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Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Celebrating Service, Community, & Dr. King's Legacy
Boston Cares' 20th Annual MLK Service Event
January 17-20, 2025
Join us as an MLK 2025 Sponsor!
Since 2006, Boston Cares has celebrated Dr. King’s birthday by bringing the community together through service. The 2025 MLK Weekend will focus on the importance of volunteerism and the many ways individuals can affect change in their community, using the Points of Light Civic Circle® as a framework. The Civic Circle helps individuals connect to opportunities and understand that doing good comes in many forms with a framework for pathways to lead, lend support, and take action for causes they care about through volunteering, purchasing power, service, voting, working, voice, donating, listening & learning, and social entrepreneurship. Join us to celebrate our nonprofit partners, our community of volunteers, and Dr. King's Legacy.
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Volunteer: you may choose to give your time and talents inside and outside of your home to help your community or a cause you care about. Building on Boston Cares' tradition of volunteering on MLK Day, we are offering a variety of in-person opportunities throughout the weekend and trainings to help jumpstart your volunteer journey.
MLK Day of Service
Monday, January 20th
**Volunteer projects at Boston Latin School have been delayed to a 12pm start per BPS snow policy**
On Monday, January 20th, we are excited to host a variety of in-person volunteer projects hosted at the Boston Latin School. This in-person volunteering event is youth-friendly and great for engaging with your family, friends, and fellow volunteers to create and give back on this day of service! Volunteers will be signing up to make items for donation to our four partners, including fidget toys for Waltham Partnership for Youth, blankets and more for School on Wheels and Pine Street Inn, and valentines for seniors at Ethos.
Make Keychains & Fidget Toys for Kids
WPY works to ensure that the wealth of resources in and around Waltham is available for the youth and families who need them most. They facilitate high-impact community partnerships that support health and wellness, leadership development, and economic opportunity for Waltham youth while working to address long-standing structural inequities. Volunteers will create DIY keychains, stress balls, and paracord bracelets to be donated to WPY to be included in previous backpack donations as well as given to elementary through high school students.
Make No-sew Blankets & Bookmarks
School on Wheels of Massachusetts (SOWMA) was founded in 2004 by teacher and child advocate Cheryl Opper after reading a magazine article about Agnes Stevens, Founder of School on Wheels of California. The article "Lessons in Love" described the non-profit Stevens began after noticing the many children living on Skid Row who were not attending school. Cheryl was inspired to bring the one-on-one academic support program to Massachusetts for children impacted by homelessness. She started SOWMA out of her home in Easton, Massachusetts, where she invited volunteers to her kitchen table and filled her basement with donated backpacks and school supplies. Together, the volunteers distributed school materials to 20 children living at two family shelters in Brockton, Massachusetts. Soon, they began tutoring these children weekly. Volunteers will create no-sew fleece blankets and/or craft bookmarks to donate to students and families served by SOWMA.
Make Valentine's Day Decorations & Soup Kits
Pine Street Inn provides a comprehensive range of services to nearly 2,000 homeless men and women each day. This includes their Street Outreach Program, which has run every single day since it started in 1986. The Street Outreach team is able to provide necessities such as blankets and hygiene items to as well as compassion, human interaction, and encouragement to receive assistance from Pine Street towards permanent supportive housing. Volunteers will craft Valentine's Day-themed decorations and/or non-perishable meal kits and tie-dye t-shirts to give to residents and clients of Pine Street Inn.
Make Valentine's Cards for Senior Citizens
Ethos specializes in providing needed care for elders and disabled individuals in the Boston neighborhoods of Jamaica Plain, West Roxbury, Mattapan, Roslindale, and Hyde Park. By providing high-quality and affordable home and community care including food, housing, medical attention, and the care they need to be safe at home, Ethos helps to ensure the overall well-being of their community members. While Ethos is able to provide important care for these individuals, in the early spring and late fall months the organization and their community members often need added help. Volunteers will create Valentine's cards for the individuals served by Ethos.
New Volunteer Orientation
Boston Cares is a flexible volunteer agency that connects individuals with volunteer opportunities throughout Greater Boston. To become a Boston Cares member and begin signing up for projects through our year-round Calendar Program, you must attend a brief, one-time New Volunteer Orientation. Every orientation covers the same material about our programming and policies, so feel free to sign up for the session that best fits your schedule. Individuals who have completed a New Volunteer Orientation have access to approximately 350 service projects each month, ranging from 1 to 6 hours. Our web-based system allows volunteers to register online for projects in advance and also to track and print out their volunteering history.
