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January 19, 2017 | By

3 Ways to Both Serve Your Community and Work on Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Since 1994, Martin Luther King Jr. Day has functioned as a national day of service to honor the spirit of the man who inspired the holiday. Last year alone, its initiatives provided more than a half million Americans with emergency food and other assistance from volunteers.

Even with this success, a lack of participation hampers its effectiveness. While Martin Luther King Jr. Day is a federal and state holiday, most employees at private companies don’t actually get the day off work.

If you are one of the latter employees and still want to volunteer while fulfilling your work obligations, this can be accomplished with a little planning in advance. Plus, by using GoToMyPC, you can help out yet still have time to log in and check on work as needed during breaks from such activities as:

  1. Organizing a fitness event. When you take a break from work, or when work ends, invite others in your community to get active with you. Offer fun indoor games (remember, this is January!) that everyone of all ages can play, such as Capture the Flag, T-Ball, three-legged and sack races, and obstacle courses. Make sure that everyone participates, has fun and learns how being fit provides long-term physical, mental and emotional health.
  2. Reading with children. Take a little time off before work or during your day to tell a story to a class at a public or private elementary school — or even a kindergarten or pre-K nursery. During your presentation, let students know the importance of being literate for success in life as well as the reasons why you like the book. They will appreciate you coming to visit and sharing your story, and their teachers will be grateful that you gave them a temporary break too.
  3. Checking with your local volunteer center. City centers offer many opportunities for citizens to participate in community outreach and corporate philanthropy during Martin Luther King Jr. Day. They can match your expertise with a local activity that is greatly in need by your neighbors — and it may spur you to perform the task on a recurring basis or build upon it to benefit your community. Many of these events, such as delivery meals to the elderly, can happen on your lunch break or after work.

If none of these match what you want to do or can donate, visit the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS). This federal agency has plenty of demand for volunteers to aid the military, give job skill training, help with disaster preparedness and more, and it can connect you to help out as needed during the holiday.

You don’t need a whole day off to make a positive impact. Take your initiative for the initiative, and show how you make a difference on and off the job on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. And start your free 30-day trial today to see how GoToMyPC lets you achieve this and much more.


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