MLK Day of Service

"A Day On, Not A Day Off"!

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service

Save the Date: Monday, January 15, 2024.

Event Summary | Volunteer Opportunities | Sponsorship Opportunities

2024 Event Schedule

All volunteers are encouraged to join us at Washington-Liberty High School (W-L) for opening activities and program. Check-in begins at 8:30 a.m. and includes t-shirt distribution (for the first 750 volunteers), volunteer fair, and photo booth opportunities.

Schedule on Monday, January 15, 2024:
8:30 a.m.: Check in begins at Washington-Liberty High School
9:00 a.m.: Opening program at Washington-Liberty High School
9:30 a.m.: Transition time to projects and travel to off-site locations (if necessary)
9:45 a.m.: Projects at Volunteer Arlington site (W-L) begin
10:00 a.m.: Off-site and virtual projects begin
12:00 p.m.: Conclusion (dependent on the project)

2024 Volunteer Opportunities

Just as there are various ways to be civically engaged, there are a variety of civic engagement projects for this year's MLK Day of Service. You can sign up for an in-person project at Washington-Liberty High School (noted below as W-L), an in-person project at other locations (noted below as off-site), or a virtual project (noted below as virtual).

Browse the opportunities below and follow the links for more information and to sign up to volunteer! Pre-registration is open through Thursday, January 11. (While registering in advance is preferred, walk-ins are welcome at W-L at 8:30 a.m. on Monday, January 15, and can join opportunities as space allows.)

• AFAC | Listen & Learn and Food Collection | W-L
• Affordable Homes & Communities | Snack Bags for Students | Virtual
• Affordable Homes & Communities | Snack Bags for Students | W-L
• AHC, APAH, AHS | Listen and Learn on Current Issues in Affordable Housing in Arlington | W-L
• Arlington County DHS | Homelessness Continuum of Care Intro to Homelessness and Backpack Project | Off-site
• Arlington Neighborhood Village | Valentine's Day Service Project | W-L
• Arlington Rotary Club | No Sew Fleece Blanket Making for Kids in Affordable Housing | W-L
• Bike/WalkArlington | W&OD Trail Cleanup | Off-site
• Bridges to Independence | A Bridge to Learning and Giving - Scavenger Hunt for a Cause | W-L
• CARRT | Ready, Set, Go-Bag!: Help Your Neighbors in Need Prepare for an Emergency | W-L
• Culpepper Garden | Gardening Project | Off-site
• Doorways | Listen and Learn Doorways 101 and Call to Action | W-L
• EcoAction Arlington | Barcroft Park Clean-Up | Off-site
• Encore Stage & Studio | Presentation of Nauck to Green Valley: Transforming a Community | W-L
• Melwood | Spring Cleaning | Off-site
• New Hope Housing | Coming Soon!
• OAR of Arlington, Alexandria, and Falls Church | Listen & Learn + DIY Welcome Home Kits | W-L
• PathForward | Coming Soon!
• Read Early And Daily (READ) | Become a READ Book Fairy! | W-L
• Real Food for Kids | Community SNAP Ambassador Training | W-L
• Rosie Riveters | STEM Kit Packing | Off-site

We strive to host inclusive, accessible events. To request accommodation or for inquiries about accessibility, please contact Brenda Nardone at volarl@leadercenter.org by January 5.

Beloved Community Award

At the 2024 MLK Day of Service, we will present a new Beloved Community Award to recognize an exemplary leader who has embodied Dr. King’s vision of building a “beloved community.” Nominations are due by Friday, December 15, 2023.

Award Recipients

• 2023 Recipient: Saundra Green

2024 Sponsors

Lead Sponsors

Connecting Sponsor

Inspiring Sponsors

• NOVA Optique + Eyecare

Supporting Sponsors

• Affordable Homes & Communities (AHC)
• Congregation Etz Hayim
• National Landing Business Improvement District
• Rock Spring Congregational United Church of Christ
• Searle Business Solutions, LLC

2023 Event Highlights

On Monday, January 16, 2023, we hosted our 6th annual MLK Day of Service. The 1,500+ volunteers who joined us truly made it a "day on" in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Watch this video to see some highlights from the service projects.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. had an incredible impact. Watch the video below shown at the opening program of our 2023 MLK Day of Service that highlights community stories about leading change, a beloved community, service, and hope.