Kansas City residents have the chance to step up and serve as volunteers on the annual Martin Luther King Jr. holiday by helping the Kansas City Public Library (KCPL) collect donations for hygiene kits.

For the third year in a row, KCPL’s AmeriCorps VISTA Project is collecting donations of travel-sized personal care items for a Hygiene Kit Drive. Those wishing to help can visit any Kansas City Public Library location to drop off supplies in marked donation bins from January 3 through January 12.

The donated items will be assembled into kits on January 14 with a copy of the award-winning Street Sheet, a comprehensive list of resources compiled by the library, to be handed out to individuals experiencing homelessness in Kansas City.

“The Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service is a defining moment each year when Americans across the country step up to make communities more equitable, underpin racial equity, expand civic opportunities, and foster respect for individual differences,” the library announcement read. “Citizens will take action to build the Beloved Community of Dr. King’s dream.”

Items being accepted for the kits include shampoo and conditioner for all hair types, body wash and soap, toothbrushes and toothpaste, deodorant, washcloths, combs and hair brushes, nail clippers, adhesive bandages, period management products, undergarments.

AmeriCorps is a federal agency that leads the annual MLK Day of Service, working with the King Center, thousands of nonprofit groups, faith-based organizations, schools, and businesses nationwide.

Projects include delivering meals, refurbishing schools and community centers, collecting food and clothing, signing up mentors, reading to children, promoting nonviolence, and more. The MLK Day of Service shines a spotlight on service as a powerful force to bridge economic and social divides – today and throughout the year.

Many communities also will engage in dialogue to explore ways they can address important issues. National Days of Service provide each of us with an opportunity to join neighbors and local leaders to tackle community challenges and strengthen the nation.

For more information about the MLK Day of Service, visit AmeriCorps.gov/MLKDay.