(Washington, DC)–Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day is increasingly recognized as "a day ON, not a day OFF" for Americans volunteering in their communities. Participation in the King Day of Service activities has grown steadily each year since Congress passed the King Holiday and Service Act in 1994, calling on Americans to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy of citizen action. This year over 10,000 volunteers will unite in the District for a Day of Service January 15, 2007.

Serve DC is calling out an army of volunteers and supporters, crossing socioeconomic and religious boundaries, to take part in the day that honors the model of service and sacrifice embodied by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., on the occasion of his birthday. Volunteers will participate in over 80 projects that spread throughout the District’s eight wards.

MLK Day of Service 2007 is designed after Serve DC’s successful model of National & Global Youth Service Day. As lead agency, Serve DC will facilitate the matching of volunteers to volunteer sites. Serve DC is partnering with Points of Light Foundation and the Corporation for National and Community Service to ensure that both citizens inside the District and within the Greater Metropolitan DC area are engaged in the day of service. The projects include city beautification, administrative and manual aid to local nonprofits, health fairs, school cleanups, MLK educational forums, and college preparation fairs. Operating under the slogan “Building the Beloved Community,” Serve DC will utilize the day of service to progress sustainable programs that address the needs of the DC communities.

The event is now widely known as “A Day On, Not a Day Off,” and seeks to promote Dr. King’s message that, “Everybody can be great because everybody can serve.” Since the earliest days of his ministry as a spiritual and civic leader, Dr. King embraced the value of volunteerism and service. In 1957, he stated, “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, what are we doing for others?”

In that spirit, the opening ceremony will commence at 9 am in Howard University’s School of Business. As many as 250 volunteers will enter to reflect, and depart to serve the District’s communities. Volunteers will also participate in a clothing drive which will help So Others Might Eat.