PRESS RELEASE
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January XX, 2010

CONTACT:
Jane Doe, (555) 555-1234
[Name of Organization]

[NAME OF ORGANIZATION] Mobilizes Area Residents to Honor King on Day of Service 

Volunteers Roll Up Their Sleeves to [BRIEF DISCRIPTION OF PROJECT]

[CITY, STATE] – [NAME OF ORGANIZATION] led more than [NUMBER OF VOLUNTEERS] [CITY] residents in [BRIEF DISCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT] today to mark the 2010 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service.

The local residents joined hundreds of thousands of Americans in making the holiday a day ON, not a day OFF by serving in honor of the slain civil rights leader’s legacy of service.

“The holiday is a time to remember and act on Dr. King’s commitment to making our nation better,” said [ORGANIZER NAME], the [TITLE] of [ORGANIZATION]. “Dr. King exemplified civil rights, civic responsibility, and uniting people of all backgrounds to act on community concerns. There is no better or more meaningful way to honor his legacy than by serving others.”

[INSERT PARAGRAPH WITH DESCRIBING PROJECT-SPECIFIC INFORMATION].

The project was one of thousands that took place nationwide to honor the legacy of Dr. King.  Volunteers built homes, delivered meals, refurbished schools and community centers, beautified parks and neighborhoods, and engaged in a number of other civic activities to improve lives and strengthen communities across the country.

The Corporation for National and Community Service, a federal agency that oversees the nation’s domestic service initiatives, led the annual Martin Luther King Day of Service in partnership with the King Center and nonprofits, community groups, schools, and businesses across the country.   Initiated by Congress in 1994, the King Day of Service transforms the federal holiday into a national day of community service grounded in Dr. King’s teachings of nonviolence and social justice.

“The King Day of Service is a great way to bring people together to make a difference and we hope it will be the beginning of an ongoing commitment to serve throughout the year,” suggested [ORGANIZER]. “The needs in [CITY] are particularly great right now, and service is a key part of the solution.”

“By using the King Holiday as a springboard for service throughout the year, we can help realize Dr. King’s dream and renew our communities and country,” said Nicola Goren, Acting CEO of the Corporation for National and Community Service. “The King Day of Service is a reminder that America is made stronger when citizens come together and that service is integral to meeting national challenges.”

[INSERT DESCRIPTION OF YOUR ORGANIZATION]

The Corporation for National and Community Service is a federal agency that engages more than five million Americans in service each year through its core programs, Senior Corps, AmeriCorps, and Learn and Serve America, and leads President Obama's national call to service initiative, United We Serve. Visit NationalService.gov for more information.

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