Happy MLK Jr. Day of Service, "a day ON, not a day off"! http://mlkday.gov/ I think this is a fantastic idea to transform a holiday to catalyze community service, and a reminder that and community opportunities abound throughout the year, with resources to match any interest.
I congratulate my sister, a teacher who is attending a United Way organized event today right up her alley - a bake-off at a Senior Center - and has found very interesting volunteer opportunities ranging from making sack lunches for a homeless shelter, to a fundraiser for the animal shelter with pet Santa pictures through http://www.seattle.onebrick.org/; http://www.volunteermatch.org; and another great local resource http://www.seattleworks.org.
With so many choices, it's easy to have decision paralysis, but I got started volunteering with a cause very close to me, beach restoration at the beach where Nathan and I spent sunsets during high school, through People for Puget Sound. http://www.pugetsound.org. Being involved with like minded volunteers also connected me to other opportunities, one of my new favorites is http://www.idealnetwork.com; essentially Groupon with proceeds shared with non-profits.
Charity doesn't always have to involve monetary donations; sometimes in-kind donations or volunteering are more personal and valuable. As we are remodeling our kitchen, I have been able to donate unused household goods to the YWCA womens shelter, https://www.ywcaworks.org/, giving back to a resource that was available to my aunt 25 years ago when she left an abusive husband with my cousins, then toddlers, one of my earliest memories.
As MLK Jr. Day of Service calls to attention community involvement and volunteerism, please share your experience of interesting resources that you have found to share the love!
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