Remembering the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. through a day of service

The Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial in Washington D.C. will no doubt receive many visitors on Jan. 15, the actual and official anniversary of his birth.

Monday, Jan. 15, is Martin Luther King Jr. Day, which this year falls on the actual anniversary of his birth, Jan. 15, 1929, in Atlanta. (The civil rights leader was assassinated on April 4, 1968, in Memphis.)

For many, MLK Day is one of service to the nation. In New York state, many are assisting people in need through UJA-Federation of New York’s annual MLK Day of Service, which includes more than 60 projects with 29 partner organizations throughout the five boroughs, Westchester County and Long Island.

From 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Monday at Young Judaea in Croton-on-Hudson, student volunteers will aid new migrant and homeless families by making sandwiches, assembling toiletry bags and sorting donations.

Working with a network of hundreds of nonprofits, UJA extends its reach from New York to Israel to nearly 70 other countries around the world, affecting 4.5 million people annually. Every year, UJA-Federation provides approximately $180 million in grants. For more, visit ujafedny.org. 