Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service projects across Montana aim to connect civil rights history and giving back.
The Helena Area Habitat for Humanity says at its event today, volunteers can work on a build site, help at the nonprofit ReStore, or spread the word about the group's services.
Executive Director Jacob Kuntz said Habitat for Humanity's history is rooted in helping people who couldn't buy a home in the 1960s and 1970s.
"It was not possible for a Black family to walk into a bank and get a home mortgage," said Kuntz, "they were excluded from the mortgage market. And so, Habitat for Humanity was originally set up to provide that pathway to homeownership."
Kuntz said that work continues today. He said volunteers can register for the event on Helena Area Habitat for Humanity's website.
Montana State University-Billings is also hosting an MLK Jr. Day of Service, with the theme of Encouragement and Hope. The event starts with a ceremony on campus at 9:30 a.m. and followed by a service project at 11.
Bailee Stenger is MSU-Billing's student engagement coordinator. She said service project volunteers will help assemble "pick-me-up bags," filled with words of encouragement and other stress-relief items.
They'll hand those out on campus and to people who are unhoused in Billings. Stenger said she wanted to focus this year's event on mental health and the uplift of giving back.
"Being able to make what someone might think is a small event, this huge event – where we all come together, we're all celebrating the same thing," said Stenger, "and service goes a long way."
Kuntz added that during a time when political differences are more apparent, MLK Jr. Day is a good time to remember Montanans are more connected than they are divided.
"Doing something that is truly nonpartisan," said Kuntz, "that is a place where, as long as people are willing to come forward and put their hands to the work, we invite anybody to be a part of that work – is always a good reminder in the midst of challenging times in our country."
