HandsOn New Orleans honors the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. by participating, annually, in the national King Days of Service. Sparked by a 1994 piece of Congressional legislation, the Corporation for National & Community Service (CNCS) has transformed Martin Luther King Jr. Day from a day off of work or school into a day of service. With the motto "Make it a day on, not a day off," citizens throughout the nation are encouraged to spend the day transforming their community through volunteerism.
HandsOn New Orleans has expanded the King Day of Service into over a week of volunteer opportunities for New Orleanians and visitors alike. HandsOn New Orleans organizes, coordinates, and publicizes dozens of service projects, in the days leading up to Martin Luther King Jr. Day, throughout the Greater New Orleans area.