner, and mentor, Ms. Reeder has devoted her time and talents to strengthening Greenville through education, public safety, neighborhood development, and community empowerment. Since 1989, she has been an active member of the Greenville Technical College Alumni Council and has supported numerous organizations through volunteer service and board leadership.
Her extensive service includes long-standing involvement with the Greenville Literacy Association, the Community Emergency Response Team, the Nicholtown Neighborhood Association (serving as president from 2009–2012), and civic bodies such as the City of Greenville Fire/Police Policy & Procedures Commission. She continues to serve as a docent at the Upcountry History Museum and has contributed to organizations including Centre Stage, Greenville Dreams, the Phillis Wheatley Association, Community Works Carolina, and the Urban League.
Ms. Reeder is also a passionate advocate for equity in healthcare and housing and has served on the Greenville Hospital Diversity Leadership Team, the Greenville Housing Fund, and Community Works Federal Credit Union.
A lifelong learner, she holds multiple degrees from Greenville Technical College, specialized certificates in mental health, gerontology, and substance abuse counseling, and leadership training from the Riley Institute and Duke Energy. Her service has been recognized with numerous honors, including the Max Heller Award, Women Who Lead Award, and Outstanding Alumni Award.
The Alpha Phi Alpha Greenville Foundation proudly congratulates Yvonne Smith Reeder, an outstanding community leader whose life of service embodies the spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
You can Download 2025 MLK Solicitation Letter & Sponsorship Packet for Solicitation Packet: https://bit.ly/MLKSC-Ads. You can purchase virtual tickets to our event or donate directly at http://mlksc-2026.eventbrite.com. The deadline for sponsorships is December 22, 2025.
If you have any questions, please get in touch with Bobby Clark, Foundation Chairman, Kevin Branch, our sponsorship chairman, or me at mlkgala@alphagreenville.org or (864) 414-7629. Thank you for your continued support, and we look forward to seeing you at the Celebration and our other events in 2026.