“Life’s most urgent question is:
what are you doing for others?”
Martin Luther King, Jr
This Monday marks the 15th Annual King Day of Service; a day in which citizens are challenged to transform Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s life and teachings into community service that helps solve social problems. By participating in service projects that empower individuals or strengthen communities, people will work together towards a common goal of doing good, which not only serves others, but helps to exemplify the values that Dr. King preached: we are all equal, and we can all work together to make things right for ourselves.
So this Monday, get out there and serve! Here are some organizations who are doing something extra on King Day-and some links to help you get involved:
-New York City Coalition Against Hunger will sponsor their Seventh Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Anti-Hunger “Serve-a-Thon” event which is a three-day event featuring volunteer events at New York City’s food pantries and soup kitchens. If you miss out this weekend, check out their Hunger Maps, where you can search and find food pantries and soup kitchens in your area to volunteer at year round!
– The Met Council needs volunteers to help build a greenhouse for one of their low-income senior residences. You’ll be asked to help build shelves, plant flowers and vegetables. Find contact information (and more opportunities) on the NYC Service Website.
– Children for Children, a NY organization founded by parents to foster community involvement and social responsibility in young people, is hosting two free events for kids and teens this Monday in Manhattan. Take your kids to Martin Luther King Jr. High School or PS 57 to participate in a day of service and activities from 10m-2pm. To learn more about attending the Eighth Annual Grow Involved, contact Abby Huber at 212.850.4170 or by email at abby@childrenforchildren.org; for more details click here.
-Head to the Jewish Community Center in Manhattan on the 18th. You can help JCC staff and local residents make welcome kits for hospitalized kids, prepare meals for the homeless, and participate in other community service activities in and around the building. To register, you can contact Judy Gross at 646.505.4450.
-iMentor : Become a mentor! There are kids and teens in this city who don’t have proper role models to guide them through school and show them that someone cares. With iMentor, an NYC-focused online mentoring program, you can correspond weekly by email with your mentee and meet them in-person at events throughout the year. (January is National Mentoring Month!)
I may be missing some things, but Time Out New York is here to fill in my blanks! Check out their weekend recap for what you can do this Monday to honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Volunteer your time, donate blood, or simply attend an event where you can learn about a great man and the legacy he left behind.
Other interesting reads about the day:
Give & Get NYC 