Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day falls on Monday, Jan. 15 this year — honor the life + service of his legacy on a local scale by volunteering in the citywide MLK Day of Service .
Folks can meet up at UTC’s Maclellan Gym at 8 a.m. to participate in various service projects until 12 p.m. Note: You will be assigned a project on site — RSVP online .
Outdoor projects
- Planting trees in Boulevard Park with Outdoor Chattanooga
- Clean-up + marker unveiling at Beck Knob Cemetery with Hurst United Methodist Church
- Clear vegetation + debris around the Chickamauga & Chattanooga National Military Park bridge
- Litter pickup + daffodil bulb planting with the Orchard Knob Neighborhood Association
- Litter clean-up + flower planting with the Oak Hills Elite Neighborhood Association
- Hand out door hangers for the Breaking Chains initiative to reduce gun violence with the Office of Community Health
- Prep work like spring planting, mulching + installing raised beds at Food Forest Coalition of Chattanooga’s St. Elmo site
- Cleaning + planting flowers at RISE Chattanooga with Young Ladies of Power
- Clean-up + yard work at the Chris L. Ramsey Sr. Community Center
- Clear out invasive plants at the Pleasant Garden Cemetery with African American Cemetery Preservation Fund
Make sure you wear clothes you don’t mind getting dirty + comfortable shoes.
Photo provided by Chattanooga Parks and Outdoors Department
Indoor projects
- Organize the Clothing Ministry’s clothing shed at Holy Temple Church of God
- General cleaning, painting + tall window washing at Unitarian Universalist Church
- Distribute + install smoke alarms in Eastdale with the Chattanooga Fire Department
- Painting at RISE Chattanooga
- Deep clean the Signal Centers’ Adult Day Services Center
- Clearing locker rooms to be used for future shower days offered to those experiencing homelessness at First Church of the Nazarene
- General cleaning + organizing at NAACP’s facility
- General cleaning + organizing at Westside Missionary Baptist Church
Following the service projects, all volunteers are invited to enjoy the annual MLK Memorial March and Parade . The march will kick off at 1 p.m. on Georgia Avenue (along Miller Park) and continue downtown towards Peeples Street.
Bonus: Hear from Dr. Bernice King (daughter of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.) + Dr. Ilyasah Shabazz (daughter of Malcolm X) on Friday, Jan. 19 for UTC’s MLK Day celebration.