Americans mark MLK Day by serving their communities

25Jan/10Off

Americans mark MLK Day by serving their communities

Though often overlooked in the Metroplex, Martin Luther King Jr. Day is being celebrated around the country today in honor of the civil rights leader's enduring legacy of love and peace.

The spirit of compassion and generosity that marked his life has driven an outpouring of support for Haitian relief in recent days, and will today be directed at tackling pressing problems at home, as hundreds of thousands of Americans join in volunteer service projects as part of the annual MLK National Day of Service.

The Corporation for National and Community Service, the federal agency that has led the Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service since 1994, anticipates strong turnout across the country, with more than 10,000 service projects planned in all 50 states that will address a multitude of social issues from poverty and hunger to homelessness and the dropout crisis, according to a release.

Some organizations are using their projects to raise funds for relief organizations helping in Haitian recovery efforts.

Today thousands of Americans will join their neighbors in the spirit of Dr. King's legacy to renew our nation's communities and help those most in need, said Nicola Goren, the Corporation's acting CEO. Our hope is that people will make today the start of an ongoing commitment throughout the year to serve others.

President Barack Obama and first Lady Michelle Obama will join cabinet secretaries, elected officials, nonprofit and business leaders, and Americans of all ages and backgrounds in rolling up their sleeves to honor Dr. King's legacy through service.

President Obama called on all Americans to honor the slain civil rights leader by serving on the King Holiday, noting that, In these challenging times, too many Americans face limited opportunities, but our capacity to support each other remains limitless.

The MLK Day of Service is part of the President's United We Serve initiative, a call to every American to make service a part of their daily lives.

Among the cabinet members serving are Attorney General Eric Holder, who will be preparing and sharing a meal with homeless people in Washington, DC; Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, who will be clearing a blighted area in the nation's capital; Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, who will be participating in an H1N1 clinic, and Education Secretary Arne Duncan, who will join Goren and City Year AmeriCorps members in beautifying a Washington DC middle school.

A record number of national and state elected officials are participating in this year's MLK Day of Service by volunteering in their communities, issuing proclamations, and calling on their constituents to serve, stated the release. Members of Congress, Governors, Mayors and other elected officials from both parties see MLK Day as a way to bring people together on needed community projects and to launch ongoing efforts to last throughout the year.

America's corporate community is also rallying for this year's MLK Day of Service, with major companies including Target, Shell Oil, Wal-Mart, Fed-Ex, The Home Deport, Motorola, Kaiser Permanente, Accenture, Allstate, and many others pitching in by sponsoring service projects, giving employees time off to serve, and offering financial support and expertise to nonprofit organizations.

A wide variety of projects are being planned in cities across the country including delivering meals, refurbishing schools and community centers, collecting food and clothing, reading to children, and more. Many organizations use the day as a springboard for year-round civic action, such as signing up mentors or tutors or youth taking pledges of nonviolence.

In 1994, Congress passed legislation encouraging Americans to observe the King Holiday as a national day of service that brings people together from different backgrounds to meet needs in their community. The Corporation for National and Community Service was designated as the lead federal agency to execute the King Day of Service. Participation has grown every year since its inception. The King Day of Service provides Americans the opportunity to celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. King through service to meet local and national needs. For more information, visit www.Serve.gov.

Americans mark MLK Day by serving their communities