An AmeriCorps program connecting service members and under-resourced communities throughout Washington state
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An AmeriCorps program connecting service members and under-resourced communities throughout Washington state
Below are upcoming MLK Day of Service projects hosted by Washington Service Corps sites. For Washington Service Corps Members: If you would like us to add your service project to the list, please submit a Days of Service form.
MLK Day of Service
Location: Bellingham, WA
Date of Event: 01-13-2024
Host Organization: Bellingham Parks Volunteer Program
Project Description: Join the City of Bellingham, Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association (NSEA), and others for our annual volunteer work party in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service. Together, we will plant native trees and shrubs to restore fish and wildlife habitat and improve water quality near the Squalicum Creek Re-route project. All ages and abilities welcome! Participants under age 14 must be accompanied by a parent/guardian. Learn more and register at cob.org/volunteer-mlk2024. Tools, gloves, instruction, and light refreshments – including free Tony’s coffee – are provided. Please dress for the weather and wear sturdy shoes. This event will conclude with free pizza. We invite you to make donations onsite to Lydia Place, a local non-profit working to disrupt the cycle of homelessness and promote sustained independence for current and future generations. Additional information and reminders will be emailed to registered participants. If you sign up, please show up! Walk, bike, ride the bus, carpool, or drive electric to this event. A FREE bike valet will be located in the Birchwood PeaceHealth Parking Lot.
How to get Involved: cob.org/volunteer-mlk2024
Contact Person Name: Ryan Robie
Contact Person Email: pkvolunteers@cob.org
Graphic or Flyer for Event: https://washingtonservicecorps.org/wp-content/uploads/elementor/forms/65970696b7040.pdf
MLK Day of Service
Location: Brinnon, WA
Date of Event: 01-15-2024
Host Organization: Brinnon Elementary School
Project Description: Clothing Drive
Contact Person Name: Nicole Wiley
Contact Person Email: nwiley@bsd46.org
Join our AmeriCorps member Indigo for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, which is a National Day of Service! You can join in the movement with thousands of other people across the country volunteering to make their communities a better place! We will be working at Glacial Preserve to pull scotch broom in the prairie. All ages are welcome for any amount of time that day – just let us know if you’ll be coming later than 10 am. You can email ssvolunteers@cnlm.org for more info or to let us know to expect you!
As always, please dress for the weather and bring a boxed lunch, plenty of water, and work gloves. We look forward to seeing you out on the beautiful South Sound prairies. Thank you for all that you do! Directions to the work party locations can be found below…
MLK Day of Service
Location: Sam Brown Park, Vancouver, WA
Date of Event: 01-15-2024
Host Organization: City of Vancouver AmeriCorps Members
Project Description: Join the City of Vancouver and AmeriCorps members this MLK Day in honor of Dr. King’s legacy by promoting equal access to restored green space! This year, on January 15, 2024, we will be planting native trees and plants throughout the urban natural area, Sam Brown Park. Dr. Julian Ankney, the Campus Director of Native American Programs at WSU Vancouver, and Dr. Desiree Hellegers, the Director of the Collective for Social and Environmental Justice at WSU Vancouver, will open the day with a conversation about environmental and racial justice. This opportunity is family-friendly and great for teens – people of all ages and abilities are welcome.
How to get involved: https://www.cityofvancouver.us/events/take-root-a-community-planting-day-for-environmental-equity/
Contact Person Name: Sara Hollar
Contact Person Email: sara.hollar@cityofvancouver.us
Graphic or Flyer for Event: https://washingtonservicecorps.org/wp-content/uploads/elementor/forms/658f1d13e322c.pdf
MLK Day of Service
Location: Belfair
Date of Event: 01-15-2024
Host Organization: Hood Canal Salmon Enhancement Group
Project Description: A local group of AmeriCorps members serving with the Hood Canal Salmon Enhancement Group (HCSEG, Belfair Salmon Center), will hold a volunteer planting for the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service. By installing native plants in a crucial wetland area, we hope to bolster the local ecosystem by providing food and habitat for various species including birds, pollinators, and Pacific salmon.
How to get Involved: The event will take place from 9 AM to noon on Monday, Jan. 15 (MLK Day) at the Union River Estuary near the Salmon Center (600 Roessel Road, Belfair, WA). Volunteers are encouraged to register ahead of time at https://www.pnwsalmoncenter.org/get-involved/volunteer/ or drop-in day-of! Please meet in front of the garage, near the chicken coop!
