President-elect Obama has asked Americans to join himself, Michelle, and the Bidens in devoting themselves to service today in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. We have asked readers to share their plans and we have received hundreds of stories. Whether donating blood or delivering food, people have expressed gratitude for being asked by the incoming President to volunteer.
In Providence, Rhode Island, Andrew Sloan is organizing a group of City Year Rhode Island Young Heroes to paint a 60 foot mural at a local High School.
In Colleyville, Texas, Deirdre and her kids are collecting food from neighbors for the local food bank. She says, "we are specifically helping on Monday in honor of MLK and BO, but we plan to volunteer during the year too."
Erik in Vermont will be volunteering to weatherize homes and help reduce our nation's dependence on foreign oil.
"It's just nice to be asked," says Mathew from Milwaukee, who is volunteering at Urban Underground to "build leadership skills in young adults through mentoring and creative outlets."
Some people are volunteering in multiple locations around their community. In Eugene Organ, Fiora writes, "My whole family will be helping in the morning with a warm clothing drive--picking up coats, hats, etc from people's homes and/or helping take them to the central coordinating location. Later on, we will be participating in a community-wide trash cleanup. We feel called to serve because we believe in both Martin Luther King, Jr's AND Barack Obama's message."
All the way in Yucatan, Mexico, Barbara Bode has answered Obama's call for service. She recruited a group of American expats to collect books for the local primary school's lending library. They donated 137 Spanish language books and printed a dedication to President-elect Obama and Martin Luther King, Jr on the front cover of each book. "I believe personally in the goals to which Dr. King was committed," says Barbara. "I am hopeful that President-elect Obama will prove himself to be similarly unwavering as a humanitarian; and I am moved in my soul by the wide range of people who came together in Merida, many of us not knowing each other, to show our Mexican neighbors what our service to the community can accomplish."
If you are volunteering today in honor of Dr. King, take a picture of your activities and send it to submissions@huffingtonpost.com with "MLK Day Photos" in the subject line. We will be sharing your submissions throughout the day.