Martin Luther King Day – Tips to Plan Your Celebration

Martin Luther King Day offers a wonderful opportunity to bring the community together and celebrate our history and culture. Consider the following to make your event or activity a success.

Organize your workplace, school or community group
Maximize your impact by organizing a group to serve the community with an activity done at your own location in honor of Martin Luther King Day. Choose a local charity and determine the best way for your group to show support. Ideas include packing snack bags for after-school programs, collecting coats and hats for a homeless shelter, planting trees, creating a mentoring program, or writing letters of support to our military abroad.

Teach your children
The kids are home from school. Remember, as a Day of Service, MLK day is supposed to be “a day on, not a day off.” Plan an activity of service and involve your children. Show by your example that volunteerism is important to your family and help cultivate a new generation of compassionate, community-minded citizens.

Raise needed goods
Support a local charity with a drive for the goods they need to serve the community. Consider an online fundraising platform. You can set up your drive in a matter of minutes and have it underway in time for MLK Day this year. Then invite your online community via email and social media to support your cause.

Spread the message
Use social media (use hashtag #MLKDay) to share MLK’s ideals and inspiring words. You will find his words to be stunningly timely and relevant in today’s world. Talk about what you will do in honor of MLK Day and encourage your circle of friends to take action to support the community.

Commit to service in 2021
Use Martin Luther King’s example to plan a 2021 where you take action. If you are unable to volunteer on January 18, simply spend some time researching, choose your charity, make that phone call and find out how you can best serve them in the future. Charities need help all year long!