A DAY ON, NOT A DAY OFF!
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, "Life's most persistent and urgent question is: 'What are you doing for others?'"
The Spelman College Bonner Office of Civic Engagement will host Spelman College's annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service on Monday, Jan. 16, 2023. The Day of Service is a way to transform Dr. King’s life and teachings into community service that helps empower and strengthen local communities.
The College has partnered with community agencies who serve our Westside community to offer a combination of on and off campus activities. We invite students, alumnae, faculty, staff and their family members to join us for an engaging day of service.
Students should register on; interested faculty and staff members should email fdeas@spelman.edu and alumnae will receive an email regarding sign-up from the Office of Alumnae Engagement. We look forward to honoring Martin Luther King, Jr.'s legacy alongside our Spelman community.
MLK Day of Service — Monday, Jan. 16, 2023
1. West Atlanta Watershed Alliance
9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
1442 Richland Rd SW, Atlanta, GA 30310
Trail and garden maintenance - Help the West Atlanta Watershed Alliance to restore and maintain habitat at the Outdoor Activity Center, a 26-acre urban forest, in southwest Atlanta and the Hartnett Community Garden.
2. Trees Atlanta
9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Belt Line Trail 1408 Lucile Ave. SW Atlanta, GA 30310
Tree Planting & beautification - Celebrate MLK Jr. Day by planting new street and yard trees in the Westview neighborhood to help sustain our urban forest.
3. Village Tutorial and Enrichment Program
9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
W.J. Scott Elementary 1752 Hollywood Road, NW, Atlanta, Georgia, 30318
Support our agricultural (garden) build a W.J. Scott Elementary - Volunteers will assist in clearing and prepping garden beds for spring planning, beautify and stain elementary school fencing, and install greenhouse flooring.
4. Omenala Afrocentric Griot Museum
9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
337 Dargan Pl SW, Atlanta, GA 30310
5. No Sew Fleece Project
9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
This service will take place on campus.
Volunteers will handcraft up to 80 blankets to donate to local organizations supporting those in need. No sewing experience needed.
6. Westside Future Fund
9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Join Westside Future Fund in supporting the Westside community through varies service activities. Additional details will be provided at a later date.
7. Back to School Drive
1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
This service will take place on campus.
Assist efforts in supporting students in Jackson, Mississippi. Volunteers will pack school supplies to ship to Jackson students.
What is the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service?
After a long struggle, legislation was signed in 1983 creating a federal holiday marking the birthday of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. In 1994, Congress designated the Martin Luther King Jr. Federal Holiday as a national day of service and charged the
Corporation for National and Community Service with leading this effort. Taking place each year on the third Monday in January, the MLK Day of Service is the only federal holiday observed as a national day of service – a "day on, not a day off."
The MLK Day of Service is a part of United We Serve, the President's national call to service initiative. It calls for Americans from all walks of life to work together to provide solutions to our most pressing national problems. The MLK Day of Service empowers individuals, strengthens communities, bridges barriers, creates solutions to social problems, and moves us closer to Dr. King's vision of a "Beloved Community."
Why Serve on MLK Day of Service?
Dr. King believed in a nation of freedom and justice for all, and encouraged all citizens to live up to the purpose and potential of America by applying the principles of nonviolence to make this country a better place to live—creating the Beloved Community. The MLK Day of Service is a way to transform Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s life and teachings into community action that helps solve social problems. That service may meet a tangible need, or it may meet a need of the spirit. On this day, Americans of every age and background celebrate Dr. King through service projects that strengthen communities, empower individuals, bridge barriers, and create solutions.