Declared “a day on instead of a day off,” the Martin Luther King, Jr. (MLK) Day of Service, this year extending to an entire week, 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 Week 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.
2009 MLK Week of Service:
Join HOBA and its fellow volunteers in a week of positive change to commemorate Martin Luther King, Jr. January 19th is the recognized day of birth of Rev. Martin Luther King, however, we are celebrating during the entire week!
Our week of service commemorating Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. encompasses all of our calendar projects between January 17th and 24th. To be a part of this large service opportunity, please go to our online Project Calendar and register for each service project individually and engage in a day on, not a day off!
As you engage in community service at a variety of our calendar projects, remember the inspiring words and courageous actions of Dr. King:
- Dr.King once said, "Everyone can be great because everyone can serve."
- Coretta Scott King once said, "The greatest birthday gift that my husband could recieve is if people of all racial and ethnic backgrouds celebrated the holiday by performing individual acts of kindness through service to others."
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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MLK Jr. Week of 
