MCSC to help fund 29 Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service projects

On Monday, January 18, thousands of volunteers throughout Michigan will devote themselves to service on behalf of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the day of service named in his honor. These citizens will make this national holiday a "day on, not a day off" as they look to reaffirm Dr. King's teachings of nonviolence and social justice.

The Michigan Community Service Commission (MCSC) will help fund 29 MLK Day of Service projects across the state of Michigan with $8,902. The projects will take place from Jan. 15 to 24 and will tackle critical issues such as Health, Education, Economic Opportunity, Supporting Veterans and Military Families, Public Safety, Disaster Preparedness, Hunger & Homelessness and Clean Energy & Environmental Stewardship.

"Martin Luther King, Jr. once said, 'Everybody can be great, because everybody can serve,'" said MCSC executive director Ginna Holmes. "We hope the annual MLK Day of Service will inspire Michigan citizens to engage in volunteerism to make a difference in their communities."

The Martin Luther King, Jr. Day 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. To encourage this important movement throughout the state, Gov. Rick Snyder has proclaimed January 18 to be the Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service in Michigan.

Everyone is encouraged to participate in the MLK Day of Service and all types of service are accepted. The MCSC, a supporter of the annual MLK Day of Service, encourages individuals and/or organizations to search for opportunities in their community by visiting the official MLK Day website at www.MLKDay.gov.  

Below is a list of organizations that received grant awards. For more information on other national days of service, visit www.michigan.gov/volunteer.