Martin Luther King Jr. Day is just around the corner. Here’s how your funeral home can get involved.

Meaning of MLK Day

First, let’s talk about the meaning of the holiday. The day was set aside to celebrate the life and achievements of Dr. King. Many people celebrate the holiday by making a commitment to serve their community.

The Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) states that the holiday “calls for Americans from all walks of life to work together to provide solutions to our most pressing national problems. The MLK Day of Service empowers individuals, strengthens communities, bridges barriers, creates solutions to social problems, and moves us closer to Dr. King’s vision of a ‘Beloved Community.’”

A famous question posed by Dr. King inspired the commitment to community action.

“Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, what are you doing for others?”

And according to statistics from the CNCS, here’s how Americans have answered that question. A 2015 CNCS report found that:

• Over 62 million Americans volunteer annually.
• In total, that equates to around 7.9 billion hours of community service.
• Those community service hours equate to a value of more than $184 billion in volunteer work.
• Some of the most popular volunteer activities in local communities were collecting, preparing, and distributing food; organizing fundraisers; and tutoring or mentoring the youth.

MLK Day and Your Funeral Home

The CNCS offers a wealth of resources to help you make an immediate impact in your community. Here’s how your funeral home can get involved.

Make the Pledge. To help celebrate the life and service of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., you and your funeral home staff can take the community pledge. Sign up here to make a commitment to serve not just on MLK day, but all year round. Choose something you feel really passionate about improving in your community. Perhaps it’s becoming youth mentors, or volunteering to help veteran and military families. You also can commit to a volunteer project that’s ongoing. Click here to see current service opportunities in your state.

Promote Your Pledge. After making a pledge to your community, promote your project and inspire others to get involved. The CNCS offers free toolkits to promote your community service project through both traditional and social media. Download free press releases, social media kits, photos, and more. By promoting your cause within the community, you’ll raise awareness and help recruit more volunteers.

Follow Up on Your Event. If your funeral home hosts an MLK Day service event, don’t forget to follow up with it. Recap your event and the CNCS will help share your community service story.

Watch the video below to learn more about the history of MLK Day and the legacy of service.