Why is Martin Luther King Jr. Day also called the National Day of Service? On this day, we “honor Dr. King’s legacy through service projects while addressing pressing community needs. Congress designated the holiday as a national day of service.” -AmeriCorps
Many of our local communities are involved with projects on this National Day of Service. Chicago North Shore Moms has compiled a list of additional ways to serve on MLK Day and any Day, with resources both very near and far. Here they are in no particular order:
- Build and send care packages to our troops! Operation Gratitude it easy with their Amazon Wish List. Follow them on Insta for up-to-date info on ways to stay involved year-round.
- Get involved locally with Gratitude Generation: A strong group of North Shore mamas started this volunteer organization to help our local communities with food drives, donation drives and unused toiletries and used clothing drives. They have events year-round so check their website, or follow them on Facebook and Insta.
- Decorate bookmarks with Families Helping Families Chicagoland: FHFC is asking community members to decorate bookmarks and place then into a new book (for children 0-18) to be donated to children facing hardship or crisis. Click here for printable bookmarks your child can color and (with help from an adult of course) cut out. Please bring the completed bookmark and new book to drop off on January 18th, 2021, 12-3pm in the Highland Park Country Club parking lot.
- For businesses with brick and mortar sites: Become a drop-off location for Share Our Spare a local nonprofit that seeks to take your unused no-longer needed diapers and new and gently used baby items for local charities and families in need.
- Donate meals to frontline workers in our surrounding North Shore hospitals by contributing your time and/or dollars to: GiveInKind Meals for Chicago Area COVID-19 Healthcare Workers. Follow local donation events on their Facebook page.
- Give blood – blood banks need blood and plasma more now than ever. Here’s just one opportunity: WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2021 AT 8 AM CST – 2 PM CST | Village of Northbrook Blood Drive | 1225 Cedar Ln, Northbrook, IL 60062-4513, United States. Information about this drive can be found here.
- Create your own tribute video to essential workers and share it on Facebook!
- “Visit” The National Civil Rights Museum presents King Day: A Virtual Celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Birthday on January 18, 2021 via livestream at 12:00 noon and 6:00pm Central. The event will showcase Dr. King’s work, the history of how the national holiday came to be, as well as how the museum has celebrated the holiday in years past.
- Celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day with iMPACT on January 18, 2021 via livestream 9:30-10:15 am. Students will engage with one another and learn what it means to be an activist. Learn about Dr. King, his legacy and his works through an excerpt from Rev. John Lewis’ graphic novel, March.
- Celebrate MLK with Chicago Children’s Museum on January 18, 2021 via livestream 11am-noon. Children will learn how Dr. King used his words and actions to stand up against injustice and help make the world fairer for all people.
- Enjoy a great book on the subject of Martin Luther King Jr. with your littles. A great list of books AND local bookstores open on MLK Day can be found here.
Enjoy this day with the kids. Do one, all or none of these suggestions or just teach your children to be kind to everyone.
