MLK Day of Service
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During the month of January the Office of Inclusion and Multicultural Engagement and many others commemorate the achievements and hard work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr through service. A federal holiday that began as a commemoration of Dr. King’s birthday, it is now a day dedicated to encouraging and empowering Americans to participate in community service.
Dr. King’s steadfast commitment to service has inspired people all around the United States and the world to work together to make positive change. But the battle to secure a day to honor his legacy of service was not won overnight.
And though the fight for equality is still on-going, we gather during this month to celebrate how far we have come! All members of the Golden Eagle family-- students, faculty, and staff come together in solidarity to support our non-profits and community members that need it the most.
MLK Day of Service volunteer opportunities vary. They include in-person service opportunities such as outdoor beautification projects, information canvassing, or thrift store organization. It also includes virtual opportunities like “letters against isolation” or virtual book readings.
This year the MLK Day of Service will take place on January 16, 2023. The time frames for the various service activities can be found under the MLK Day of Service Initiative within the Get Connected portal. Volunteers can select the service opportunities they want to participate in throughout the week.
Engaging in community service provides participants with the opportunity to become active members of their community and has a lasting, positive impact on society at large.
Serving on MLK Day of Service, allows you as an individual to honor an legacy of greatness and contribute to positive change. What could be better than that?
A Site Leader is a participant that is responsible for a group of USM volunteers at specific MLK Day of Service sites. They hold the following responsibilities:
-Know the vital information about your site (i.e. who, what, when, where, how, etc). If staff isn’t present you may have to give volunteers instructions.
-Ensure that participants are being safe during activities
-Know the participants assigned to your site
-Monitor participant behavior. Make sure that they feel welcomed and are treated with dignity and respect.
-Make sure that participants treat the community, including site staff, neighborhood, city or organization property, and private citizens, with dignity, respect, compassion, and an authentic desire to serve
-Communicate all issues to MLK DOS Coordinators
-Keep First Aid with you at all times
Do you like helping others? Do you enjoy serving in the community? Do you like working for the greater good? If so, you might just fit the bill to be a MLK DOS Site Leader! Apply here.