Volunteering for MLK Day

Martin Luther King Jr. Day is celebrated on Monday, January 21st this year! Instead of spending the day off work and school by staying home, celebrate MLK’s life by volunteering! Martin Luther King Jr. said this about volunteering: “Everybody can be great...because anybody can serve. You don't have to have a college degree to serve. You don't have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.” Below are some great places and ways to volunteer your time in the D.C. and Maryland region.

Martha’s Table
Martha’s Table believes that every child deserves to have the opportunity for their brightest future, which is why they provide access to quality education programs, healthy food, and family support. You must sign up for a volunteer opportunity HERE before arriving at Martha’s Table. You may also schedule to donate food, clothing, baby items, and technology donations.

A Wider Circle
A Wider Circle’s mission is to end poverty by inspiring, fostering, and measuring individual and community level change. To complete their mission, they provide essential support services by giving beds, dressers, tables, chairs, dishes, pots, pans, and other large and small home goods to families transitioning out of shelters, escaping domestic violence, or otherwise living without their basic need items. To donate your gently used furniture, click here! You may also volunteer your time as an individual or a group. To volunteer, email volunteer@awidercircle.org or call (301) 608-3504.

Greater DC Diaper Bank
The Greater DC Diaper Bank empowers families and individuals in the DMV by providing a reliable and adequate source of basic baby needs and personal hygiene products. You may donate diapers and hygiene items at your nearest DC Diaper Bank. The Siena School is a DC Diaper Bank drop off location in the Silver Spring area! You may also volunteer at the warehouse to bundle diapers, organize the baby pantry, and inventory products. Sign up to volunteer HERE.

Brookside Nature Center
The Brookside Nature Center, located in Wheaton Regional Park offers quality programs for people of all ages to learn about nature in the Maryland region. If you are interested in volunteering to help clean up the trails on the grounds surrounding the center, please sign up.

Poplar Spring Animal Sanctuary
The Poplar Spring Animal Sanctuary is a rehabilitation and permanent sanctuary in Poolesville, MD for farm animals and wildlife who have been neglected, abused, or abandoned. Volunteers help the sanctuary through tasks such as mowing, trimming, fencing, and administrative tasks like filing and data entry. If you are interested in volunteering, please complete a volunteer application.

Easterseals
Easterseals has provided education, outreach, and advocacy for military and veterans, people with autism and other disabilities, and their families for nearly 100 years. Volunteers may help with office work or volunteer at events, in the classrooms, or at the Adult and Senior Care Center. If you are interested in volunteering with Easterseals, please click HERE.

The Barker Adoption Foundation
The Barker Adoption Foundation is a comprehensive adoption center offering adoption, education, training, and counseling services in the DMV. The foundation needs volunteers for future conferences and fundraising events, organizational tasks around the office, “Phonathon” fundraising calls, photography, and data entry. If you’d like to volunteer for The Barker Adoption Foundation, click HERE.

Capital Area Food Bank
The Capital Area Food Bank is the largest organization in the Washington metro area working to solve hunger and its companion problems: chronic undernutrition, heart disease, and obesity. Volunteers help sort and pack food in their distribution center and distribute fresh produce at free community farmers markets. If you’d like more information on how to volunteer for this food bank, click HERE.

Shepherd’s Table
Shepherd’s Table helps people who are homeless or in need by providing basic services like meals, social services, medical support, and clothing. This organization needs volunteers to help serve meals, and sort clothing donations. Click HERE to view all volunteer opportunities.

American Red Cross
Don’t have much time to volunteer on Martin Luther King Jr. Day? Can’t donate financially or gently used items? Consider donating blood with the American Red Cross! Click HERE to learn about the eligibility requirements for donating. If you are eligible, use your zip code to find local drives.

Can’t go and volunteer? Go through your own items (clothing, toys, furniture) to donate.
If you can’t volunteer on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, it would be a great time to go through your own items to donate! You could gather clothing from your closet, toys and furniture in your house, or non-perishable goods in your pantry to donate.

Financially Donate
A monetary donation to a charitable foundation would be a great way to celebrate MLK Day if you are unable to volunteer or donate gently used items. The Siena School Scholarship Fund raises money for financial aid to assist students in attending The Siena School. About 40% of Siena families receive assistance. Your help is of great importance to the build the community and have a direct effect on the education of students.