Ideas for Service Projects
- Plan a day of service with your local school (most schools are closed on this holiday). Try a school renovation project that can also serve to educate students about Dr. King and his values.
- Plan a citywide day of service. Partner with local agencies to tackle projects that would not get done without the added energy of volunteers.
- Seek out faith-based initiatives. Gather youth groups from different faiths and races. Launch the partnership on the Saturday or Sunday before the holiday and continue the service for a set number of weeks to build lasting relationships.
- Kick off a season of service. Launch a long-term project that runs through the spring or through the year.
Tips for a Successful Project
- Plan well ahead. A lot of holiday breaks lead up to the King Day of Service weekend, and schools often have long breaks.
- Identify a pressing need.
- Use service as a strategy to build partnerships.
- Set goals and be realistic; volunteers and partners feel better about giving their time and resources when they see results.
- Be inclusive from the start. Involve your partners, sponsors, and community in setting goals for the project.
- Define clear roles for people and organizations.
- Don't take volunteers for granted. Develop a detailed plan for recruiting volunteers, and don't depend on word of mouth.
- Keep records and document the project. Records will help you thank all who helped and to do similar projects in the future.
- Pay attention to logistics, such as accessibility, transportation, food, communication, and back-up plans for bad weather.
- Have fun! Make the day one people can enjoy, and make them want to come back.
- Remember to say thanks to all who help.
Partnerships
- Get things done with national service. More than a million Americans are involved in national service who can recruit, train, and organize millions more in a day of service. To learn about national service collaborations in your state, connect with your CNCS state office.
- Invite corporations to join you as partners, not just funders. Corporate volunteer programs are a source of volunteers who may become long-term sponsors of your programs.
- Find local schools with a community service requirement. Help students meet their goals by planning a service project together.
- Contact the service-learning center and service organizations from your local college or university.
- Join the America's Promise campaign. Hundreds of cities and towns have become Communities of Promise, and hundreds more corporations, organizations, and agencies have made commitments to help fulfill the five fundamental promises for children and youth: a caring adult relationship, a healthy start, a safe place to learn and grow, an education that leads to marketable skills, and an opportunity to give back through their own service.
- Contact your local MLK holiday commission.
- Reach out to local service organizations.
- Involve faith-based organizations.
- Don't forget about professional sports organizations. A good place to start is with an organization that is part of a strong national partnership, such as the one between the United Way and National Football League. The National Basketball Association sponsors a youth initiative that encourages children to volunteer in their communities.
- Get in touch with media organizations.
- Get everyone involved.
Step-by-Step Guide
- Set specific goals. Think about what you want to accomplish, how you want the project to look, and what message you want the project to send to the community and the media.
- Choose project sites. Some groups organize a few large sites (like clean-up projects for large numbers of volunteers), while others prefer to organize multiple sites for smaller numbers of volunteers.
- Decide which issues you want to work on.
- Determine project size.
- Choose sites where the volunteers can see and experience their impact. The service should be of significant benefit to the community and the organization, as well as a learning experience for the volunteers.
- Work with agencies that have realistic expectations and experience working with volunteers.
- Plan for logistics such as food, accessibility, transportation, emergency care, and bad-weather contingency.
- Communicate and train well with team leaders, and make sure they are attuned to the mission and services provided by the agency.
- Provide opportunity for reflection and on-site learning.
- Make sure evaluation forms are completed.
- Orientation for volunteers should be no longer than 30 minutes and include an introduction to the MLK Day of Service, background information on the agency or site and related issues, and a walk-through of the day that includes specific instructions on the project.
- Inform team leaders of emergency procedures and any relevant liability issues.
MLK Day of Service Kick-Off
The kick-off event creates the spirit of the day of service.
- Hold the kick-off in the morning, and all transportation should be coordinated from that location.
- An after-service celebration can be held at the kick-off site with food, friends, and music.
- Make sure to have media kits ready and a special check-in area for media.
- The kick-off should be no more than 20 minutes. Ask people to come a half hour early to sign in and eat breakfast.
The Media
Reporters and editors respond best to news stories that incorporate:
- Local interest
- Widespread appeal
- Well-known people
- Interesting visuals
Types of media:
- Wire services
- Local and regional newspapers
- Local television news and talk shows
- Local radio news and talk shows
- Local cable TV stations
- Special interest media, such as ethnic publications, college newspapers and radio stations, community newspapers, church bulletins, and corporate newsletters
What to do:
- Develop a succinct message or "pitch."
- About three to five days before your event, fax a media advisory. Call reporters to ensure they received the advisory and ask if they have any questions.
- Write a press release, which goes into more detail than a media advisory; include quotes from organizers and participants, details of project accomplishments, and general information about your organization.
- Give each reporter at the event a press kit that includes:
- A press release
- An agenda for the day
- Fact sheets about your project
- Fact sheets about your organization (and the organization in which they are serving, if they differ)
- Background on the MLK Day of Service
- A copy of your latest newsletter or other information about your organization
- Your business card
Follow-Up
Hold a meeting for organizers to discuss wrap-up details and share experiences from the project. Make a list of wrap-up activities and delegate activities such as:
- Service site evaluations
- Reviewing volunteer evaluations
- Writing a final report
- Sending thank-you letters
- Cleaning and returning equipment
