âEverybody can be great, because everybody can serve,â said Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
In 1994, Congress designated the Martin Luther King Jr. federal holiday as the nationâs first day of service and charged the Corporation for National and Community Service, the federal agency for volunteering and service, with leading this effort. Taking place each year on the third Monday in January, the MLK Day of Service is the only federal holiday observed as a national day of service â a âday on, not a day off.â
This year, as part of the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, they have asked the country to celebrate the spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. by hosting service events that focus on COVID-19 relief and address challenges that have been exacerbated by the pandemic, such as poverty, hunger, racial injustice, homelessness, mental health, and educational disparities.