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Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service
Photos: Volunteers at Presscott Elementary on MLK Day 2008
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Declared “a day on instead of a day off,” the Martin Luther King, Jr. (MLK) Day of Service not only commemorates the struggle for human and civil rights in America, but is also a nationwide day of community service. The MLK Day of Service provides an opportunity to translate MLK’s legacy into community service and honest dialogue, leading to real change in areas needed most.
The MLK Day of Service is a way to transform Martin Luther King, Jr.’s life and teachings into community service that helps solve social problems. That service may meet a tangible need, such as fixing up a school or senior center, or it may meet a need of the spirit, such as building a sense of community or mutual responsibility. On this day, Americans of every age and background celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr. through service projects that: Strengthen Communities, Empower Individuals, Bridge Barriers.
These ideas of unity, purpose, and the great things that can happen when we work together toward a common goal – are just some of the many reasons HandsOn Bay Area (HOBA) honors Martin Luther King, Jr. through service on this special holiday.
Past MLK Day of Service projects/events include the following:
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In partnership with the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Association of Santa Clara Valley, Inc., HOBA co-organized a Spiritual Night, the Mover of Mountains Awards Breakfast and the Freedom Train ride during which passengers learned about MLK’s legacy of service. The series of events rallied thousands across the Bay Area to revisit the Civil Rights Movement, where it stands today and how community service can extend MLK’s legacy. |
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Through its Citizen Action/Academy, HOBA partnered with Independent Television Service (ITVS) to showcase the Emmy-Award winning PBS series Independent Lens: BANISHED documentary:From the 1860s to the 1920s, dozens of towns and counties across America violently expelled entire African American communities, forcing thousands of black families to flee their homes. A century later, these towns remain all white. BANISHED tells the story of three of these communities and their black descendants, who return to learn shocking histories. |
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Creation of a special “Heritage Quilt” project commemorating the Civil Rights Movement. |
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Thousands of community and corporate volunteers have renovated, painted, and cleaned several Bay Area schools and parks in memory of MLK’s legacy |
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2009 MLK Day of Service projects: TBD |
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MLK Jr. Day of Service
