The Best Ways to Celebrate MLK Day as a Day of Service With Kids
Martin Luther King Jr. Day, which falls on January 20 this year, is almost here — and there’s no better way to honor the iconic civil rights leader than to participate in community service with your kids. As King said in his famous “Drum Major Instinct” speech at the Ebenezer Baptist Church in 1968, “Everybody can be great, because anybody can serve.”
And when anybody serves, everybody benefits! According to a 2023 study published in JAMA (The Journal of the American Medical Association), giving back to the community, whether through school, a religious organization, or a local group, appears to be a game-changer for kids’ health and well-being. Researchers found that compared to those who hadn’t volunteered, young people who had clocked in community service hours in the past year were 34% more likely to report excellent or very good health, 66% more likely to thrive based on a positive well-being measure, and 35% less prone to behavioral issues. If that’s not reason enough to check out opportunities to help out with your kids — on MLK Day and any day — we don’t know what is!
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The opportunities we’ve gathered here are a mere starting point. Be sure to check in with your local community to see what additional volunteer opportunities might be happening in your neighborhood.
Disaster Relief
In the wake of a natural disaster, the need for help skyrockets — and we would be remiss if we didn’t mention the devastation caused by the wildfires raging in Los Angeles. NBC News has a guide to donating to relief efforts wherever you are through vetted charities (because unfortunately, scammers are a problem). If you’re located in California, you can get more hands-on with your donation; the state’s official website has a comprehensive list of volunteer opportunities.
AmeriCorps
AmeriCorps, “the only federal agency for community service and volunteerism,” is spreading the love with a long list of ideas for giving back. On its website, users can find opportunities like serving food to the homeless population, donating gently-used clothing, or participating in beach clean-ups, by simply plugging in a zip code.
Marcus Books
What better way to educate your kid about the legacy of Dr. King and support a Black-owned business than to purchase a children’s book from Marcus Books? According to the website, the store has even hosted appearances by Toni Morrison, Rosa Parks, and Muhammad Ali, to name a few icons. Peruse the selection of children’s stories at Marcus Books or check out this list of children’s books that honor the civil rights leader.
One Warm Coat
The website OneWarmCoat.org allows people to find coat drives all across the country. Want to make your impact greater? You and your kids can call and text friends, family, and neighbors to find coats (in good condition) to donate and help deliver them to a collection site.
Create the Change
Create the Change is another great kid-focused site that connects families to projects ranging from going grocery shopping for seniors to making homemade cards sent with shoe donations for children in need.
Doing Good Together
Doing Good Together has a search portal for family-friendly volunteer opportunities, suggestions for projects to do at home and resources for becoming an anti-racist family.
Idealist
You can find a location-specific list of volunteer opportunities and MLK Day events around your community at the Idealist website.
SignUp Genius
Finally, there are some fantastic ideas for service-related projects for kids — both small and larger-scale — at SignUp Genius. Grab a few willing friends and family members and make a difference. It doesn’t take much … but everyone will reap the benefits.
Add some of these great children’s books by Black authors and illustrators to your kids’ shelves.
Launch Gallery: Begin Honoring MLK Day by Reading These Books With Your Kids
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