2027 MLK Junior Week of Service - January 19 - 23

**PRE-REGISTRATION**

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Save the date(s)! Throughout the week of January 19 - 23 we are lining up some exciting volunteer opportunities in honor of Martin Luther King Junior's birthday and the National Holiday. Martin Luther King Junior was a social activist and community leader who, with his grand vision and voice, changed the lives of millions, and what better way to honor is legacy than to serve YOUR community?

This would be ideal for corporate partners for team building or for anyone who wants to come out and serve the community during this week!

Community Hygiene Kit Build with Valley of the Sun United Way

Come join VSUW to assemble Hygiene Kits for individuals experiencing homelessness in Maricopa County. Many are experiencing homelessness for the first time possibly due to a job loss, home foreclosure, medical bills, or a variety of other circumstances. Other individuals have been homeless for a year or more, or multiple periods (chronic), and have a disability.

These kits provide essential personal care items to local individuals experiencing homelessness and housing insecurity to help ensure their overall well-being.

If you plan to sign up as a team, please note that we ask for a maximum of 10 per group in order to allow more community members to participate. 

Location: VSUW Office Park Central 3115 N 3rd Avenue G130 Phoenix AZ 85013

20th Certified Local Fall Festival - Local First Arizona

The Certified Local Fall Festival brings together thousands of Arizonans and hundreds of locally owned businesses for one unforgettable day celebrating everything that makes Arizona home. Whether you're searching for unique experiences, discovering the best AZ-made gifts, or exploring Arizona's best breweries and wineries, this is where being a "Localist" begins. 

Be part of the crew that makes Arizona's biggest celebration of local happen! Whether you're greeting guests, slinging beverage tickets or keeping the park sparkling green, you'll be in the middle of the action - helping thousands of neighbors discover, taste and fall in love with all things local.

Where: Margaret T. Hance Park - 67 Culver Street, Phoenix, AZ 8500

Date: Saturday, November 7, 2026

Time: Each volunteer shift is 3 hours and, depending on the activity, shifts begin at 7:00 a.m. all the way through the final shift beginning at 3:30 p.m.

Age Minimum: This is a family friendly event. Any volunteers under 18 must be accompanied by an adult. 

For more information, click here: Event Link

To register for volunteering, click here: Volunteer Registration Link

If you have any questions regarding this event, please contact Gina Gral, Volunteer and Events Manager: volunteer@localfirstaz.com 

Spooktacular Literacy Night 

Come join Lattie Coor Elementary School for their Fall "Spooktacular" Literacy Night! They need helping hands for their sign-in table and a literacy cooking activity involving measuring, sequencing, and multi-step directions. 

Date/Time: Thursday, October 29th from 5:00 - 7:00 PM

Location: Lattie Coor Elementary School - 220 E. La Canada Blvd. Avondale, AZ 85323

For questions regarding this event, please contact Lindsay Kent: lkent@vsuw.org

Day of Action – Build Disaster Preparedness Kits with VSUW

Day of Action is a time for us all to come together, roll up our sleeves, and give back to our community. Come join Valley of the Sun United Way for a great morning of building Disaster Preparedness Kits for our nonprofit partners!

You will be packing Disaster Preparedness Kits, assembly line style, full of essential items like: solar powered power banks, water and fireproof document folders, first aid kits, and more!

Address: Valley of the Sun United Way NEW Park Central Office-Cafe

3115 N Central Ave Suite G130 Phoenix, AZ 85013

Day of Action – Build First Aid Kits with VSUW

Day of Action is a time for us all to come together, roll up our sleeves, and give back to our community. Come join Valley of the Sun United Way for a great morning of building First Aid Kits for our nonprofit partners!

You will be packing First Aid Kits, assembly line style, full of essential items to support street outreach efforts for our housing and homelessness partners.

Address: Valley of the Sun United Way NEW Park Central Office-Commons Conference Room

3115 N Central Ave Suite G130 Phoenix, AZ 85013

Day of Action – Build Hygiene Kits with VSUW

Day of Action is a time for us all to come together, roll up our sleeves, and give back to our community. Come join Valley of the Sun United Way for a great morning of building Hygiene Kits for our nonprofit partners!

You will be packing Hygiene Kits, assembly line style, full of essential items like: shampoo, conditioner, toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, lip balm, lotion, comb, and more! 

Address: Valley of the Sun United Way NEW Park Central Office-Goldwater Conference Center

3115 N Central Ave Suite G130 Phoenix, AZ 85013

Day of Action – Build Park Benches with Phoenix Community ToolBank

Day of Action is a time for us all to come together, roll up our sleeves, and give back to our community. Come join Valley of the Sun United Way and the Phoenix Community Toolbank to help build 10 park benches to support our Title I School and nonprofit partners! This will be a hands-on build using wood and power tools (safety gear provided!) and takes place outdoors. Instructions and guidance will be provided. All levels of builders are welcome. Please note: volunteers must be at least 16+ with parent supervision.

Address: Valley of the Sun United Way NEW Park Central Office-Pavillion

3115 N Central Ave Suite G130 Phoenix, AZ 85013

Day of Action – Create Book In A Bags with VSUW

Day of Action is a time for us all to come together, roll up our sleeves, and give back to our community. Come join Valley of the Sun United Way for a great morning of creating Book In A Bags for our nonprofit and Title I School partners!

You will be picking out Scholastic books for K-5th graders, adding a bookmark, reading tip sheet, and paper bag. You'll get creative with stickers, stencils, colored pencils, and markers to design the gift of literacy to their clients! We will also have encouragement card stations set up for some more creative fun, too!

Address: Valley of the Sun United Way NEW Park Central Office-Boardroom

3115 N Central Ave Suite G130 Phoenix, AZ 85013

Day of Action – Career Services Support with Dress for Success Arizona Shift 1

Day of Action is a time for us all to come together, roll up our sleeves, and give back to our community. Come join Valley of the Sun United Way for a great morning supporting our nonprofit partner, Dress for Success Arizona!

Volunteers assist their Career Services Team by making outbound calls to clients to confirm and follow up on appointments. Calls are made using a provided script and phone, and results are documented in their database using a laptop or computer (provided). 

Address: Dress for Success Arizona Park Central Office

3110 N Central Ave Suite D200 Phoenix, AZ 85012