In honor of the weekend's purpose, we are waiving the registration fee for all orientations hosted from Friday, January 17th to Monday, January 20th! We will also be a hosting special, in-person New Volunteer Orientation Session at Boston Latin School!
Allies for Immigrants ESOL Corps Training
Allies for Immigrants addresses the dual reality that ESOL classes are a gateway to economic advancement, social engagement, citizenship, and a strategy for Boston's workforce to be more equitable---yet our ESOL system cannot accommodate the need. In 2017, Boston Cares partnered with English for New Bostonians to boost citywide ESOL capacity via a network of well-trained volunteers Since then, more than 500 volunteers have been trained to work with 2300+ ESOL students. The Allies program has proven critical to helping students gain skills and confidence and succeed through online learning, with volunteers assisting at both in-person and virtual classes and supporting conversation groups for small group practice. Allies for Immigrants tutors are part of a network of volunteers who share a passion for enhancing English skills for adult learners. Volunteers must be 18 years or older to serve as a tutor. No previous experience is necessary.
Join us for an in-person training session on Monday, January 20th to get started!
Weekend Volunteer Opportunities
Honor Dr. King's Legacy through service all weekend long! With all of our current and new volunteers, we would like to share several special opportunities to support our nonprofit partners. For MLK weekend only, we are waiving the orientation requirement for a featured selection of volunteer projects listed on our Calendar, so everyone may participate no matter how new they are to volunteering! Check out our calendar to learn more about our incredible partners and how you can engage with their missions.
Purchase Power: you can make decisions that reflect your values or advance a special cause or issue by choosing where you do and don't spend your money. This includes thinking about how we can support small local businesses, particularly those that are BIPOC and immigrant-owned.
To celebrate Dr. King's birthday, Boston Cares aims to focus on different aspects of civic engagement by bringing the community together through service over MLK Weekend. One way to engage is to practice purchase power, in which we choose where we do and don't spend our money. Through this, we aim to recognize how we can support small businesses, particularly those owned by people of color and immigrants. Join Four Corners Main Streets, Greater Ashmont Main Streets, or both on a neighborhood walking tour to visit local businesses and restaurants, in which you can learn history about the community and enjoy food samples along the way!
Four Corners Main Street Neighborhood Walking Tour
Four Corners Main Streets strives to support and promote a vibrant, healthy, and active commercial district in the Four Corners neighborhood by following a four-pronged approach: improving the district's economic vitality by supporting existing businesses and attracting new ones; marketing the district to attract new repeat visitors that support local businesses; enhancing the physical appearance of the district with an emphasis on safety for pedestrians and cyclists; and increasing community connections to the district through events and involved businesses and residents. Four Corners Main Streets is about People, Place, and Opportunity. Their mission is guided by our principles of equity, and inclusion.
Greater Ashmont Main Street Neighborhood Walking Tour
Greater Ashmont Main Street strives to maintain and further develop our district as a welcoming destination for those from inside and outside the area. They do this by having the appeal of rich historical qualities melded with modern-day development, fostering a business mix that supports the needs of area residents and civic organizations, advocating for a transit-oriented locale that benefits a culturally diverse population, and creating a vibrant social scene offering spaces favorable for community gatherings, which will attract patronage from beyond the region.
Voice: you can use your voice to influence your family, friends, and others to raise awareness for an issue you care about. Check out our nonprofit partners who champion the use of our voices every day!
Learn about the Boston Debate League!
No Orientation required during MLK Weekend 2025!
The Boston Debate League prepares young people for college, career, and engagement with the world through debate-inspired learning in the classroom and beyond. They work every day to create inclusive learning communities for all, centering the experiences and assets of Black, Latino, and other marginalized young people in Boston.
Each year, the BDL reaches 5,000 students, connects with 350 teachers, and partners across 40 middle and high schools in Boston, Somerville, Everett, and Cambridge. Learn all about how you can contribute to Boston Debate League's mission by checking out their recorded info session.
Learn about Prison Book Program!
