FREEHOLD – On Monday, Jan. 19, as Americans celebrate the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. as a national day of service, Monmouth County Freeholder Director Barbara McMorrow and Freeholder Amy A. Mallet urge county residents to follow Dr. King’s example and get more involved in their communities.
 
“Volunteering strengthens individuals, communities and our nation and should be pursued on Dr. King Day and throughout the year,” said Freeholder Amy Mallet, liaison to the county’s Department of Human Services, which provides services to one in five county residents.

 

Listen to a clip of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech here
 
“January 19 presents a great opportunity for residents of Monmouth County to support the efforts of service-based organizations throughout our community,” she added.
 
During the 1950s and ’60s, civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr. recognized the power of service to strengthen communities and achieve common goals.

 

Initiated by Congress in 1994, King Day of Service builds on that legacy by transforming the federal holiday honoring Dr. King into a national day of community service grounded in his teachings of nonviolence and social justice. The aim is to make the holiday a day where people of all ages and backgrounds come together to improve lives, bridge social barriers, and move the nation closer to the “Beloved Community” that Dr. King envisioned.
 
“Many people are not aware of the service component of the holiday,” McMorrow said. “Instead of just a day off from school, Dr. King’s birthday should be a day when we all turn community concerns into citizen action. Whether it’s delivering meals to the hungry or volunteering to coach a youth sports league, by participating we can all make a difference.
 
“I urge everyone to use this day to make the commitment to get involved,” Mallet added.

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