11th Annual Lexington MLK Day of Service

The Town of Lexington will hold its 31st commemoration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day with its 11th Annual MLK Day of Service by shepherding our community to take part in assisting those in need. Our objective is to engage and mobilize people of all ages to participate in events and activities to serve others. United in philanthropy under the auspices and sponsorship of Lexington’s Human Rights Committee and the Town Celebrations Committee, our target this year is to serve 2,500+ people through 700+ volunteers.

All morning programming will be in person and take place at Grace Chapel, 59 Worthen Rd, Lexington, MA 02421.
Got questions? Email us at [email protected].

MLK Day Program

OPENING CEREMONY
​9:00 a.m. - 9:45 a.m.
​Grace Chapel, 59 Worthen Rd, Lexington, MA 02421

On our 11th anniversary, please join us for a in-person Commemoration Program and Performance Opening Ceremony. This will be brief with uplifting performances by Lexington literary performer Regie O’Hare Gibson.
NO REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED FOR THE OPENING CEREMONY

 CONVERSATION ON RACE
10:15 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
​​Grace Chapel, 59 Worthen Rd, Lexington, MA 02421

​This year’s conversation will be on the Civil Rights and the Voting Rights Acts.  We will explore the historical context of the fight for voting rights, the sacrifices made, and Dr. King’s vision more than sixty years ago. This is an ‘in-person’ activity.

MLK DAY UNITY PARADE

  • Gather by 12:40 p.m. at the Grace Chapel. Alternate meeting point is Battle Green Statue at 12:50 p.m.
  • The Unity walk will start at 12:45 p.m. from Grace Chapel and end at Cary Memorial Hall.​
  • ​No registration required.

VOLUNTEER ACTIVITIES at a glance

DONATIONS DROP OFF
​9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
​​Grace Chapel, 59 Worthen Rd, Lexington, MA 02421

  • Donate non-perishable food items for the Lexington Food Pantry; new toys for girls ages 6-12 for Birthday Wishes; books, DVDs, CDs, video games and other media for More Than Words; gently-worn kids clothing (winter layers for kids preferred), well-preserved used toys for Cradles to Crayons, and monetary donations to keep our Day of Service impactful and vibrant.
  • Donate gift cards and new winter gear such as sleeping bags, blankets, socks, jackets etc.

CARD MAKING
2 p.m. - 4 p.m.
​​Grace Chapel in the Courtyard 

​Join us to make cards of appreciation for Valentine's Day and National Salute to be given to the Veterans at the Bedford VA, active overseas military personnel, the many healthcare workers at Lawrence Community Health Centers, and essential workers in Lexington.​

LEXINGTON SENIORS 

Attention Lexington Seniors Over Age 60:
Would you like help with indoor or outdoor projects around your home?
We can send one to three Lexington teens to your home, for up to one hour, to help you with small, odd jobs.  Suitable projects include: changing smoke detector batteries or hard to reach light bulbs, boxing up books or other giveaway items, raking leaves, shoveling snow from walkways, etc. Please note: you provide the materials (batteries, light bulbs, etc.) and the teens will provide the labor.  Please specify if the project requires any special work tools (rakes, snow shovels, etc.) that you need volunteers to bring.
​Follow the instructions below to request help that will begin sometime between 2:00pm and 4:00 p.m. on MLK Day 2023. 
Note, for help inside the home both seniors and volunteers are required to wear a mask.
To SIGN UP for volunteers to come to your home, visit  www.lexingtonma.gov/seniors or call 781-698-4851.

DONATION SORTING/DELIVERY
9 a.m. - 4 p.m. (1 to 3 hour slots available)
​​Grace Cha​pel, 59 Worthen Rd, Lexington, MA 02421

​Join volunteers to sort donations and deliver to non-profit organizations in Arlington, Lexington, Boston and Lawrence.  
FOOD PANTRY SORTING AND PACKAGING
1 p.m. - 3 p.m. (1 hour slot available)​
Food Link Arlington, 108 Summer St, Arlington, MA 02474
FLEECE BLANKET MAKING
2 p.m. - 4 p.m.
​​Grace Chapel in the Courtyard 
Family-friendly activity making warm fleece items for newly settled families in need in and near Lexington. Including the Waltham Family School that serves newly arrived immigrants and their families and the Chesterbrook After School Enrichment Program

TEENS FOR IN-HOME HELP FOR SENIORS
​2 p.m. - 4 p.m.

Teens - Help seniors with small, indoor or outdoor jobs in and around their homes like changing hard to reach light bulbs or batteries in smoke detector, raking leaves, clearing snow from walkways, refilling bird feeders, picking up boxed donations to drop off at Goodwill, donating food items to the Food Pantry and more.

Support Lexington MLK Day of Service! We need your help!

Every year we do our best to run as many activities as possible, to help and thank as many underserved and in need families, children, veterans, first-line responders as we can, and to involve as many community member volunteers as we can, but everything we do needs your support. 
  • Can you donate $10-$20 to help us defray the costs of fleece blankets?
  • Can you wear your support by buying a MLK Day of Service T-shirt? T-shirts will be on sale at Grace Chapel on MLK Day!
  • Can you make a donation to help us run the Community Conversation on Race? 
  • Would you like to join the Organizing Team, or have an idea for a service project?

If you can't attend, please make your check payable to the Town of Lexington, with MLK Day of Service in the memo line and mail it to:
Select Board Office
Town of Lexington
1625 Massachusetts Avenue, Lexington, MA 02420
Created by Lexington CommUNITY