To help survivors of recent disasters donate to the Governor's Emergency Relief Fund
Alabama Governor's Office of Volunteer Services
INCREASING THE ETHIC OF SERVICE AND VOLUNTEERISM ACROSS ALABAMA
Strengthen and Enrich Communities Across the Country
MLK Day of Service
January 19, 2026
Take the pledge
On Monday, January 19, 2026, Americans across the country will gather to honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. by participating in a variety of service projects. Observed each year on the third Monday in January, Martin Luther King, Jr., Day is a federal holiday designated as a National Day of Service to encourage all Americans to volunteer their time, talent, and resources to improve their communities. AmeriCorps has been charged with leading this effort for over three decades.
Establish a habit of volunteering by serving on MLK Day and build connections that last a lifetime. Join us in making it a "day on, not a day off".
We encourage you to take part in voluntary service in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and commit to serving others. Promise to serve your community on MLK Day and throughout the entire 2026 year. Take the pledge.
In honor of America’s 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, AmeriCorps has partnered with America250 to reach the largest year of service yet.
You can help kickstart America’s 250th anniversary by mobilizing Americans to volunteer and set a new record in 2026. Learn more: America250.org/america-gives/
OTHER WAYS TO SERVE
United Way of Southwest Alabama - Volunteer Connector
United Way of Southwest Alabama Oaklawn Cemetery MLK Day Clean Up
HandsOn River Region 2026 MLK Day of Service Projects
United Way of Central Alabama 2026 MLK Day of Service Projects
Share your Commitment to Serve
-
If you want to share your thoughts and photos from your volunteer service that day use the hashtag #MLKDay and tag @AmeriCorps @ServeAlabama @TheKingCenter on all social media platforms.
-
Follow @AmeriCorps @ServeAlabama and @TheKingCenter on all social media platforms for the latest updates and resources on MLK Day.
Ways to Serve
-
Plan a Clothing Drive and donations items received to a local shelter or location in need.
-
Host a discussion about Dr. King’s life and teachings and overall principles of non-violence.
-
Provide food assistance by serving meals at a homeless shelter, teach healthy eating on a budget.
-
Distribute fire safety information and check for working smoke detectors.
-
Host a Dr. MLK Jr. awareness event.
-
Collaborate with an AmeriCorps program or volunteer with an organization to provide meaningful service on this day.
Other Resources
About Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was an important figure in the civil rights movement. His lectures, teachings, and dialogues aroused concern and awakened the conscience of a generation and for generations for years to come. His charismatic leadership inspired various individuals in this nation and around the world.
Photo/Robert D. Farber University Archives and Special Collections Department
He entered the Christian ministry in February 1948 at the age of 19 and was ordained at the Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta. In 1954, after graduating from Boston University, he accepted a calling at the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama. There he was a key leader of the Montgomery bus boycott, best known for its nonviolent resistance and the arrest of Rosa Parks. that position in 1959 and returned to Atlanta to direct the activities of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference.
From 1960 until his death in 1968 he served with his father as a co-patron of the Ebenezer Baptist Church. Martin Luther King Jr. was shot and killed on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee, and died on April 4, 1968.
