Thousands of Hawai'i residents are donating time today as part of National Make-A-Difference Day.

Across the state, public and private organizations, schools, civic groups and individuals are undertaking projects aimed at improving their communities.
Approximately 1,000 high school student-athletes spent the morning picking up trash at seven district parks around the island. Hawai'i High School Sports Association executive director Keith Amemiya said the effort was a show of appreciation from the athletes to community members who have so far contributed $1.2 million to the Save Our Sports fundraising drive.
At Lunalilo Home in Hawaiçi Kai, trustees, administrators and staff of The Queen's Medical Center are spending the day painting exteriors and interiors and providing landscaping work to help revitalize the state's oldest elder-care facility.
In keeping with the medical center's 150th anniversary, 150 volunteers signed up to join in the effort.
Meanwhile, at Ka'iulani Elementary School in Kalihi, administrators, faculty, students and parents were joined by volunteers from the surrounding community in preparing tons of books, periodicals and other out-of-use educational materials for shipment to Chuuk, one of the Federated States of Micronesia. Principal Thomas Moon said roughly 40 percent of his students are Micronesian, most from Chuuk.
Other service projects include clean-ups at Waikiki Beach and the Honolulu Zoo, and a collection of toiletries for the homeless sponsored by Makalapa Elementary School.