Every year on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Americans are encouraged to volunteer to honor the legacy of the late civil rights leader. The federal holiday was officially dedicated to volunteerism in 1994 under the King Holiday and Service Act in a bid to motivate the public to do good in their communities.

While the holiday is a popular time for civic service, the volunteering rate across the US is at record lows, following a steady decline since at least the 2010’s.