Haven’t started planning yet for Martin Luther King Jr. Day? It’s not too late! The Martin Luther King Jr. National Day of Service is on Jan. 20, 2020. Days of service have a focus on empowering individuals, strengthening communities, and creating solutions to social problems.

National Day of Service

First, contact organizations that support our veterans, such as transitional housing facilities, homeless shelters, or your U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs office. Ask them what is needed for veterans in your area. The answer may be food, clothing, personal items, pet supplies, or laundry supplies.

Next, organize your project by advertising in your community, through flyers in stores and community centers, notices on local radio and television stations, and in your local newspaper. Be clear about your project, and include information about what you are collecting, where supplies can be dropped off, and the deadline for accepting donations. Flyer templates can be found at www.ALAforVeterans.org, in the Members Only section. When taking your flyers to places for posting, always wear your ALA branded clothing, smile, and remember to say, “thank you.”

On the day you sort and deliver the collected items, invite your local media. Take lots of action pictures and post them to social media. Many local papers will publish a good action photo with a short tagline.

You can plan an ALA project for any time of year, but an advantage to planning it for Jan. 20, 2020, is that news outlets may have more interest in including your project in their coverage.