MLK Day of Service is a 32-year annual tradition at UM-Dearborn. Not only are there more volunteer opportunities available for 2025’s MLK Day, there are also new offerings extending throughout the week.
The university will host the annual MLK Day of Service in partership with Henry Ford College on Jan. 20, followed by a week of events that highlight King and the importance of continued social justice work. The times for specific volunteer opportunities vary — you can see them and sign up here — but the kickoff for the day is at 9 a.m. in Renick University Center’s Kochoff Hall. A keynote address by UM-Ann Arbor School of Social Work Clinical Assistant Professor Daicia Price takes place on Jan. 21.
In addition to the Day of Service’s mainstays, like making no-sew fleece blankets for people who are homeless and dog toys for local animal shelters, there are opportunities to take part in a Civil Rights Wiki-Edit-A-Thon at the Mardigian Library, create plush animals for first responders to give to children in traumatic situations and more.
Off-campus volunteer sites are at Gleaners Southwest Food Pantry, Friends for Animals Metro Detroit, Cass Community Social Services and more. There’s also ways to help from home through remote activities like creating greeting cards to veterans, seniors or children in foster care.
Check out the opportunities and sign up.
“It’s important to make it a day on, not a day off. Our students want to do that, but sometimes have challenges when it comes to traveling to places off campus. While we are still providing great off-campus volunteer opportunities, we’ve added to what’s available on campus,” says Office of Student Life Civic Engagement Coordinator JaNai’ James. “We learned through the increasing interest shown to on-campus projects, that’s what our community wants. We will continue to do whatever we can to help our community come together to further Dr. King’s dream and mission.”
