Martin Luther King Day a time to serve





For hundreds of thousands of Americans, this Martin Luther King Day will be "a day on," not "a day off." That’s because this year, people across the country will honor Dr. Martin Luther King’s life and legacy through community service.


Working alongside neighbors, families and co-workers, citizens in every state will join together on Mon., Jan. 17 to tutor children, build homes, clean parks, paint classrooms, deliver meals and perform countless other acts of service.


This is the 11th year in which the country has officially marked the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday by encouraging Americans to volunteer and serve their communities.


In 1994, Congress passed the King Holiday and Service Act to encourage Americans to celebrate the King holiday as a day of service.


At the time of its passage, Coretta Scott King said, "The greatest birthday gift my husband could receive is if all people of all racial and ethnic backgrounds celebrated the holiday by performing individual acts of kindness through service to others."


Jan. 17 is holiday for most banks, schools and government offices. U.S. post offices will be closed and there will be no delivery of mail on Monday.



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