MLK Weekend: Volunteering Together
As the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday approaches, Southface invites you, your family, and friends to join us in giving back through the Decatur MLK Service Project. This annual effort focuses on weatherizing and improving homes for seniors in our community—a meaningful way to honor Dr. King’s legacy by supporting neighbors who need it most.
Mike, a longtime Southface team member and house leader for this project, has been guiding weatherization efforts for well over a decade. Alongside current and former Southface colleagues like Frank Burdette, Howard Katzman, and Scott Lee, Mike will be leading teams to perform hands-on work including air sealing ductwork and homes, prepping for attic insulation, installing ground vapor barriers, improving exterior drainage, and insulating hot water pipes. These improvements help make homes more comfortable, energy-efficient, and healthier places to live.
There are five volunteer shifts over the weekend:
- Saturday, January 17: 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM and 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM
- Sunday, January 18: 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM
- Monday, January 19: 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM and 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Mike will be on site for all shifts. Volunteers who join Saturday or Monday morning shifts will enjoy a light lunch, thoughtfully prepared by some well-intentioned children.
If you’re interested, you can sign up to be part of the Weatherization team—we’re aiming to work on three houses this year. For those who prefer less technical tasks, Amelia from Southface is organizing a group on Sunday afternoon to do yard work and other outdoor chores that can include younger volunteers, such as her 5-year-old child. This is a great way to involve people of all ages and abilities.
To volunteer, please register at https://www.mlkserviceproject.com/. After signing up, contact Mike at 404-391-1613 to let him know when you’ll be joining and to receive updates on the specific houses and tasks.
Volunteering with Southface at this event is not only an opportunity to learn practical energy efficiency skills but also a chance to connect with community members and fellow Southfacers while making a tangible difference. We encourage everyone to take part in this meaningful weekend of service and stewardship.
If you have any questions about the weatherization work, feel free to reach out to Mike. For coordinating group sign-ups or less technical volunteering, contact Amelia: agodfrey@southface.org or (404) 604-3664.
This MLK Day weekend, let’s come together to uplift our community by improving the homes of those who need it most.
— Southface Education Team