Feature, Local News

Flossmoor’s MLK volunteer day offers chance to serve others

Since 2015, the village of Flossmoor has done more than merely observe civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday, it has used the moment to ignite community action through the MLK Day of Service projects. 

Every year, hundreds of volunteers work together on dozens of projects that help people in need.

The Flossmoor Community Relations Commission is again coordinating the effort for the 2023 Day of Service on Jan. 16.

Volunteers build beds for children in need, in cooperation with the nonprofit Sleep in Heavenly Peace, during the 2022 MLK Day of Service. (Chronicle file photo)

As of mid-December there were 12 listed service projects on the village’s website, varying from park and community property clean-ups and community food drives to making lunches for shelters and donating blood.

Create a project

Businesses, non-profit organizations, individuals or groups that wish to propose a project can visit the village’s project form to submit an idea. 

In order for a project to qualify for the Day of Service it must:

  • Be conducted on the third Monday in January.
  • Collections (food, socks, other items) can be conducted up to the third Monday in January with the hope that a delivery will occur during the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service.
  • The project does not generate any current or future sales or revenue for the hosting agency (for example, books sales or thrift sales).
  • Projects should be local to the communities in which we live and serve.
  • There must be a volunteer present on the day of the event to host the project.

Volunteer

Current projects in need of volunteers include Sleep in Heavenly Peace, the Forest Preserves of Cook County, Flossmoor School District 161, Homewood-Flossmoor High School, You Matter 2,  PLAN4SUCCESS, South Suburban Chapter of The Links and Chi Lambda Lambda Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity and Lambda Tau Omega of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc.

Visit the Flossmoor website to learn more about each project.

Donate

A number of service projects will be collecting goods for area shelters and those in need.

PLAN4SUCCESS and the South Suburban Chapter of The Links are each hosting a donation drive collecting socks, mittens/gloves and hygiene products to benefit South Suburban PADS and other human services organizations.

Donations are currently being accepted at Flossmoor Village Hall, 2800 Flossmoor Road, through Jan. 16. Additional donation opportunities are available at additional project sites listed on the village website.

Pursuing the Dream
Homewood-Flossmoor High School offers an opportunity to get into the spirit of service before the Day of Service with its annual tribute to King and the civil rights movement. 

Pursuing the Dream will take place at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 11 in the Mall Auditorium, South Building, 999 Kedzie Ave.

The evening will include performances by the H-F Steppers, H-F Inspirational Voices and more.

News by email

Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.
Name

Free weekly newsletter

Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.
Name
Most read stories this week