Serve New Mexico Commission News:

ALBUQUERQUE — The Serve New Mexico Commission announces AmeriCorps New Mexico programs participating in the 2026 Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service, engaging AmeriCorps members and community volunteers in meaningful service projects throughout northern, central and southern New Mexico.

Observed each year on the third Monday in January, Martin Luther King, Jr., Day is a federal holiday designated as a National Day of Service to encourage individuals to volunteer their time, talent, and resources to improve their communities. AmeriCorps, a State and National federal program, has been charged with leading this effort for over three decades.

At the state level, AmeriCorps New Mexico provides opportunities for New Mexicans to make an intensive commitment to service, gain skills and experience that lead to future employment pathways. New Mexico has had over 8,600 volunteers and over 352 service sites.

“Service days are opportunities for AmeriCorps programs to engage their communities and celebrate the benefits of volunteerism and national service,” said Serve New Mexico Director Kristin Hsueh.

Projects taking place Monday, Jan. 19, 2026:

• Northern New Mexico (Taos County): DreamTree will host a community food drive, engaging volunteers in donation collection and delivery to Shared Table, a local organization working to address food insecurity in the Toas area.
• Central New Mexico (Bernalillo County): AmeriCorps members from the Albuquerque Sign Language Academy have partnered with North Fourth Art Center, a nonprofit organization catering to the learning, creative and entrepreneurial goals of adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities to support outdoor beautification and facility improvements. Activities include litter removal, landscape maintenance, window cleaning and the installation of student artwork.
• Southern New Mexico (Doña Ana County): Families & Youth Innovations Plus will lead a park clean-up in Las Cruces, engaging volunteers in environmental stewardship and park maintenance efforts. This is a partnership with Keep Las Cruces Beautiful, a volunteer-based beautification program funded by the City of Las Cruces.

More information about AmeriCorps programs in New Mexico and how you can get involved is available at https://www.dws.state.nm.us/ServeNM.

Provide your input into statewide service efforts by completing the New Mexico State Service Survey. The State Service Plan serves as a vehicle for creating a broad vision for promoting national service and volunteering and for building a solid infrastructure of high-quality service programs and support services.