Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is an important part of American history. When he was alive, he was a Baptist minister and a social activist. As a result, he played an important part of the American civil rights movement. His activism started in the mid 1950’s up until he was assassinated in 1968. His vision was to see human rights and equality for African Americans and all victims of injustice. Due to his actions, he received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964. He is also remembered every year on Martin Luther King Jr. Day (which is a U.S. federal holiday created in 1986). There are ways that you can give back to your community this holiday or get help from an organization that is inspired by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. ‘s message of equality!

How to Celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was a person who valued his community. That is why this federal holiday is meant to encourage people to continue his legacy. They can do this by providing support to their community. People can help their community through means like:

• Helping with Job Readiness
• Providing Food Assistance
• Promoting Healthy Futures
• Improving the Look of the Community
• Preparing the Community for Emergencies
• Providing Assistance to Those in Need

Helping with Job Readiness

Not everyone knows how to properly handle the process of getting a job. That is why you may be able to provide support by helping with job readiness. You can help people get ready to apply for a job with resume writing, interview skills, training programs, job application completion, and more.

Providing Food Assistance

Food is an important part of life. However, not everyone is able to get the food they need to live their best lives. That is why you can help your community by serving meals at a homeless shelter, bringing meals to homebound neighbors, organizing a food donation drive, teaching people how to eat healthy on a budget, and more.

Promoting Healthy Futures

Healthy habits are an important part of living a long and healthy life. That is why you may be able to help your community by promoting a healthy future! You can do this by arranging a health fair, organizing a blood donor drive, registering bone marrow and organ donors, or even organizing a drug take back.

Improving the Look of the Community

The best way to improve the look of your community will depend on the area you are in. However, common ways that people do this is by creating community green spaces, reclaiming a safe and abandoned space for community use, and volunteering at a local, state, or national park.

Preparing the Community for Emergencies

It can benefit a community to plan ahead. A part of planning ahead is by preparing for emergencies. Which means you can distribute fire safety information, distribute disaster preparation kits, educate yourself to be your own first responder, and much more.

Providing Assistance to Those in Need

There are plenty of Americans that find themselves in need. You can help those dealing with hardship in many different ways! You could help low-income families find free tax preparation services, help with yard maintenance for elderly neighbors, participate (or create) a neighborhood watch program, help your local fire department, etc.

Additional Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Assistance Opportunities

There are a variety of charitable organizations inspired by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. that can help people in one way or another. For example, some of these organizations include:

• Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center
• Martin Luther King Jr. Family Outreach Center
• Martin Luther King Multi-Purpose Center

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center

This community center is located in Newport, Rhode Island. Their mission is to help those in the community improve their situation financially, socially, and physically. In the end, they want to create an inclusive and strong community of resilient individuals to live their life in the best way that they can.

They can provide support through a variety of different ways! However, their 3 main focuses include:

• Hunger Prevention
• Early Childhood and Extended Learning Time Education
• Community Support Programs

Some of the ways they can impact their 3 main focuses is through their food pantry, daily meal program, home food delivery, nutrition education, providing access to a registered dietician, educational programs, and more.

Martin Luther King Jr. Family Outreach Center

The Martin Luther King Jr. Family Outreach Center is located in Spokane, Washington. This organization’s mission is to improve the quality of life for children, youth, and families in the community. They aim to achieve this goal through assistance opportunities that go hand in hand with the framework of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s vision of equality, and respect.

This center provides a variety of different program opportunities to help. For example, some program opportunities include:

• Fulfillment-Achievement-Maturity-Enrichment Program (FAME)
• Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program (ECEAP)
• Senior Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP)

They also have additional assistance besides programs like a summer youth academy, a food bank, and more.

Martin Luther King Multi-Purpose Center 

Based in New York, the Martin Luther Multi-Purpose Center aims to help communities through caring professionals. This organization is funded with public grants and donations from individuals that want to support their cause. This center provides a variety of different programs that aim to help individuals in need from adults, to children, to families, to the elderly, and more. Some of the programs that this center has includes:

• NYS Licensed After School Program
• NYS Licensed Summer Program
• Youth Employment Program
• Community Health Program
• Senior Nutrition Assistance Program

Overall

In conclusion, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was (and still is) a symbol of equality. His actions as a key part of the Montgomery Bus Boycott and the 1963 March on Washington led to new legislation (such as the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act). As a result, he won a Nobel Peace prize in 1964. His beliefs in equality, respect, nonviolent protests, etc., are what continue to inspire others on Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

To celebrate this federal holiday, you can give back to your community. There are plenty of ways that you can do this! You can:

• Help with Job Readiness
• Provide Food Assistance
• Promote Healthy Futures
• Improve the Look of the Community
• Prepare the Community for Emergencies
• Provide Assistance to Those in Need

Besides helping your community, there are even Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. assistance opportunities. These opportunities can be found at charitable organizations that are named after him throughout the country. For example, some of these centers include:

• Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center
• Martin Luther King Jr. Family Outreach Center
• Martin Luther King Multi-Purpose Center

However, you will want to see if there are any centers near you. The ones listed above are just three popular ones (each located in a separate part of the country based on helping their communities). For this Martin Luther King Jr. Day, you should consider helping those around you. If you aren’t in the position to help, then you may benefit from getting help at a local center inspired by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s vision of equality and respect!