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This Baltimore nonprofit is leading 8 Martin Luther King Jr. Day service projects

Federal offices and plenty of businesses will be closed Monday in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. But to national service organizations like AmeriCorps, it’s widely known as “a day on, not a day off.”

That extends to Civic Works, the education, skills development and community service nonprofit based in Baltimore’s Coldstream Homestead Montebello neighborhood. With community members from local businesses and neighborhoods working alongside dozens of Americorps members serving (including many who work at Civic Works), the nonprofit will be organizing volunteer events at eight sites around the city on Monday. Civic Works is expecting more than 250 volunteers.

Jayna Powell, Civic Works’ director of volunteerism and events, said the acts of service reflects Dr. King’s message. Literally: Along with the instructions for different tasks, Civic Works will be reading out quotes from Dr. King.

“Everything he said was all about our responsibility, as citizens of this world, to do what we can to make a difference,” Powell said. “It just makes sense … to celebrate who he was and continue to hear his prophetic voice. It’s an important thing to continue to remember him, what he stood for and what he called for.”

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