Contact Person Name: Brett Larson
Contact Person Email: Americorps4@pnwsalmoncenter.org
Graphic or Flyer for Event: https://washingtonservicecorps.org/wp-content/uploads/elementor/forms/6584d66b163dd.pdf
Other Important Information: Please dress according to the weather: warm clothes, rain gear, gloves, boots, and a water bottle are highly recommended. Tools will be provided, but mallets for planting live-stake willows are in short supply. As such, volunteers are encouraged to bring their own mallets if available. Distance from parking is only about 1000 ft. from the worksite, bathrooms are also relatively nearby. Snacks and refreshments will be provided
Day of Service Event is for: MLK Day of Service
Location: Mount Vernon (10441 Bayview Edison Rd, Mount Vernon, WA 98273)
Date of Event: 01-15-2024
Host Organization: Padilla Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve
Project Description: Join us for a morning of planting trees and shrubs to help restore native forest in the reserve’s uplands!
How to get Involved: RSVPs are appreciated so we know how many people to plan for. Email Spencer Johnson at sjohnson@padillabay.gov or use the following google form: https://forms.gle/ZnLKPDQBKpLKNzPu9
Contact Person Name: Spencer Johnson
Contact Person Email: sjohnson@padillabay.gov
Other Important Information: The event is scheduled from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM. Volunteers must be 18 years or older (Dept of Ecology policy).
MLK Day of Service
Location: Puyallup & Fircrest
Date of Event: 01-15-2024
Host Organization: Pierce Conservation District
Project Description: Community Green Space Improvement
How to get Involved: https://piercecd.org/Calendar.aspx?EID=2363
Contact Person Name: Bryan Mohlman
Contact Person Email: BryanM@piercecd.org
Graphic or Flyer for Event: https://washingtonservicecorps.org/wp-content/uploads/elementor/forms/6584c52bcc4eb.png
Day of Service Event is for: MLK Day of Service
Location: Port Townsend Marine Science Center
Date of Event: 01-15-2024
Project Description: Pulling Invasive dune grasses (Ammophila arenaria and Ammophila breviligulata) on the dunes of Fort Worden in Port Townsend. The Sand Verbena Moth is native variety of moth that require a very specific plant (Sand verbena) for food and larval habitat. The Ammophila is out competing the Sand Verbena. Ammophila’s deep roots also retain sand dune sand, which in this case is a negative impact to the sand dunes. This project will have volunteers using shovels and pitch forks to remove the Ammophila, then load them onto tarps. The tarps will be used to transport the grass to a large dump truck.
How to get Involved: bit.ly/MLK2024_RSVP
Contact Person Name: Gabe Meyer
Contact Person Email: gmeyer@ptmsc.org
Other Important Information: Bring your own shovels or pitchforks if you can! We have our own tools, but the more tools the better.
MLK Day of Service
Location: Hamilton, Washington
Date of Event: 01-15-2024
Host Organization: Skagit Fisheries Enhancement Group
Project Description: Planting at Little Carey’s Slough
How to get Involved: Join us for planting at Little Carey’s Slough! Find more details at the link here: https://www.skagitfisheries.org/event/martin-luther-king-jr-day-planting-party/. Please fill out the registration link at the bottom of the page.
Contact Person Name: Connor Garrod and Clare Spain
Contact Person Email: cgarrod@skagitfisheries.org
Other Important Information: Come dressed for any weather!
MLK Day of Service
Location: Mount Vernon, WA
Date of Event: 01-15-2024
Host Organization: Skagit Land Trust
Project Description: Monday, January 15th 10am-1:30 pm Please join us for a day of service at Little Mountain Park in Mount Vernon. We will be hiking into the park to remove invasive Holly that is slowly taking over the understory. Controlling these invasive species will help this forest area continue to thrive. What to expect: Our goal is to remove the plants that can be pulled by hand or cut with pruners. This will involve walking through trees and shrubs on uneven terrain, bending, kneeling, pulling, and using tools such as loppers, shovels, and root wrenches. All techniques and plant identification will be demonstrated at our site orientation and no prior experience is required.
How to get Involved: Register at https://www.skagitlandtrust.org/pages/volunteer.aspx
Contact Person Name: Sydney Benson
Contact Person Email: americorps.engagement@skagitlandtrust.org
Graphic or Flyer for Event: https://washingtonservicecorps.org/wp-content/uploads/elementor/forms/6595ca169436c.pdf
MLK Day of Service
Location: Olympia
Date of Event: 01-15-2024
Host Organization: Thurston Conservation District
Project Description: Restoration Work with the City of Tumwater!
