Germantown High 2008, MLK Day of service

Below is the official letter about the history of the Philadelphia MLK Day of Service.
Look there are many opportunities, spread the word about the project you are involved in. Philly1.com also has a Volunteer group, where you can find and list volunteer opportunities. as always,

The Institute for the Study of Civic Values will be holding a workshop during the event. The PWDC TANF vendors Arbor E & T, KRA, TWC, Congresso, PEC, Temple , Pathways / EDSI, P4P are invited. The special guests for the ISCV workshop will be the community persons transitioning to employment, the group name is Philly Corp. The staff members are encouraged to attend.

Dear Friends of the King Day of Service,

Please join us on the January 21, 2008 King Holiday when tens of thousands of volunteers serve throughout Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware in the 13th annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service, the largest King Day event in the nation.

In 1994, former Pennsylvania U.S. Senator Harris Wofford and Atlanta Congressman John Lewis, both veterans of the civil rights movement with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., co-authored the King Holiday and Service Act, which calls on Americans of all backgrounds and ages to celebrate Dr. King’s legacy by transforming the federal holiday into one of turning community concerns into citizen action. This federal legislation was signed into law by President Bill Clinton, creating the national Martin Luther King Day of Service.

Since 1996, our annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service throughout the Greater Philadelphia region has been the largest King Day of Service event in the nation. During the past twelve years, more than 320,000 people of all backgrounds and ages have participated here, with many projects continuing throughout the year. What started as a King Holiday project in the Philadelphia area has become a growing nationwide movement, with heightened community impact, improved inter-group understanding, and a growing understanding of the legacy of Dr. King, particularly among young people. We have also seen an increasing springboard effect of ongoing impact and lasting community partnerships.

A significant focus on King Day and beyond will be creating the "Beloved Community," which Dr. King spoke about many times. Many projects will be centered on a holistic approach to promoting non-violence. This will include training volunteers in mentoring, literacy tutoring, conflict resolution, peer mediation, organizing safe corridors programs between schools and home, creating more after school programs, housing opportunities, job training, welfare to work opportunities, programs for ex-offenders, health care, conservation, legal assistance, murals and much more. Following each project, we encourage discussions and reflection about the legacy of King and how that applies to embracing his legacy today. This will be particularly important in our outreach to young people.

In order to help support your organizing efforts for January 21, we will be holding planning workshops throughout our region. These sessions are designed to provide information, technical support, and to answer your questions. It is also an opportunity for you to meet and connect with other people and organizations planning projects.

Click here to register to volunteer for a project!

Or, if you are interested in creating a project, please click here for a Project Registration Form. Please complete this form and bring it with you to a kick-off training session or return it to our King Day of Service organizing headquarters by Friday, December 14, 2007. You may fax your form to 215-665-2647, return by mail or register your project online at www.mlkdayofservice.org.

We look forward to working with you and celebrating Dr. King’s legacy through citizen action!

Sincerely,

Todd Bernstein
Director & Founder, Greater Philadelphia Martin Luther King Day of Service