An increasing number of Americans are using the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday to honor Dr. King’s legacy by volunteering in their communities. The holiday takes place on January 21, 2013, this year, the same day as U.S. President Barack Obama’s second inauguration. Volunteers are using this day as ‘a day on, not a day off’ to address the needs in their communities and help create solutions to social problems.
Local Goodwill® agencies are engaging volunteers on this day for a number of community service projects.
Goodwill Industries of Southern New Jersey & Philadelphia (Maple Shade, NJ) and the Garden State Boy Scout Council have teamed up to present “It’s a Good Turn for Goodwill Clothing Drive.” From now through January 20, the Garden State Boy Scout Council, which includes more than 120 packs, troops, posts and crews throughout Burlington County, will collect gently used clothing, shoes, books, accessories and small household items for Goodwill. The scouts will pick up the donation collection bags on January 20, in observance of the MLK Day of Service. In return for participating in this philanthropic project, all participating youth members of the Garden State Council will receive a Good Turn Day patch from Goodwill.
Horizon Goodwill Industries (Hagerstown, MD) will partner with Volunteer Washington County (VWC) to host an electronics recycling program on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. For the second year in a row, VWC will partner with Horizon Goodwill Industries, Freedom Electronics Recycling, WCPS, Penske Truck Rental and the Washington County Government to collect electronics for recycling. The Hagerstown Goodwill will collect computers and computer accessories.
Goodwill Industries of Central Indiana (Indianapolis, IN) and Indiana University (IU) Health will partner to host Project Collect and Connect, in celebration of Dr. King’s legacy. IU Health employees are encouraged to donate their unwanted clothing and household items from January 21 – 25, at their four campuses in the area. IU Health will also earn Goodwill vouchers to give to local nonprofits of their choice. The more donations the company collects, the more vouchers they earn and provide to local nonprofits.
Goodwill Industries of Greater New York and Northern New Jersey (Astoria, NY) will work with up to 10 New Jersey residents, who will volunteer to sort donations intended for people affected by Hurricane Sandy. Volunteers have sorted donations at the Goodwill Harrison, NJ, facilities and other processing centers after the storm. Goodwill developed three new processing centers to receive, process and distribute goods and clothing after Hurricane Sandy hit the area.
Rappahannock Goodwill Industries’ (Fredericksburg, VA) AmeriCorps team, which makes up the Goodwill GoodSkills Literacy Corps, will take part in a project held at the Spotsylvania Towne Center Mall. The five adult literacy tutors will deconstruct structures that organizations built out of non-perishable dry and canned food donated by individuals and retailers throughout the area. The canned food will be donated to the Fredericksburg Area Food Bank.
Goodwill Industries of the Conemaugh Valley’s (Johnstown, PA) GoodGuides youth mentoring program will partner with the local AmeriCorps program (Pennsylvania Mountain Service Corps: PMSC) on Saturday, January 26, to do a service-learning day at a local school in honor of MLK and National Mentoring Month. The youth write positive notes, make crafts and assemble snacks into packages for children in local after school programs.
For more volunteer project ideas, visit http://mlkday.gov/index.php.
