Although the idea of sleeping in on Martin Luther King Jr. Day is sometimes ever alluring, the federal holiday which was signed into action by President Ronald Reagan in January of 1983, is much more significant than simply just a day off from work. Following the first observance of the holiday 3 years later in 1986, MLK Day was then designated a National Day of Service by Congress in 1994. Meaning that all across the country, volunteer groups, schools, and churches will be rallying volunteers once again in 2015 for “a day on, not a day off.” The Corporation for National and Community Service states that the reasoning behind MLK Day’s designation as a day of service was spawned due to the civil right’s activist enduring message. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once asked, "Life's most persistent and urgent question is: 'What are you doing for others?'" Because of this, each year Americans come together to volunteer, work and pledge in an attempt to answer this vital question by helping those in need and serving their communities.
Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service is included in “United We Serve.” The initiative is the President’s nationwide call to all U.S. citizens in order to encourage and aide them in working together and providing solutions to our nation’s most pressing problems. Volunteering can be daunting, mainly because you don’t know where to begin. Luckily for you, we have picked out a few activities that you can participate in and volunteer your time for in honor of MLK. Via allforgood.org, volunteers can work with the Reading Partners of New York on MLK Day and help at 2 food pantries and one soup kitchen, serving low-income residents. Click here for more info.
In addition, volunteers can join the Student Conservation Association and celebrate MLK Day with a day of service at East River Park in Manhattan. According to SCA, during Superstorm Sandy the East River Park was inundated with six feet of storm surge, leaving salt and other contaminants in the soil. Volunteers will spread new mulch and wood chips to help restore the soil for spring plantings. If you are interested click here for more details! Last but certainly not least, you can join the New York City Coalition Against Hunger and volunteer at the 14th Annual MLK Day Serv-a-thon. In honor of Dr. King’s legacy as a civil rights leader and anti-poverty activist, volunteers will engage in several activities to fight hunger in the city, click here for more information!
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