February 17

Highland Park’s 16th Annual DAY OF SERVICE: Drop off & Volunteer Opportunity

10:00 am — 12:00 pm

Highland Park Rec Center
1207 Park Ave W, Highland Park, IL 60035

Highland Park’s 16th Annual DAY OF SERVICE in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr.
Monday, February 17, 2025
10 AM – 12:30 PM

“A DAY ON, NOT A DAY OFF!”

An annual event honoring the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s legacy. Appropriate for all ages, participants complete service projects to benefit the surrounding community. Hosted by the City of Highland Park, the Human Relations Advisory Group, and the Park District of Highland Park.

Starting at 10AM, Please consider dropping off NEW items listed below for NCJW Mother’s Day Initiative:

Shampoo, Conditioner, Body Wash (full sized please)
Toothbrushes, toothpaste, floss (full sized please)
Bars of soap, body lotion, deodorant (full sized please)
Socks (kids & adult women sizes)
New coloring books, crayons/markers, smalls toys, stuffed animals

This long-standing project acknowledges the difficulties that women face in working toward self-reliance and a strong future. These shelters serve women and their children who are survivors of domestic violence by providing housing, meals, counseling, and other personal essentials. These women often come to the shelter with little more than the clothes on their backs and hope for a better future.

Each Mother’s Day, the women of NCJW CNS deliver large gift bags to let the women know others care about them and their future.

The Day of Service program is a joint signature event of the City of Highland Park, the City’s Human Relations Advisory Group and the Park District of Highland Park, bringing together Highland Park residents and neighbors throughout the North Shore for on-site service projects, engaging presentations, and special performances, to honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Please note a change in date for this year as the City’s Day of Service program has been rescheduled for Monday, February 17, 2025 due to the conflict with Inauguration Day on Monday, 1/20/25. This decision was made by the City after careful consideration of a recommendation made by the Human Relations Advisory Group, in an effort to ensure that this event to honor Dr. King’s legacy through service received the attention it so richly deserves.

This is a very rare occurrence, and both observances are important. Inauguration Day exemplifies the peaceful transition of power as a hallmark of our democracy. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day commemorates the life and service of a great American who advanced those same democratic ideals through grassroots action, community engagement and of course, service to others.

This is also a student non-attendance day, continuing the tradition of Day of Service being a day on, not a day off, in Highland Park. The City will take the same approach in the future should these two very important events fall on the same day again. Otherwise, MLK Day of Service will be held on the third Monday in January as is customary.