Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood Volunteers in D.C. Community for MLK Day of Service
Washington, DC – U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood joined with senior DOT leadership, DOT employees, and community volunteers, to mark the Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service by cleaning up a public space adjacent to Garfield Park in Southeast Washington, DC. Secretary LaHood and other volunteers worked to clear trash and debris, remove graffiti on the I-395 underpass and clean up the area surrounding the neighborhood park.
“We all share a responsibility to serving our communities,” said Secretary LaHood. “Whether it’s mentoring a student, volunteering time at a shelter, visiting with an elderly neighbor, or cleaning up a local park, we can all make a difference.”
A number of local organizations and business joined in the MLK Day of Service effort in Southeast D.C., including Living Classrooms, W.C. Smith, the Capital Riverfront BID, and Friends of Garfield Park.
“Dr. King spent his life in service to others, and it's exciting to see so many Americans out doing the same today,” said Nicola Goren, the Acting CEO of the Corporation for National and Community Service. “Our hope is that people will make today the start of an ongoing commitment to service throughout the year.”
In 1994, Congress designated the Martin Luther King Jr. Federal Holiday as a national day of service and charged the Corporation for National and Community Service with leading this effort. Taking place each year on the third Monday in January, the King Day of Service is the only federal holiday observed as a national day of service – a “day on, not a day off.” The King Day of Service empowers individuals, strengthens communities, bridges barriers, addresses social problems, and moves us closer to Dr. King’s vision of a “Beloved Community.”
“We all share a responsibility to serving our communities,” said Secretary LaHood. “Whether it’s mentoring a student, volunteering time at a shelter, visiting with an elderly neighbor, or cleaning up a local park, we can all make a difference.”
A number of local organizations and business joined in the MLK Day of Service effort in Southeast D.C., including Living Classrooms, W.C. Smith, the Capital Riverfront BID, and Friends of Garfield Park.
“Dr. King spent his life in service to others, and it's exciting to see so many Americans out doing the same today,” said Nicola Goren, the Acting CEO of the Corporation for National and Community Service. “Our hope is that people will make today the start of an ongoing commitment to service throughout the year.”
In 1994, Congress designated the Martin Luther King Jr. Federal Holiday as a national day of service and charged the Corporation for National and Community Service with leading this effort. Taking place each year on the third Monday in January, the King Day of Service is the only federal holiday observed as a national day of service – a “day on, not a day off.” The King Day of Service empowers individuals, strengthens communities, bridges barriers, addresses social problems, and moves us closer to Dr. King’s vision of a “Beloved Community.”