South Bend residents started Martin Luther King Jr. Day off early with a community-wide breakfast at the Century Center.

For $25, attendees of the annual Community Service Recognition Breakfast received a meal and heard various performances, including keynote speaker, Maurice Scott. Scott is the director of the local MLK Center and the girls basketball coach at Washington High School.

"It's an honor, it means a lot," said Scott. "Usually I just talk to kids, so it's an opportunity to talk to not only my peers, but my elders, a lot of adults here in the community," said Scott.

The event ran from 7:30-9 a.m. Monday, at the Century Center. Organizers say recognizing the event is a huge step for the area.

"It gives this community the opportunity to celebrate the life and legacy of a phenomenal person, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. And it gives us an opportunity to celebrate the culture of our community, not just the black community," said Lynn Coleman, a member of the Martin Luther King Foundation in South Bend.

Stay with Newscenter 16 for more events happening in the community.