Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. had several quotes that I’m fond of, but one that stands out to me this year is, “Everybody can be great because everybody can serve. You don’thave to have a college degree to serve. You don’t have to make your subject and your verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace, a soul generated by love.”
As we enter the new year, those words stand out. Many are looking for ways to enhance their lives, whether they want to improve their health or look for ways to show love to others more. Service can come in many ways – slowing down to let someone merge on the interstate, buying a meal for a friend going through a tough time, or even picking up that piece of garbage that has blown onto the sidewalk.
I encourage all businesses, nonprofits, faith groups, service organizations, and individuals across the Mid-South to “Care Like King,” and volunteer during MLK Days of Service January 12-16.
As I mentioned earlier, volunteering and serving your community can take on many forms and doesn’t have to be done with a specific organization or for a specific cause. Volunteer Memphis partners with many nonprofit organizations to help fill their needs through volunteers and volunteer efforts. If you are looking for a way to “Care Like King” and positively impact your community I would urge you to visit VolunteerMemphis.org to find a volunteering opportunity that works for you. MLK Days of Service was designed to honor Dr. King’s legacy by offering opportunities for volunteers to make an impact on communities in need with “a soul generated by love.”
Volunteer Memphis believes that by engaging volnteers in their communities, we help move the Mid-South towards Dr. King’s vision of “beloved community.” One thing that makes service so special is it doesn’t discriminate – service connects people to others outside of their normal circle.
Like Dr. King said, it’s not about having a college degree, it’s about helping others. When you serve, it can bring a feeling of fulfillment, or a deeper understanding of purpose. It’s a feeling that everyone can – and should – experience.
Volunteer Memphis is connecting people with service projects across the Mid-South between January 12-16, giving corporate volunteers, service groups, and individuals a chance to pick the volunteer opportunity that fits their schedules. If you represent a nonprofit, faith group, school, neighborhood association, or other service ororganization, Volunteer Memphis would love to welcome you as a partner for MLK Days of Service.
No matter the type, size, or location of your service project, Volunteer Memphis, our sponsors, and our community partners want to help. The Mid-South is known for being one of the most generous communities, and more than 300,000 people volunteer annually. MLK Days of Service is an opportunity to come together to create a lasting, positive change for our region. Last year, volunteers logged more than 4,700 hours in 44 volunteer projects during MLK Days of Service, and we are aiming for even more volunteer projects and hours this year. If you have a service project that needs volunteers, or you want to serve your community, join us during MLK Days of Service January 12-16. For more information, go to our website at volunteermemphis.org or call us at 901-278-0016.
Reggie Crenshaw is the president and CEO of Leadership Memphis and Volunteer Memphis.
