MLK Day Service Projects: How To Help In Dacula

DACULA, GA — Martin Luther King Jr. Day has been designated by groups and organizations nationwide as “a day on” since the third Monday of January was designated a national holiday in memory of the late civil rights icon. Even during the coronavirus pandemic, there are ways to make a positive difference in Dacula on the Jan. 18 holiday this year.

Organized service projects have taken the place of the traditional work or school holiday in recent years. But in 2021, restrictions in place to slow the further spread of the coronavirus are impacting the ability to perform some good deeds.

• Each year Gwinnett schools and others in the community partner with United Ebony Society of Gwinnett County for the annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., parade and celebration. While the in-person event has been canceled this year, the community is invited to a virtual celebration that will be aired on Facebook Live at 1 p.m. Sunday and again at 1 p.m. on Monday. The event also will stream on YouTube and Instagram.
• Also, United Ebony Society is sponsoring an opportunity for the community to give back to support senior nursing facilities and homeless outreach organizations. Moore Middle School, 1221 Lawrenceville Hwy. in Lawrenceville, will host the group's MLK Drive-Thru Donation event Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Organizers will observe COVID-19 precautions during the no-contact event. Community members are asked to donate new items from the list below, preferably in manufacturer/factory packaging:

• Socks (grips on sole preferred)
• Slippers
• Pajamas
• Gloves
• Winter hats
• Lap blankets
• Adult diapers (boxed)
• Puzzles and games such as Scrabble, Bingo, etc.
• Toothbrushes
• Lip balm
• Lotion (full and trial size)
• Shower gel (full and trial size)
• Toothpaste (full and trial size)
• Shampoo (full and trial size)
• Other hair care products

Before the coronavirus pandemic, communities across the country held large events in various locations promoting service on the holiday.

Those have included Highland Park, Illinois, where the local human relations advisory group usually draws about 1,200 people every year to a service program that has turned into one of the city’s signature yearly events.

This year, the city will hold a virtual program to “honor the legacy of Dr. King's fight against inequity and his work to secure a just future for all,” Amanda Civitello, communications manager for the city of Highland Park, said in a news release.

Even if there aren’t any organized service projects planned nearby, there are several other ways to help those in need in or near Dacula.

Donating to nonprofit organizations, volunteering with food banks and pantries, and delivering meals and groceries to seniors are a few suggestions outlined by the national volunteer program AmeriCorps.

A list of organizations supporting COVID-19 response efforts had been made available by the National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster.