Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service

What is the Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service?

All government agencies and many private businesses will be closed this Monday to honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., but don’t let the appeal of a three-day weekend overshadow the purpose of the day.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, "Life's most persistent and urgent question is: 'What are you doing for others?'" Each year, Americans across the country answer that question by coming together to serve their neighbors and communities.

Established as a federal holiday in 1983, MLK Day was designated a National Day of Service by Congress in 1994. Across the country, volunteer groups turn Monday into “a day on, not a day off” by building community gardens, distributing food, sprucing up schools, and helping the homeless.


Plan

MLK Day is a chance to start the year off right by making an impact in your community. Here are some Toolkits to help you plan for the Day of Service.

Serve

Join the hundreds of thousands of people who serve on MLK Day and throughout the year. Find a volunteer opportunity in your community by searching volunteer websites such as United We Serve, Do One Thing  and Bright Impact to name a few. You may also register your own project so that volunteers can find it.

Learn

Find free lesson plans that teach Dr. King’s legacy of service for grades K-8.

Impact




What are your plans for MLK Day? Share your plans and share your project’s impact after MLK Day. You can share your story on Serve.gov, on the MLKDay Facebook page, or by sending an email to MLKDay@cns.gov. Your stories will help highlight the many ways Americans are honoring Dr. King through service, improving lives, and making a difference in our communities.

If you’re interested in volunteering but don’t know where to begin, websites like volunteermatch.org, idealist.org, and allforgood.org can connect you with opportunities in your area. 

I will be working on Monday - the company I work for is not one of the many that get to take the day off - but that doesn't mean I won't be serving. I will be doing my part on Saturday with the Red Cross. We will be teaming up with the Kansas City Fire Department and KCMO CERT teams to install smoke detectors in a KC neighborhood. I will post about that next week after the event has been completed.  Enjoy the weekend and don't forget to serve!