Volunteers Celebrate MLK Day by Teaching Financial Literacy

On Monday, many Americans observed Martin Luther King Jr. Day by volunteering to serve their communities. Among typical volunteering activities like neighborhood cleanups and food drives, some participants got to contribute in a different way: by hosting personal finance workshops.

For the last 25 years, federal government agency the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) has encouraged people all over America to go out and help their communities on MLK Day by designating it a national day of service. According to the agency’s website, one of the ways volunteers can serve is by helping others improve their financial literacy skills¹. There are workshops that cover financial basics like budgeting² and others that focus on more advanced knowledge, such as how to utilize tax assistance programs³.

Personal finance ties directly to King’s speeches on financial equality. Volunteering to teach people how to manage their money is giving them a valuable asset; an asset that can help them make ends meet, that they can pass on to others, and that cannot be repossessed. It’s a fitting way to honor Dr. King’s legacy.

Though MLK Day may be over for this year, if you want to get involved in financial literacy programs as a student or a volunteer, check with local charities, universities, or AmeriCorps programs. They may have opportunities open for you to make a difference in your own life and in the lives of others.