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just_the_things98. Volunteer with a new-to-me organization on MLK Jr. Day of Service
I really like the idea of using MLK Jr. Day as a day of service--a day on, not a day off. As much as I love having a day off, I also know how important it is for me to not take advantage of the fact that I have a job right now with holiday pay. I did a search on https://www.nationalservice.gov/serve-your-community/mlk-day-service for something near me, and there wasn't much of anything. I expanded my search until I came upon a giant volunteer opportunity in Rockville, Maryland, so that's what I signed up for.
It was an event run by the Montgomery County Volunteer Center, which brought together about 50 different organizations in their community that needed volunteers. When the doors open, thousands of us were let loose upon these orgs. I headed straight to tables 40 and 41 where I manned the soap for the next 30 minutes or so, putting it in bags with other toiletries for the homeless. There was a nice group of people I worked with; we were a well-oiled machine!
After that, I floated around looking for something else, but everything was pretty well staffed. I asked at the no-sew blanket & scarf area, but they were out of scissors and space as well. So I wound up over at Manna Food Center, packing diabetic/vegetarian boxes. I went through the line a few times until they ran out of boxes for us to fill.
I did a couple more passes through. There were a few I would have liked to have helped out with, but they were filled with children who were having fun, so there wasn't room for me. It was awesome seeing SO MANY families and kids involved in this service day.
I really like the idea of using MLK Jr. Day as a day of service--a day on, not a day off. As much as I love having a day off, I also know how important it is for me to not take advantage of the fact that I have a job right now with holiday pay. I did a search on https://www.nationalservice.gov/serve-your-community/mlk-day-service for something near me, and there wasn't much of anything. I expanded my search until I came upon a giant volunteer opportunity in Rockville, Maryland, so that's what I signed up for.
It was an event run by the Montgomery County Volunteer Center, which brought together about 50 different organizations in their community that needed volunteers. When the doors open, thousands of us were let loose upon these orgs. I headed straight to tables 40 and 41 where I manned the soap for the next 30 minutes or so, putting it in bags with other toiletries for the homeless. There was a nice group of people I worked with; we were a well-oiled machine!
After that, I floated around looking for something else, but everything was pretty well staffed. I asked at the no-sew blanket & scarf area, but they were out of scissors and space as well. So I wound up over at Manna Food Center, packing diabetic/vegetarian boxes. I went through the line a few times until they ran out of boxes for us to fill.
I did a couple more passes through. There were a few I would have liked to have helped out with, but they were filled with children who were having fun, so there wasn't room for me. It was awesome seeing SO MANY families and kids involved in this service day.
