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

January 16, 2023

Come help us restore salmon habitat on the Union River Estuary this MLK Day! Volunteers will be planting native shrubs, mulching, and performing trail maintenance.
Register here. 

Volunteer with City staff from Urban Forestry, Volunteer Programs, Solid Waste, and the Water Resource Education Center on MLK Day- Monday, January 16th, 2023 from 10:00am to 12:30pm in removing invasive English ivy at Marine Park! This ivy pull will be followed by a short educational nature walk through the riparian bottomland forests of the park where we will learn more about our sensitive native ecosystems and the role of non-native species on our urban landscapes.

RSVP Here. 

1/16/23 MLK Day of Service @ Fenster Nature Park

Help us observe and celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service with environmental restoration work at Fenster Nature Park!

Come join Mid Sound Fisheries, Green River Coalition, and the City of Auburn as we plant native trees and shrubs, remove non-native invasive species, and spread mulch to help insulate our plants through the winter! We will be working from 10am – 1pm on Monday, January 16th in observation of MLK day. Be a part of your community and join your neighbors and friends in helping care for our local parks and salmon populations!

The event will begin with a brief discussion that includes information about the site, the partnering organizations, why this work is important, tool use, and safety. We will provide work gloves, all instructions, and all tools. Please plan to arrive on time for the start of the event and allow extra time to find parking.

Covid-19 Safety Protocol:

  • Before arriving at the event please check your temperature. If it is above 100.4 degrees please stay home.
  • Please stay home if you are experiencing any symptoms such as cough, sore throat, loss of taste and/or smell
  • Masks will be worn within six feet of each other, otherwise they are optional (we will also have extra single-use masks if needed)
  • We will maintain physical distance throughout the day.
  • We will provide a hand washing and sanitation station on site.
  • We will provide water, but please bring a water bottle so as to reduce our use of single-use plastics!

What to Bring:

  • Gardening gloves/work gloves if you have them, we will provide them if you do not.
  • Closed-toe shoes are required! (ex: sturdy sneakers, rain boots, hiking boots. No sandals, heels, or flats)
  • Layers of clothing that can get dirty
  • Long sleeves and thick leg coverings to protect against thorny plants (shorts or capris are not recommended)
  • Rain gear -OR- sunblock and a sun hat (be sure to check the weather)
  • Full water bottle
  • Snacks

Sign up page

January 16th, 2023

Join the Kitsap Conservation District and Americorps to take the next step in the long process of restoring Grovers Creek from years of being ditched, drained, and overwhelmed by invasive reed canary grass. Volunteer work will be removing noxious weeds to facilitate the survival of native plants along the creek and to improve salmon habitat.

This is an AmeriCorps service event sponsored by KCD and coordinated by our AmeriCorps members for the Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service.

Help us at our event in the morning, afternoon, or all day! This event is FREE, and volunteers of all ages are welcome to join.  RSVP using Brown Paper Tickets.

Please bring:
-Weather-appropriate clothing.
-Work gloves.
-Waterproof boots or shoes.
-Snacks and water.
-Be ready to get dirty!

Covid safety will be our first priority. We will be working socially distanced outside. Hand sanitizer, masks, and sanitary gloves will be available.


Register here. 

 

Martin Luther King Jr Day of Caring!

Register here.

Monday, January 16, 2023

Volunteer with us by spending 3 hours at one of our active sites across Pierce County. Activities will include maintaining existing plantings, mulching and taking out invasive plants.

What will volunteers be doing at the event?

While the exact tasks at hand vary, our projects focus on improving the open spaces, forests, and parks in our local cities. Healthy ecosystems and thriving forests are vital to our community because they absorb and naturally filter rain water, produce clean oxygen, provide living spaces for wildlife, and create a place for people to connect with the outdoors.

