Despite the effects of COVID-19 on Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebrations, there will be plenty of volunteer opportunities on Jan. 18 thanks to the Cal Poly Pomona Center for Community Engagement and L.A. WORKS, a local non-profit volunteer action center.

L.A. WORKS is promoting events in L.A. County for the MLK Day of Service, including drive-thru events, a virtual march, a parade, clothing drive and more.

There will be an interactive march on Washington D.C. within the video game Minecraft, presenting individuals and families the chance to virtually interact with civil rights heroes.

Two drive-thru opportunities for volunteers will address local needs while allowing all involved to remain physically distant. The first is an MLK Day mural drive-in where participants will be creating 100 murals to be placed at LAUSD high schools.

Participants in the second drive-thru event will pack student supply kits with healthy snacks, art and school supplies, and other screen-free activities. For both drive-thru volunteer opportunities, L.A. WORKS is abiding by CDC guidelines; stations will be sanitized between groups and will be socially distanced.

The Kingdom Day Parade will take place at 10 a.m. on Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. Onlookers are encouraged to social distance and wear a mask.

Cal Poly Pomona’s Center for Community Engagement MLK Day Bronco Stampede of Service event is in partnership with One Warm Coat. They will be hosting a virtual coat drive to support struggling individuals and families.

The Center for Community Engagement is also promoting MLK Day of Service virtual workshops and virtual volunteer experiences on Criminal Justice, Race and Homelessness, and Food Insecurity and Race offered by L.A. WORKS.

The L.A. WORKS virtual workshops and virtual volunteer experiences will raise awareness about homelessness, food insecurity, and criminal justice issues disproportionately affecting Black Americans.