The Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service was created by Congress in 1994 and has grown beyond a federal holiday honoring Dr. King into a national day of community service.  Each year, service projects are planned across the country to share Dr. King's message of serving others.

Everyone is encouraged to participate in the King Day of Service and all types of service are accepted.  The Michigan Community Service Commission (MCSC), a supporter of the annual King Day of Service, encourages any organization planning a project for MLK Day to register at the official MLK Day website, www.MLKDay.gov .

"Martin Luther King, Jr. once said, ‘Everybody can be great, because everybody can serve,'" says MCSC executive director, Musette A. Michael.  "Now, more than ever, we hope the annual King Day of Service will inspire all of Michigan's citizens to engage in volunteerism within their communities to help make a difference."

To find out about potential projects in your area, visit the above website and click on Michigan to learn more.  For example:

AmeriCorps members from City Year Detroit plan to build a "Beloved Community" on January 19, 2009 by bringing together diverse groups of citizens in metropolitan Detroit - school children, parents, community members, and businesses to commemorate and continue Dr. King's legacy.  Volunteers will participate in neighborhood restoration, school beautification, mural painting, and processing and sorting donated items.  You can volunteer with City Year Detroit on MLK Day by visiting www.servedetroit.org . 

For more information on other national days of service, visit www.michigan.gov/mcsc .