Every third Monday of January, the nation celebrates Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s birth and service of racial and economic equality. This year, the holiday falls on what would have been King's 89th birthday.
MLK Day was first observed in 1986, and, in 1994, Senator and civil rights leader John Lewis of Georgia sponsored the King Holiday and Service Act, making the holiday one to encourage people to volunteer in their communities.
The Corporation for National and Community Service says the holiday : "[...] calls for Americans from all walks of life to work together to provide solutions to our most pressing national problems. The MLK Day of Service empowers individuals, strengthens communities, bridges barriers, creates solutions to social problems, and moves us closer to Dr. King's vision of a 'Beloved Community.'"
The All for Good website has a list of volunteer opportunities.