Marking the King Holiday: Obamas Paint Shelter Walls and Pack Care Packages for the Troops

Barack Obama painted walls an emergency shelter in Washington this morning as part of his effort to urge Americans to devote more time to community service.

In an event designed to mark the holiday commemorating the birth of Martin Luther King Jr., Mr. Obama volunteered at Sasha Bruce Youthwork, a charity that provides shelter to homeless teenagers and other services.

“Given the crisis that we’re in and the hardships that so many people are going through, we can’t allow any idle hands,” President-elect Obama told the assembled volunteers, reports Bloomberg news service. “Everybody is going to have to pitch in, and I think the American people are ready to do that.”

Michelle Obama and her daughters spent the morning at Washington’s Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium to help prepare care packages for military troops serving overseas.

Both Mr. and Ms. Obama have a long history in promoting volunteer work. Mr. Obama worked in Chicago as a community organizer, while Ms. Obama started the Chicago office of Public Allies, an organization that promotes community service. (Read The Chronicle’s article about how Ms. Obama’s early experience at Public Allies influenced her husband’s views on community service.)