No Orientation required during MLK Weekend 2025!
Prison Book Program responds to mail from incarcerated people in all 50 states by selecting and sending free books that meet their specific needs and interests. PBP believes that everyone has a right to reach that books are tremendous sources of enlightenment, enjoyment, and transformation. They strive to lessen the dehumanization and isolation of incarceration by providing our readers with a connection to a community of caring people.
Come learn from Prison Book Program about prison reform and the criminal justice system, as well as who they are as an organization, and how you can get involved in their organization.
Donate: this is your ability to contribute money, services, or goods to support the welfare of others or to advance a social cause you care about. Join us in addressing specifically identified needs from our community partners or donate directly to Boston Cares.
Boston Cares provides volunteers to up to 150 nonprofits and schools each year at no cost to our partners. Donations to Boston Cares have a ripple effect, allowing us to help our partners meet critical community needs. Donate to Boston Cares by clicking the button below, and support our efforts to drive people-powered, sustainable change.
Listen & Learn: we need to stay informed, think critically, and educate ourselves before acting. The more informed you are, the better decisions you can make about how to best serve your community.
Making a Difference: How to meet and beat expectations as a non-profit board member
Have you ever thought about joining a non-profit board? This recorded session highlights a less well-known way to volunteer - serving as a non-profit board member. This session includes personal stories, aha's, lessons learned, and, hopefully, lots of inspiration to step up to a board role.
Enjoy this resource on-demand during MLK Weekend 2025!
Panelists include:
- Lenka Patten, Chief Human Resources Officer, Ameresco, Inc. (Moderator)
- Theresa Coney, Founder and Trainer, Race Matters. Solutions and Attorney & Racial Equity Statewide Training Lead, Commonwealth of Massachusetts Committee for Public Counsel Services
- Dr. Colles Price, Principal Scientist, Takeda Oncology
- Amaresh Sahoo, Head of Strategic Planning & Advanced Analytics - Global B2C Sales, Wayfair LLC
Threads of Hope: Weaving Resilience Through the Power of Legacy
Roundtable of Reflections: this is a moment to nurture hope, honor the resilience passed down by those who came before us, whether they are still with us or not, and celebrate the enduring legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Join for a Roundtable of Reflections with Right to Be staff and board members as they reflect on the leaders and changemakers who inspire strength and perseverance, even in the most challenging times. Together, we will share stories and reflections with opportunities to contribute your voice, live or through their Hate and Hope Tracker, building a collective vision of hope and a brighter future.
What to Expect:
- Reflections on Dr. King's Legacy: exploring his teachings and the hope he instilled during challenging times.
- Stories of Hope: sharing insights from panelists and participants about past and present leaders and changemakers who have inspired hope and resilience in us in the most challenging and beautiful times.
- Grounding Practices: engaging in exercises to help us acknowledge and navigate the challenges of our current moment.
- Storytelling for Hope: opportunities to share real-time reflections or stories of hope to their Hate and Hope Tracker
Call the Women: The Impact of Women on the Frontlines of the Civil Rights and Social Justice Movements
Women have long played a central role in shaping movements. On March 18, during this special conversation on civic engagement during Women's History Month, we heard from leading women activists from the Atlanta Student Movement of the 1960s and today's leaders who are at the forefront of the national social justice movement in an exploration of history's influence on the present. Attendees gained insights from civic leaders and activists on the frontline of change in two of the most pivotal social justice movements of our time. Watch for an engaging conversation about the role and influence of women in contemporary national social justice movements and the power of civic activism.
Enjoy this resource on-demand during MLK Weekend 2025!
Race & Equity in Volunteering: From Lived Experience to Leadership
Volunteers support and represent work in every aspect of our social fabric, providing essential support, enriching our communities and cultural life, and taking action where change is needed. However, volunteerism can also reinforce patterns of power and privilege that uphold systemic racism. In our conversation on April 21, 2021, we learned how to recognize volunteer activities and patterns that perpetuate inequities, how to thoughtfully engage community, and ultimately, how volunteer engagement, when designed well, can be a part of supporting an end to racial inequity and social injustice.
Enjoy this resource on-demand during MLK Weekend 2025!
Thank you to our sponsoring partners for making MLK Day Weekend 2025 possible!
