Today’s post was written by Gabrielle Levy, a fourth grader and her brother Aiden, a first grader, from Fairfax Virginia, and co-founders of Caring Kids Cards.  Gabrielle and her brother Aiden have participated in the Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service since it started.  They recently appeared on Clear Channel Radio to share their tips about volunteering with your family.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service brings families together to volunteer.

On January 16, you and your family can volunteer to make a difference.  You are volunteering to help others in need, from animals to people in your community.

One of the activities last year was to make dog toys for the animal shelter.  Aiden said, "it is not just that you are wrapping a ribbon around a bone, you are making something handmade.  What you are doing is brading three strings together and pulling them.  It is a great activity. You could also make cat toys, that is when you put food inside of a cloth and then wrap it with twine.  The cats love it."

There was also a station to make toy and snack bags.  If you picked a toy bag then you got to put in a game, crossword puzzle, maze, and a coloring book.  The snack bag had a drink, granola bar, gold fish, and cheese snacks.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service is about volunteering.  Martin Luther King, Jr. had a dream that all people would be created equal.  Martin Luther King, Jr. said, "Everybody can be great.  Because anybody can serve.  You don't have to have a college degree to serve." His dream came true.  Volunteering is a time when people are equal. Anyone can do it and everyone can hang out together.

If you are unable to attend one of the events, here are the top 10 ways, you can volunteer with your family:

1. Make Cards 2. Boil eggs or make sandwiches for homeless shelters 3. Get the newspaper, mail, or garbage for the elderly or someone sick 4. Cleanup your neighborhood or bus stop 5. When you find coins, you can donate them 6. Buy school supplies for kids in need 7. Attend a volunteer packing event, like one from America's Adopt A Solider, Foster Care 2 Success, or other programs. 8. Share your experience with others to give them ideas to make a difference. 9. Donate clothes or toys for the holidays, like Toys for Tots. 10. Volunteer at a local street festival, community event, or school to help others.  You get to know people in your community.

Christopher Copley, from Volunteer Fairfax hopes that families participating in the event will see the benefits of their service through strengthened bonds, increased self-esteem, and passing along important values to their younger generations.

Aiden wants people to know, "I like volunteering.  You are changing the world, when you volunteer.  It is good when you volunteer!  You should volunteer because you are helping out the community. "

We hope this will give people some good ideas about volunteering.  It is really easy to volunteer.  It is simple as making a card, donating toys or school supplies, cleaning up trash, and lots more.  You can make a difference by just giving a card to someone and seeing the smile on their face."

If you visit Washington DC, make sure you visit the Martin Lurther King, Jr. Memorial that recently opened.  The monument is shaped based on the 'I Have a Dream' speech.  It has a lot of quotes from Martin Lurther King, Jr.

We hope that you volunteer at a Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service event in your community.  You will make a big difference and have a great time.  Caring Kids Cards is proud to be a part of this annual event.

To learn more about the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service and events in your community, visit MLKDay.gov.