All day today the Hands On Network is organizing town halls in major cities around the country, and you can connect online, upload photos of your service project today, chat with leaders who are participating, and share your story.

Tomorrow I hope to post a podcast show from this past Friday where I interviewed Points of Light Institute CEO Michelle Nunn (co-founder of the Hands On Network, now part of POL). But for now, here is Michelle Nunn’s announcement about today’s Virtual Town Hall:

On Monday, Jan. 18, Points of Light Institute and HandsOn Network will bring the nation together in service, dialogue and reflection during a MLK Day Virtual Town Hall as we honor the memory of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Congressman John Lewis has eloquently captured the meaning of our goal – bringing families and communities together with one vision in mind: “actualizing King’s dream of a beloved community, a nation and a world at peace with itself.”

Join us on Jan. 18 in a MLK Day Virtual Town Hall – an online, interactive dialogue that bridges social, economic and cultural diversity by exploring innovative ideas for how service and dialogue can bring us closer to Dr. King’s dream. During the town hall, citizens from across the nation will be able to have live chats, post pictures and videos and share their experiences about how the volunteer movement has impacted them and their communities.

The call, “A Day On, Not A Day Off. Remember. Celebrate. Act.” will be simulcast from seven major markets across the U.S. (Chicago, Atlanta, Washington, D.C., New York, Phoenix, Sacramento and St. Louis).  An exciting announcement – to be disclosed Monday – will be revealed during our Chicago simulcast.

Key leaders participating in the MLK Day Virtual Town Hall and service projects and dialogues across the country include MLK Jr. Day of Service Ambassador and Rep. John Lewis, Congresswoman Doris Matsui from California, Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Alvarez, Chicago Mayor Richard Daley, Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon, Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson, Birmingham acting Mayor Roderick Royal, Acting CEO of the Corporation for National and Community Service Nicola Goren, York City Schools Chancellor Joel I. Klein, D.C. Councilmember Muriel Bowser and many more.

Many of the hundreds of thousands of people who will volunteer on Monday will add to their engagement by making contributions to the relief efforts in Haiti. Derreck Kayongo, Senior Field Coordinator for the CARE Action Network will join our Town Hall on Monday to talk about what we can do as a nation to help Haitians rebuild and recover.

The MLK Day Virtual Town Hall will begin at approximately 8:00 a.m. EST and will feature HandsOn Network Action Centers and nonprofit organizations’ service events and dialogues nationwide. Tune in all day for exciting highlights and to join the dialogues.  All times are eastern standard.

• 8:00 a.m. Welcome Remarks by Congressman John Lewis and Michelle Nunn
• 8:30 a.m. Hands On Atlanta, Annual King Summit Freedom Rally
• 10:00 a.m. Greater DC Cares, Powell Elementary School in Washington, D.C.
• 11:00 a.m. Youth HandsOn Network, PS 57 James W. Johnson School in Harlem
• 12:00 p.m. Hands On Sacramento at Quinn Cottages
• 1:00 p.m.  HandsOn Greater Phoenix at South Mountain Park
• 2:00 p.m.  Special Live Announcement
• 3:00 p.m. United Way of Greater St. Louis at St. John United Church
• 4:00 p.m. Closing and Call to Service in 2010

There are multiple ways people can serve, celebrate and engage in the various projects across the U.S. To find out more information and how you can volunteer, please visit www.HandsOnNetwork.org, or follow us on Facebook and Twitter @HandsOnNetwork.

Join the dialogue on Monday at www.handsonnetwork.org to partner with us as we advance Dr. King’s dream of a beloved community in a new and innovative way!