MLK Day of Service is a national initiative to strengthen communities, bridge barriers between different groups of people, create solutions to our social problems and move us closer to Dr. King’s vision of a “Beloved Community.” Thousands of individuals around the U.S. honor Dr. King’s legacy on this day by participating in volunteer projects that encourage community collaboration and make our towns a better place to live. “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’” — Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. According to the Corporation for National and Community Service, more Americans live in poverty today than during Dr. King’s lifetime–which is why it is more important now than ever to work together to make Austin greater for all residents. More than 300 volunteers signed up to work on eight projects for this year’s MLK Day of Service on January 16th. This annual event is hosted by United Way for Greater Austin, Keep Austin Beautiful and State Representative Dawnna Dukes. We kicked off the event at UWATX with breakfast and encouraging speeches from Mayor Steve Adler, UWATX Board Member Rodney Northern and other influential community members. Volunteers then dispersed to work on a variety of projects, ranging from a clean-up of MLK Jr. Boulevard to creating works of art of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to be auctioned off to raise money for UWATX’s Middle School Matters program. Some of the groups that signed up for the event were Apple employees, current and alumni AmeriCorps […]
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Martin Luther King Jr. Day is soon approaching, and we are inviting all community members to join us for our 17th Annual MLK Day of Service! United Way for Greater Austin is hosting this event alongside State Representative Dawnna Dukes and Keep Austin Beautiful on January 16, 2016 from 9 a.m. to noon. The MLK Day of Service projects bring together hundreds of volunteers to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy of service by beautifying the Austin street bearing his name (and our office!) – Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. There will also be additional indoor projects supported by other local nonprofits for those who may not be able to participate in the clean-up of the three-mile stretch. United Way for Greater Austin’s volunteer program, Hands On Central Texas, is currently recruiting volunteers for MLK Day of Service. This event is open to all ages and is a great opportunity to get your youth group, family and kids involved. If you are interested in volunteering, please visit our Hands On Central Texas page to learn more and sign up for projects. This is also National Day of Service occurring all over the country – so come out, volunteer and start off the new year on a positive note as a philanthropist with thousands of others across the nation! This event will begin with a kick-off breakfast at 9 a.m. at United Way for Greater Austin (2000 E. MLK JR. BLVD, 78702). Parking is available in our attached lot or on nearby streets. We […]
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