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How are all those new year resolutions coming along? Are you "On" or "Off"?
If one of those resolutions is to become more active within your community and make volunteering a habit in your life, then I suggest the perfect day to be "on" and begin your GIVE BACK efforts starts today, January 21, 2019 - Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.
Each year Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is celebrated on the third Monday in January. On this day, we honor of the slain civil rights icon, who at his very basic core was a selfless human rights volunteer for “everyman” and a tireless community action advocate.
What you might not know is that Martin Luther King, Jr. Day was officially observed as a federal holiday back in 1986, and it was in 1994 that Congress designated the Martin Luther King, Jr. Federal Holiday as a National Day of Service, making it a “day ON, not a day OFF”.
Learn more about this special designation HERE.
I imagine Dr. King would wholeheartedly approve of the National Day of Service designation being added to his day of honor. As someone who lived his life as “other-centered”, not “self-centered”, he encouraged us all to be “ON” and not “OFF”.
It really is the perfect way to honor this incredible man and his legacy of nonviolent diverse unity through volunteerism and community activism.
As Dr. King liked to ask -
“Life’s most persistent and urgent question is: What are you doing for others?”
Good question – What am I doing for others? Ummm, not as much as I should be.
Hard truth.
What are you doing for others?
Dr. King also said –
“Everybody can be great, because everybody can serve.”
So - are we ready to be GREAT? Yes, I think we are!
So instead of a session of mindlessly sitting around watching TV, playing video games and taking the day “OFF” how about we mindfully take the day “ON”?
If you’re ready to be GREAT, if you’re ready to be “ON”, then click HERE to discover all the wonderful MLK Day of Service volunteer opportunities near you.
If you’re in the Atlanta, GA area, consider volunteering at the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park which is maintained by the National Park Service. The park includes the visitor center, King’s birth home, Ebenezer Baptist Church, and the historic Fire Station No. 6 – all of which will be open for the King holiday (despite the Government shutdown!), thanks to a generous donation ($83,500) from the Delta Air Lines Foundation. Way to be “ON” and be GREAT, Delta!
I’m hoping that being “ON” will become a habit for me, and not just for this month, or this extra special MLK Day of Service, but always.
That’s my New Year resolution – want to join me? I’m “ON”!
If you, or your company, are ready to serve and be “ON”, Pledgeling is ready to simplify the giving process for you. Contact us today get started. If you own a Shopify store, join the over 3,000 stores who have integrated GIVE & GROW available for download in the Shopify App Store and start giving back the causes you care about.