2024 MLK Day Off Activities, Camps and Ways to Serve

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 But did you know that it wasn’t until 2000 when this day became a federal holiday? And what’s more, this year MLK Day falls on the good doctor’s actual heavenly birthday. Yes, he would have been 95 years old on this date, 1/15/2024.

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. Here they are in no particular order:

This post is brought to you by our calendar sponsor, the lovely Anna P. Krolikowska Attorney at Law, a collaborative divorce practitioner. Thank you.

Ways to Serve:

Build and send care packages to our troops! For The Troops makes it easy with their Amazon Wish List.

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. They have various projects happening across the North Shore on 1/15/24.

Get involved with various community service projects to help local residents in need with Families Helping Families Chicagoland. Visit their Facebook page for calls to action.

Participate in a coat drive with Share our Spare Share the Warmth Coat Drive ending 1/9/2024. Or host a diaper drive – lear more here.

Search various volunteer events in the city of Chicago with JUF’s Tov program. Tikkun Olam.

Visit The National Civil Rights Museum presents King Day: A Virtual Celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s 95th Birthday