Americans Unite In MLK Day Of Service

WASHINGTON - Monday, January 17, 2011 marks the 25th Anniversary of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Federal Holiday. Across the country, Americans will answer Dr. King’s call to action: “What are you doing for others?” by joining in volunteer efforts to serve their neighbors and communities.

Thousands of nonprofit, faith-based, educational, and national service groups in all 50 states will lead community projects on the day, including weatherizing homes, beautifying schools, serving meals, and providing employment counseling. Americans of all ages and backgrounds will help advance Dr. King’s vision of equality and opportunity for all by making the holiday a “day on, not a day off”—and the beginning of an ongoing commitment to serve throughout the year.

The Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) leads the annual national MLK Day of Service as a part of the federal agency’s broader mission to engage Americans of all ages in service to meet critical local and national needs. From education and economic opportunity to environmental stewardship and support for veteran and military families, national service is solving problems and transforming those who serve.

Across the country, everyday Americans will work to make Dr. King’s dream a reality on MLK Day and throughout the year:
In Atlanta, 2,500 volunteers, including 800 AmeriCorps members from across the state, will participate in the 18th annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Service Summit. CNCS CEO Patrick A. Corvington will join the volunteers in boxing food and participating in a walking food drive to collect food to be distributed to more than 10,000 Atlanta-area families in need.

As many as 75,000 volunteers are expected to serve in more than 1,200 projects throughout the greater Philadelphia area, the largest King Day effort in the nation. Among other projects, volunteers will refurbish computers and create digital access kits to connect low-income people to jobs, education, and emergency preparedness resources.

In Gulfport, MS, volunteers will repair the home of a veteran’s family to fix damages from Hurricane Katrina.

About the Corporation for National Service
The Corporation for National and Community Service is a federal agency that engages more than 5 million Americans in service through Senior Corps, AmeriCorps, and Learn and Serve America, and leads President Obama's national call to service initiative, United We Serve.