In order to create healthy forests and riparian zones, the work can include:

  • Planting healthy trees and shrubs
  • Removing invasive species of plants
    • Reed Canary Grass
    • Himalayan Blackberry
    • English Ivy
    • Etc.
  • Caring for existing and previous plantings

Sites include:

  • Bradley Lake Park, Puyallup (531 31st Ave SE, Puyallup)
  • Pioneer Place II, Puyallup (end of 5th Ave SW in downtown Puyallup, near DeCoursey Pond)
  • Silver Creek, Puyallup (1043 12th Ave SW, Puyallup)
  • Whittier Park, Fircrest (921 Contra Cosa Ave, Tacoma)

For your safety and comfort please bring:

  • Clothing that can get dirty
  • Long pants and sleeves
  • Sturdy shoes (closed toed shoes required, no sandals or flats)
  • Rain gear and warm layers (the event will happen rain or shine)
  • Full water bottle!

Youth Policy

Youth under the age of 14 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

MLK Jr. Day of Service 1/16

Monday, January 16th, 10:00am – 2:00pm. Cumberland Creek Conservation AreaRegister here

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is the only federal holiday designated as a National Day of Service to encourage all Americans to volunteer to improve their communities, and to honor the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Join Skagit Land Trust as we participate in this Day of Service by connecting with our community and stewarding the lands we share.

This event will take place at Cumberland Creek Conservation Area. While the floodplains of Cumberland Creek are tucked in with their winter waters, join us to maintain the Leaf trail and remove invasive species at the high and dry areas of this lovely property that borders the south bank of the Skagit River and protects the lower reaches of Cumberland Creek.

 What to expect: 

We will be working outside in potentially cold and wet conditions, so bring pleny of layers. The trail brushing that needs to happen at this site will entail cutting back encroaching vegetation with handsaws, loppers and hand pruners, and raking or hauling it off the trail. Brush may be anywhere from a few ounces to 15 pounds per load. Staff may also run a weedwacker during the work party, but will do so away from the larger group to minimize noise disturbance. We will also be cutting and digging invasive Himalayan blackberry alongside the trail, which involves bend and use of a shovel to dig up root crowns.  Ages: All ages welcome, this is a family friendly event!(minor releases of liability required if under 18)

The Trust will provide tools, garbage bags, extra gloves, snacks, water, and hot drinks. Please be prepared for cold and wet weather. 

Supplies to bring:

Long sleeved shirt and pants, warm layers, rain gear, sturdy footwear, water for the day, snacks and lunch, and a backpack/bag to keep your personal belongings in during the work day.

Skagit Land Trust will provide necessary tools for everyone, but if you prefer to use your own we’ll be using loppers, hand saw, hand pruners, and shovels.
Please fill out the Google Form below to RSVP. Most events are limited to 20 people. Once the event is full, you will be added to a waitlist. 

Pull beachgrass to save moths! The sand verbena moth only lives in a few places in the world, including Fort Worden State Park. This moth is dependent on the sand verbena wildflower, which is being pushed out by invasive beachgrass.


How to get Involved (include registration link if there is one) : Meet at the PTMSC Museum Portico in Fort Worden State Park. Bring work gloves if you want them, and make sure to dress for the weather! We have limited tools, so please bring your own own shovels or pitchforks if you have them. Snacks will be provided! Register here: bit.ly/MLK2023_RSVP

Monday January 16, 10:00am-3:00pm

Glacial Heritage Preserve
MLK Jr. Day of Service

Join our AmeriCorps member Jake 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.

For volunteer opportunities in the South Puget Sound please contact our volunteer coordinator at ssvolunteers@cnlm.org

 

Join the Padilla Bay Reserve’s AmeriCorps members in a day of volunteer service on January 16th planting bareroot trees and shrubs in our uplands! We’ll be planting these plants between our two forested areas at the Reserve, so that over time the patches will be connected. This will create more habitat and migration pathways for plants and critters alike! We’ll meet at 10:00AM at the trailhead on the north side of the parking lot.

 Please RSVP by selecting “Going” on our Facebook event here: https://www.facebook.com/events/665404141801995?ref=newsfeed. Or by contacting alucchetto@padillabay.gov.

