Serving the community on the annual MLK Day of Service

In 1983, the third Monday in January became a federal holiday to commemorate Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday. Eleven years later, the day was designated a National Day of Service as a way to honor Dr. King’s legacy, by helping create solutions to social problems and strengthen communities.

Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. believed that social justice could not be achieved without environmental justice.  In fact, many of his speeches mentioned healthier living environments for underprivileged communities, and universal access to clean air, water, and soil.  These efforts directly encouraged the Clean Air Act in 1963, the Clean Water Act of 1972, and the Endangered Species Act of 1973.

MLK Day is a good time to work on both indoor and outdoor projects. It’s a day when families, friends, organizations and groups of co-workers come together to make a difference. There are many volunteer activities happening throughout the weekend, some even offer SSL hours for students ages 14 and up.

You can be a part of the celebration via community volunteering on January 21st at a Day of Service event near you.

Volunteer with Montgomery County Parks 

Park and Stream Cleanups
In past years, several park and stream cleanups and park system Weed Warrior Workdays projects have been planned throughout the MLK Day weekend. For more information about this year’s Day of Service volunteer opportunities, visit the Montgomery Parks website.

Volunteer Fair for Montgomery Parks Historic Sites
Saturday, January 19, 2019, 10:30 am – 1:30 pm at the Olney Community Library, 3500 Olney-Laytonsville Road, Olney. Share your love of history, the great outdoors, agriculture & old buildings with visitors of all ages and become a trained Montgomery Parks volunteer tour guide. Meet volunteers and staff –even a few people from the past – and learn more about our interpretive opportunities to volunteer throughout the year. Learn more about this event here.

Other Volunteer Opportunities

Monday 1/21, 9:00 – 11:00 am
Seneca Creek Community Church
13 Firstfield Road
Gaithersburg, MD 20878
Hosted by Seneca Creek Community Church
Service projects for all ages and ability levels, registration is required for both individuals and groups. Click here for registration information.

Monday 1/21, 10:00 am – 12:00 pm
Silver Spring Civic Building
1 Veterans Place
Silver Spring, MD 20910
Hosted by the Montgomery County Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority
Sign up to help live up to Dr. King’s challenge to build a more perfect union by participating in a service project to benefit county organizations and the local community. Families, individuals, and groups are all welcome, but tickets are required. Click here to reserve a ticket.

Monday 1/21, 10:00 am – 12:00 pm
Bauer Drive Community Recreation Center
14625 Bauer Drive
Rockville, MD 20853
Hosted by Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., Eta Pi Zeta Chapter
Make cards for service members, Valentine’s Day cards for seniors, Matters of the Heart Notes for children, milkweed seed packets for local pollinators like the Monarch butterfly and more. Click here for registration information.

Monday 1/21, 11:00 am – 2:00 pm
Shaare Tefila Congregation
16620 Georgia Avenue
Olney, MD 20832
Hosted by MedStar Montgomery Medical Center and the Greater Olney Interfaith Clergy Association
Join them for an American Red Cross blood drive (10:00 AM – 2:00 PM). Register to donate blood here. The event also features no-sew and knitted blanket-making, cheer cards for homebound seniors; clothing, book and nonperishable food drive, dry soup kit assembly, and health education with MedStar health professionals. Click here for registration information.

Monday 1/21, 1:00 – 3:00 pm
Bethesda North Marriott Conference Center
5701 Marinelli Road
Rockville, MD 20852
Hosted by Montgomery County Volunteer Center
Decorate cards, package food, construct fleece blankets, assemble “Snow Day” boxes, and more. The Montgomery County Division of Solid Waste Services – Waste Reduction and Recycling Section will be making coasters from recycled magazines for seniors at the Holiday Park Senior Center. It’s family-friendly and Wheelchair Accessible, but registration is required and all volunteers under 12 years of age must be accompanied by an adult. Click here for registration information.

Monday 1/21, 1:00 – 3:00 pm
Journey’s Crossing Church
12900 Cloverleaf Center Drive, Suite A
Germantown, MD 20874
Hosted by Journey’s Crossing in partnership with Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Xi Sigma Omega Chapter
Service projects include decorating cards, packaging food, constructing small projects and assembling kits for people in need. Family-friendly, but advance sign-up is required. Click here to register.

By Kim Hodges and Felicia Hodges