At a Glance
- Temple University replaces Girard College as Philadelphia’s signature site for the 31st Annual MLK Jr. Day of Service on January 19, 2026.
- Volunteers will build Book Arks-free-standing book boxes for underserved neighborhoods-plus literacy kits, hygiene kits, and voter-registration drives.
- Regional events span three states: PA, NJ, DE, with job fairs, expungement clinics, park clean-ups, and the Philadelphia Orchestra’s 36th MLK Tribute Concert at the Kimmel Center.
- Why it matters: The nation’s largest King Day of service mobilizes thousands for community repair, literacy, and civil-rights education in a single day.
Philadelphia’s signature Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service is switching campuses. After 16 years at Girard College, the regional hub moves to Temple University for the January 19, 2026 observance, organizers announced. The tri-state event-covering Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware-calls itself the oldest and largest King Day of service in the country.
Temple’s Headline Projects
Independence Blue Cross is backing the signature build: volunteers will assemble Book Arks, sturdy honor-box-style units stocked with free books for community groups in under-resourced neighborhoods. Parallel efforts include:
- Literacy Kits-donated books plus reading resources for local families.
- Kids Carnival-children choose and keep culturally relevant books with help from Reading Captains and the Book Trust.
- Reading Coach training-Global Citizen and Read by 4th Campaign teach volunteers to protect “every child’s right to read” in Philadelphia.
A Rally for Peace and Justice runs noon-2 p.m., led by the Cecil B. Moore Philadelphia Freedom Fighters and the Black Clergy’s 57 Blocks Project. The Philadelphia Fire Department offers CPR certification, while a Health & Wellness Fair and 14th annual Jobs & Opportunity Fair-with 40-plus employers-operate side-by-side. Attendees can also:
- Pack hygiene kits for neighbors experiencing homelessness.
- Receive voter education and registration.
- Join a workshop to “mobilize against racism and save American history from governmental censorship,” focusing on federal sites like the President’s House and Slavery Memorial at 6th and Market Streets.
Girard College Still in the Mix
Though no longer the flagship venue, Girard College will host a Teen Health and Resource Fair (10 a.m.-2 p.m.) followed by a 3 p.m. panel with Freedom Fighters recounting the school’s desegregation battle.
Regional Roundup
Delaware County
State Rep. Joanna McClinton and Sen. Anthony Hardy Williams stage an MLK Day Expungement Clinic (10 a.m.-1 p.m., Darby Borough Building) with Legal Aid of Southeastern Pennsylvania and the county public defender.
West Philadelphia
400-plus Drexel athletes and student-government members fan out across 23 cleanup sites after a 9:15 a.m. rally at the Drexel Recreation Center. Director of Athletics Maisha Kelly will open the morning; projects run through 11:45 a.m.
Center City
The African American Museum hosts the fifth annual Martin Luther King Jr. Speech Contest at 10 a.m., organized by Councilmember Isaiah Thomas and the Thomas and Woods Foundation. High-school competitors deliver original speeches tied to Dr. King’s legacy and Philadelphia’s future.
Feeding the City
Chosen 300 serves meals at 5:30 p.m. from two locations: 1116 Spring Garden Street and 3959 Lancaster Avenue.
Kimmel Center
The Philadelphia Orchestra’s 36th MLK Tribute Concert starts 3 p.m. in the newly dedicated Marian Anderson Hall. Conductor Thomas Wilkins leads the program, the first since the hall’s renaming.
Camden, NJ
Governor-elect Mikie Sherrill joins city and county officials to beautify Fairview’s Yorkship Square starting 10 a.m. A service fair featuring municipal departments runs alongside.
Animal Welfare
Brandywine Valley SPCA turns the holiday into a day of service for animals at campuses in West Chester, Harrisburg, New Castle, and Georgetown.
Law Enforcement Outreach
Officers from the 15th Police District partner with It Takes a Village to Feed One Child and Unique Dreams Inc. for an 11 a.m.-3 p.m. food-insecurity event at 4704 Leiper Street.
Extended Service Week
PA Cyber students, families, and staff stretch the spirit beyond Monday:
- Tuesday, Jan. 20-Philadelphia office repackages rice with the Delaware County Food Bank.
- Wednesday, Jan. 21-Allentown families assemble personal-care kits for the Allentown Rescue Mission.
Organizers note the list is partial; additional projects are searchable via the News Of Philadelphia link.
Key Takeaways:
- Temple University becomes the new epicenter of the nation’s biggest MLK Day of Service, replacing Girard College after a 16-year run.
- One-day volunteers will produce thousands of literacy tools, hygiene kits, and job connections across Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware.
- From oratory contests to expungement clinics, the region unites around Dr. King’s mandate: “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?'”