See all of the details and register here: https://volunteer.uwkc.org/need/detail/?need_id=748667

The Paradise Parking Plots community garden was an underused parking lot that we have transformed into a garden with 50 plots. It is a place where refugees, immigrants and local community members can gather to grow culturally appropriate foods that promote a healthier lifestyle, improve food access, foster economic independence, and build community. We look forward to your help in continuing to build and improve the space!

Garden Work Party

World Relief Western WA will supply tools, water to refill your bottles and will have extra work gloves available.  We will teach you everything you need to know about tool use, safety, and an overview of the work you will be doing. No experience necessary.  Be sure to sign in at registration when you arrive. Group signups are welcome!

We recommend that you bring the following:

  • Mud friendly sturdy shoes (closed toed shoes are required such as work boots, hiking boots, rubber boots, etc. NO sandals, flats or heels)
  • Clothing that can get dirty
  • Long pants and long sleeves (helps protect against prickly plants)
  • Appropriate clothing for rain or shine (wear layers)
  • Snacks
  • Full water bottle (we will have water station on-site for re-fills)
  • Travel mug for tea/coffee
  • A pair of work gloves (thorn resistant)

What can volunteers be expected to do at this event?

While the exact tasks may vary, our goal is to improve the Hillside Paradise Community Garden. Healthy soil and landscapes are a vital part of a thriving food hub and create a place for refugees and immigrants from a wide variety of countries to connect to each other and to grow culturally appropriate foods.   

Some examples of tasks are:

  • Removing invasive weeds (like blackberries or English Ivy)

  • Spreading mulch or planting shrubs or trees

  • Turning over composting area

Youth under the age of 15 must be accompanied by a parent, guardian, or responsible adult. 
Contact the Community Garden Coordinator, Lucas McClish (Lmcclish@wr.org) with any questions.

 

The event will happen rain or shine!

MLK Day of Service with Nisqually Reach Center. 

Come join the Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge’s Americorps members in a day of volunteer service on Monday, January 16, 2023, at Nisqually Reach Nature Center assisting with fisheries research, aquarium maintenance, exhibit upkeep, and more.  The main focus will be doing some lab analysis of biological samples looking through plates of sand to separate out any forage fish eggs.  This will help us generate data that can inform conservation measures designed to sustain healthy forage fish spawning habitat.  Additionally, our exhibits need updating, including ongoing cataloging and development.  There may also be some opportunity to assist with aquarium maintenance as well.  Specific tasks are TBD.  Last but not least, there are a number of other miscellaneous outdoor maintenance tasks to do as well. Carpooling is encouraged and a Discover Pass or WDFW Vehicle Use Permit is required to park at this location. 

Register here. 

MLK Day

January 16, 2023

Glacier Peak Institute is hosting two different projects, both from 12:00pm – 4:00pm and will meet at the Darrington School Greenhouse located on Sauk Ave. We will be partnering with the Sauk Suiattle Tribe with building the foundation for a greenhouse for their community garden. We will also assist with the maintenance of a local park. Please wear clothing and shoes that you can comfortably work outside in. We can also provide gear to borrow if need be, such as boots, rain gear, water bottle, etc.
How to get Involved (include registration link if there is one) : Please send an email to Kim Zemel if you would like to attend (kimz@glacierpeakinstitute.org)

Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service Community Work Party Jan 14 , 10:00 am – 1:00 pm — Celebrate the collective power of community with the City of Bellingham, Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association (NSEA), and many other community partners for a volunteer work party in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. National Day of Service, a federal holiday encouraging Americans to take an active role in improving their communities. The work party will take place on Saturday, January 14 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Little Squalicum Park. Volunteers will restore habitat and improve water quality by planting native plants in and around the new Little Squalicum Estuary, an important shoreline habitat that the City began constructing in 2022 as a place for young salmon to grow before migrating to the ocean. This work party is a unique opportunity for the community to directly contribute to the project’s construction.
https://cob.org/event/mlk2023