On Monday January 21, 2008 the United States will once again commemorate the life and legacy of Civil Rights Leader, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr. King’s message of non-violent protest, human rights, peace and equality will be shared again at services/programs in schools, churches and community centers around the country. Although these programs are wonderful for keeping Dr. King’s message alive, many believe that the best way to honor Dr. King is to live his message, not just preach his message. This they propose can be done by committing to a day of service. If you believe in this philosophy and would like to honor Dr. King through acts of charity and community service, here are some ideas.
- Coordinate a neighborhood clean up - Dr. King was very much about community and members of it working together to make things better. Consider getting together with your neighbors for an all day clean up party. To top off the clean up, consider planting a community garden or painting a neighborhood mural.
- Donate books to your local/school library - Dr. King was a great advocate of education. Consequently, one way to honor his memory is to donate books to a library. To start, you will need to check with the head librarian to see what civil rights books they might have on their wish list. Then you can purchase these books and donate them to the library.
- Coordinate a community give away - Work with a local school or church to coordinate a community give away day. Ask neighbors to bring things they can no longer use to give away on that day. The items should include televisions, dvd players, bicycles, clothing, kitchen appliances, etc. Have coffee, tea, donuts and punch available for participants. Items that are not taken should be donated to charity.
- Collect/donate food/clothing to shelters and food banks - After the holidays, many shelters struggle with donations. Dr. King’s birthday is a perfect time to make strides to fill the cupboards of the food banks and shelters in your community.
- Spend time at nursing homes/retirement communities - Although there will be many programs and activities going on in your community, many times the nursing and retirement communities are forgotten. Spend the day reading to residents, teaching a craft or just sharing a meal.
- Personal charity - There are some really simple things you can do to honor the memory of Dr. King on January 21. Do something as simple as taking a cake or brownies over to your next door neighbors. This is a great opportunity to just go and say hello and express your commitment to being a good neighbor and citizen of your community. Spend the day repairing a neighbor’s fence or installing a motion sensor light for an elderly neighbor. Give a single parent a break that day by taking the kids out to a movie and dinner.
If you are still looking for some ideas, the MLK Day website provides links to opportunities for service in your community.
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