Everybody can be great, because anybody can serve. You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. You don’t have to make your subject and your verb agree to serve…. You don’t have to know the second theory of thermodynamics in physics to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.” – Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
As we celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., we should remember that Dr. King lived a whole life of service. The United States formally recognized his legacy on August 23, 1994, when President William Jefferson Clinton designated Martin Luther King Day as a “day of service” to encourage citizens to honor the memory of Dr. King. Today, January 20, 2020, marks the 25th anniversary of the Day of Service.
According to the Corporation for National Community Service (CNCS), a “day on, not a day off” is a call for Americans from all walks of life to work together to provide solutions to our most pressing national problems and manifest the principles of freedom, justice, and equality that Dr. King spoke of and demonstrated in his life. CNCS goes on to say that “MLK Day is the only federal holiday designated as a national day of service to encourage all Americans to volunteer to improve their communities.”
We all know there are other more personal benefits to serving others from a career perspective, such as (1) it looks good on a resume, (2) helps develop new skills, (3) builds confidence, and (4) increases networking opportunities.
In fact, you can read more on that very subject:
The Act of Giving (and Receiving)
Patriot Day and Volunteering
From Volunteer to Career
The Job-Hunting Value of Volunteer Work
Beyond that, here are places to volunteer in Houston:
Happy Martin Luther King Jr. Day!
David Spears is a member of the Workforce Solutions Navigator team for the Texas Gulf Coast Region. Combining training and education to real world examples, David brings personal and professional experience with disabilities to the table in order to help job seekers with disabilities realize their potential. David has a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration with over 20 years of experience in the business world.