Washington, DC—With the annual Martin Luther King Day of Service just days away, communities across the country are planning a record number of projects and activities to honor the slain civil rights leader on Monday, January 15. For the first time, service projects are scheduled in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, with nearly 1,500 projects open for volunteer sign up at http://www.mlkday.gov.

“Participating in community service projects on King Day creates a living memorial to this national hero, and we hope that millions of Americans will get involved in the King Day of Service,” said David Eisner, CEO of the Corporation for National and Community Service, the federal agency charged by Congress with overseeing the annual service effort. “Throughout his lifetime, Dr. King was dedicated to making our country a better place for all citizens. There is no better way to honor him than by continuing his life’s work.”

Traditionally, Philadelphia has the largest service effort in the country, and more than 600 projects involving 55,000 volunteers are planned in that city alone. In addition, the Corporation is supporting expanded service efforts in several other cities across the country. Highlights of service projects include:

Birmingham, Ala.— More than 300 volunteers will converge on Parker High School to paint murals throughout the school depicting the Civil Rights struggle that involved many of the school’s students and took the life of one, Addie Collins, who was one of the four girls killed by a bomb at the 16th Street Church in 1963. A planning committee made up of community residents developed the idea of the murals that will be painted throughout the 110-year-old building, so that students will be surrounded by the school’s history everywhere they look. Students, parents, AmeriCorps members, community members, corporate volunteers, and employees of The Home Depot will participate in the event. The murals will include modern-day social justice themes that help make students aware that they are living out the legacy of Martin Luther King.

Buffalo, N.Y.— The West Seneca Youth Bureau/Western New York AmeriCorps has joined with the Hands On Network to bring the “Seats for Social Justice, a public art project that celebrates the lives of Rosa Parks and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and their accomplishments against social injustices, to Greater Buffalo. The AmeriCorps members will recruit 30 artists who will design themes for bus seats and with the help of 400 community residents will serve the community as they transform these symbols of the social struggles of the 50’s and 60’s into canvases of hope. Claudette Colvin, one of the originators of the Birmingham bus boycott, will attend the event, as will AmeriCorps Director Kristin McSwain.

Los Angeles, Calif.— The National Alliance of Faith and Justice, through its subgrantees and partners across the country, is working to mobilize up to 10,000 at-risk youth in service-learning (through the PEN OR PENCIL: Let Me Read You Your Rights Initiative) and to engage a minimum of 25,000 adults and college students to train as mentors during the Justice Sunday National Recruitment Initiative, January 12-15, and continuing through the rest of the year. In addition, AmeriCorps members serving with the Los Angeles Conservation Corps will work on the exterior of the homes of 25 elderly residents of Pacoima including gardening, clearing debris, and removing bulky items from the premises.

Louisville, Ky.—Service for Peace is hosting the fourth annual Greater Louisville Martin Luther King Season of Service. Volunteers from Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club will assist Boy Scout troops in cleaning and painting the Wayside Christian Mission; youth volunteers will perform at an afternoon Day of Service recognition event; and 100 Home Depot employees will paint the Shawnee Community Center.

Phoenix, Ariz.—Through a collaborative partnership with the Arizona Opportunities Industrialization Center and Make A Difference (Hands On Network), the Arizona Governor’s Commission on Service and Volunteerism is sponsoring dozens of projects, including a large scale neighborhood revitalization project, campus beautification at Gateway Early College High School; creating a Unity and Diversity Garden at Madison Park School; and MLK Unity Day, a civic education event that will kick-off with lessons about Dr. King and his teaching and continue with youth breaking off into work circles for group discussions, participation in service projects, and essay writing. The number of service project in Phoenix for the Day of Service increase nearly 90 % over last year.

Washington, D.C.—About 6,000 volunteers, including numerous federal employees, are expected to serve at the 42 project sites sponsored by Serve DC. Volunteers are invited to bring used clothing to opening ceremonies at the Howard University Business School; donations will be sorted by Howard students after the ceremony. Other projects include a cleanup of a homeless shelter sponsored by the DC Jewish Community Center; a cleanup of the Pope Branch Stream, a tributary of the Anacostia River, with AmeriCorps members serving with the Earth Conservation Corps; and a beautification project at Cardozo High School.

In addition to these cities, hundreds of communities across the country are planning service activities on Martin Luther King Day. Visit http://www.mlkday.gov for more information, including details of planned projects and how to sign up to volunteer.

The Day of Service is supported by numerous national organizations, including the American Red Cross, America’s Promise, the Arizona Governor’s Commission on Service and Volunteerism, Big Brothers Big Sisters, City Year, Do Something, First Book, Habitat for Humanity International, Hands On Network, HOPE worldwide, National Alliance of Faith and Justice, National Association of Service and Conservation Corps, Points of Light Foundation and Volunteer Center National Network, Service for Peace, United Way of America, Volunteer Match, and Youth Service America. National corporate sponsors include Best Buy, Cargill, Clear Channel Communications, Comcast, and the UPS Foundation.

The Corporation for National and Community Service improves lives, strengthens communities, and fosters civic engagement through service and volunteering. Each year, the Corporation provides opportunities for more than 2 million Americans of all ages and backgrounds to serve their communities and country through Senior Corps, AmeriCorps and Learn and Serve America. The Corporation honors Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. each year by spearheading a national Day of Service for all Americans. For more information, go to http://www.nationalservice.gov.

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