Families and individuals around the country are ready to launch a year-long attitude of giving through the National Day of Service. This Saturday, January 19, they'll be rebuilding storm-ravaged areas, picking up trash and stocking food banks. Some families will attend brief events, while others will volunteer for the entire weekend.
The day in honor of civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Junior will also help kick off the inaugural weekend for President Barack Obama's second term. The service day focuses on what First Lady Michelle Obama calls our "shared American values of service and citizenship." Last year on this day, the Obama family helped spruce up an elementary school library.
Former White House resident Chelsea Clinton will serve as Honorary Chair for the 2013 National Day of Service, leading a Service Summit on the National Mall. "We are thrilled that Chelsea Clinton will play such a critical role in mobilizing Americans across the country to take part in the National Day of Service," said President's Inaugural Committee President and CEO Steve Kerrigan. "Through her work with the Clinton Foundation and her recent efforts to help communities impacted by Hurricane Sandy, Chelsea sets a remarkable example for serving and strengthening our country. As Honorary Chair, she will be instrumental in helping lead the President's call to service and growing this important tradition."
Grassroots happenings are planned in all 50 states. You can likely find National Day of Service events already scheduled for this weekend at a community near you. Of, if you feel inspired, you might want to organize one on your own.