Where to Volunteer for MLK Day of Service

In addition to be Inauguration Day, this weekend's events include the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service. There are many opportunities to give back to your community and city during this time.

“The Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service not only honors the legacy of this civil-rights hero, but also dovetails with my agenda for the District of Columbia,” Mayor Vincent Gray said in a press release.

“And, with the inauguration of President Obama coinciding with MLK Day, this year is an especially meaningful opportunity for District residents from all walks of life and our visitors from across the country to join together in the spirit of service and unity that exemplified Dr. King’s dream,” Gray added.

You can find service opportunities in the District on the Serve DC website or through the national MLK Day website.

A few nearby options include:

• Georgetown University’s Center for Social Justice Research is hosting a day of service in DC's Ward 7. Alumni, students, staff and other volunteers can learn more about the opportunities, which run from roughly 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, and register here.
• Rock Creek Conservancy need volunteers for five Rock Creek locations Saturday. Times and activities vary by location, but the nearest to Georgetown is the 9 a.m. to noon invasive English Ivy removal effort at the Normanstone Site (meet at the intersection of Massachusetts Avenue NW and Observatory Circle). Register here.

• The 2013 DC Knit-In & Clothing Drive from 1 to 6 p.m. Sunday at The School Without Walls, 2130 G St., NW. Stop by to knit or donate gently-used clothing and materials, especially worsted weight yarn and circular 16" knitting needles size 10.
• Yacchad, an affordable housing advocacy organization, is giving a makeover to one of the only remaining affordable housing cooperatives in the U Street neighborhood from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. Volunteers in a range of ages and with a variety of skills are needed for everything from cleaning to painting to minor construction. Register here.

Farther afield from Georgetown, DC is hosting two large national service events:

• Unite America in Service: In partnership with Points of Light and Target, Operation Gratitude, the Corporation for National and Community Service, Community Blueprint, HandsOn Greater DC Cares, Volunteer Fairfax and the George Washington University, Serve DC will convene 10,000 volunteers at the D.C. Armory to pack 100,000 care packages for United States servicemembers, wounded warriors, veterans and first responders. The event runs from 9:45 a.m. to 4:45 p.m., with volunteer shifts of 2½ hours each. Large groups and volunteers ages 12 to 17 years with parents or legal guardians are welcome to join. Learn more and register at http://bit.ly/uniteamericainservice.

• National Day of Service Fair on the National Mall: Presented by the 2013 Presidential Inaugural Committee, the National Day of Service Fair will feature service organizations from across the country, including opportunities to get involved right away, and special programming throughout the day. Doors open at 9:30 a.m., with events and programs throughout the day at 10:00 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. Learn more or register at http://bit.ly/natldayofservicefair.