How to get Involved: Please RSVP by Thursday, January 11th via email
Contact Person Name: Sam Nadell
Contact Person Email: snadell@thurstoncd.com
Come join the Thurston Conservation District and the Teens in Thurston (TnT) high school volunteer group for a MLK Day of Service restoration event! We will be working with the City of Tumwater/Stream Team on Monday, January 15th from 10 am – 1 pm! Restoration activities Include:
-Tree Branch Liming: Unleash your inner arborist as we enhance the health of our trees. Learn the art of tree care and contribute to the park’s lush green canopy.
-Weed Barrier Removal: Roll up your sleeves and dig in! Let’s work together to remove an old weed barrier that has inhibited understory growth, affecting the biodiversity within this delicate ecosystem. With the removal of this weed barrier we will create a healthier environment for native plant species to thrive.
-Yellow Flag Iris Removal: Help us preserve the delicate balance of the ecosystem by removing the invasive yellow flag iris within Percival Creek. Your hands-on efforts will directly contribute to the protection of local flora and fauna as well as add to the overall health of this valuable stream system.
-Workshop on Wetland and Beaver Habitat Restoration: Expand your knowledge about wetland ecosystems and the vital role beavers play in maintaining ecological balance. Grant Gilmore, the City’s wetland and habitat biologist will provide insights into wetland management, beaver management and the restoration required to foster both. This workshop promises insights that will leave you inspired and informed.
All participants must complete a Stream Team waiver to participate: https://southsoundgreen.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Stream-Team-Waiver-of-Liability_Photo-Waiver.doc
For this event, please bring water and the attached waiver form with you (we’ll also have waivers to complete on site). Make sure that you are dressing for the weather! Snacks will be provided and we will bring all the tools needed for the activities.
Address: 2352 Sapp Rd. SW, Tumwater, WA – google maps link
The parking lot is rather small, so if you are able to carpool or be dropped off that would be helpful! There is no bathroom on site.
MLK Day of Service
Location: 930 E James St Kent, WA 98031
Date of Event: 01-15-2024
Host Organization: World Relief Western Washington
Project Description: Community Garden Work Day to Support Refugee Food Access
How to get Involved: https://volunteer.uwkc.org/need/detail/?need_id=873545
Contact Person Name: Lucas McClish
Contact Person Email: lmcclish@wr.org
MLK Day of Service
Location: Kent
Date of Event: 01-15-2024
Host Organization: World Relief Western Washington
Project Description: Volunteers are invited to contribute to the enhancement of the site by clearing brush and bramble, placing coffee sacks along the pond, and participating in the restoration of native habitat. Be a part of this meaningful day as we celebrate Dr. King’s life and work through collective action.
How to get Involved: https://volunteer.uwkc.org/need/detail/?need_id=873545
Contact Person Name: Shu-Ning Chang
Contact Person Email: schang@wr.org
Other Important Information: This event will happen rain or shine so please dress appropriately with layers for the weather and bring water/a warm drink.
MLK Day of Service
Location: Kent, Washington
Date of Event: 01-15-2024
Host Organization: World Relief Western Washington
Project Description: we’ll honor Dr. King’s legacy of civic engagement and social empowerment at the Paradise Parking Plots Community Garden.
How to get Involved: https://volunteer.uwkc.org/need/detail/?need_id=873545
Contact Person Name: Lucas McClish
Contact Person Email: lmcclish@wr.org
MLK Day of Service
Location: Tukwila, WA
Date of Event: 01-15-2024
Host Organization: YMCA Earth Service Corps
Project Description: Get ready to ignite your passion for conservation! Join forces with YMCA Earth Service Corps, Highline High School Environmental Club, Dirt Corps, and young environmental enthusiasts from all over King County on January 15th, 2024 at the beautiful and valuable Crystal Springs Park in Tukwila. Get ready for a fun-filled day spent outside tackling noxious weeds like blackberry and ivy, learning about native plants and forest ecosystems, and making some new friends and lasting memories. Transportation available at no cost from select locations and snacks and lunch will be provided! Register on our website: www.ymcaearthservicecorps.com.
How to get Involved: Register on our website www.ymcaearthservicecorps.com or at linktr.ee/yesc
Contact Person Name: Chelsey Wheeler
Contact Person Email: cwheeler@seattleymca.org
Graphic or Flyer for Event: https://washingtonservicecorps.org/wp-content/uploads/elementor/forms/65949e561b342.pdf
Other Important Information: This event is open to youth in grades 6-12.
