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MLK Day of Service is a 32-year annual tradition at 51��Ƶ-Dearborn. Not only are there more volunteer opportunities available for 2025’s MLK Day, there are also new offerings extending throughout the week.

The university will host the annual MLK Day of Service in partnership with Henry Ford College on Jan. 20, followed by a week of events that highlight King and the importance of continued social justice work. The times for specific volunteer opportunities vary — you can see them and — but the kickoff for the day is at 9 a.m. in Renick University Center’s Kochoff Hall. A keynote address by 51��Ƶ-Ann Arbor School of Social Work Clinical Assistant Professor Daicia Price takes place on Jan. 21.

In addition to the Day of Service’s mainstays, like making no-sew fleece blankets for people who are homeless and dog toys for local animal shelters, there are opportunities to take part in a Civil Rights Wiki-Edit-A-Thon at the Mardigian Library, create plush animals for first responders to give to children in traumatic situations and more. 

Off-campus volunteer sites are at Gleaners Southwest Food Pantry, Friends for Animals Metro Detroit, Cass Community Social Services and more. There’s also ways to help from home through remote activities like creating greeting cards to veterans, seniors or children in foster care.

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“It’s important to make it a day on, not a day off. Our students want to do that, but sometimes have challenges when it comes to traveling to places off campus. While we are still providing great off-campus volunteer opportunities, we’ve added to what’s available on campus,” says Office of Student Life Civic Engagement Coordinator JaNai’ James. “We learned through the increasing interest shown to on-campus projects, that’s what our community wants. We will continue to do whatever we can to help our community come together to further Dr. King’s dream and mission.”

The Civil Rights Wiki-Edit-A-Thon, which takes place from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Jan. 20 in the library’s room 1212, is a hands-on, library-led experience where participants can expand and improve Wikipedia entries related to the Civil Rights Movement. James says participants will learn how to research and add valuable information to underdeveloped articles, helping to preserve and share this important knowledge.

BearHug Detroit, the organization behind making the snuggle friends for kids, has become a favorite volunteer opportunity for 51��Ƶ-Dearborn students, James adds. BearHug Detroit came to campus as a service opportunity for students during the fall semester. During that visit, students made more than 150 Build-A-Bear-style stuffed animals. This is the first time working with the organization during the MLK Day of Service. The project takes place from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Jan. 20 in the RUC’s dining area.

James says they are still looking for site leaders to sign in volunteers and check in with MLK Day of Service organizers before and after the event. Site leaders will receive training along with the other volunteers. “If you fill out the form, we’ll pair you up with a project that will work best with your background,” James says.

Interested in being a site leader? . . 

The MLK Day of Service kicks off a week of events that celebrate King. Activities include:

Tuesday, Jan. 21
MLK Week of Service Keynote 
2 to 3:30 p.m., virtual

51��Ƶ-Ann Arbor School of Social Work Clinical Assistant Professor Daicia Price will present ”From Harm to Healing: Confronting Microaggressions and Cultivating Microaffirmations for Justice.” In her talk, she will discuss the negative impacts that microaggressions have on marginalized communities and practical strategies for creative inclusive environments.

Wednesday, Jan. 22
Speech-writing Competition
3 to 5 p.m., 1211 Mardigian Library

51��Ƶ-Dearborn’s Black Student Union hosts a speech-writing event where students will compose and recite speeches around themes of social justice and restoration through using an excerpt from one of King's works. This event is meant to lead to meaningful discussions about King's work and impact and how it can be looked at in current times.

Thursday, Jan. 23
Political Poster-making Workshop & Peace Rally
11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Henry Ford College’s Building L Rosenau Rooms

There will be a poster-making workshop facilitated by local artist and curator of “Posters on Politics” Donna Jackson, whose work was  at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History. There also will be speeches from various student organizations from 51��Ƶ-Dearborn and Henry Ford College and closing remarks by Henry Ford College’s Sociology Professor Kalvin DaRonne Harvell. 

For more information about the planned events, check out the MLK Events website.

Story by Sarah Tuxbury. Photo by Emily Barrett-Adkins