When Mike Lum was a producer on the OC16 program "Heroes," he felt inspired to do his part to help the community.

So three years ago, he joined the Diamond Head Lions Club. And this year he's organizing the club's first project for Make a Difference Day, which takes place nationwide on Saturday.

His project will have volunteers collecting bedding supplies — blankets, sheets, pillows — and toiletries for the Next Step shelter in Kaka'ako.

People can drive up and drop off donations from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the Kapahulu Center at 3410 Campbell Ave.

"It's unfortunate that there are homeless people living among us," said Lum, 34, who works for United Health Care. "I think everybody can do a little bit to help."

Lum will join the millions of others nationwide who are doing something positive for their communities, from volunteering at homeless shelters to visiting patients in hospitals.

Make a Difference Day, sponsored by USA Weekend magazine in partnership with the Points of Light Foundation, is a national day of helping others.

Last year, about 3 million people participated in community service projects that tackled such efforts as building homes, cleaning beaches and holding food drives.

More than 26 million Americans are aided each year by these efforts.

So far, there are more than a dozen projects in need of volunteers in Hawai'i, from painting the exterior walls of the Easter Seals facility in Kaimuki to cleaning the Kihei Youth Center building on Maui. (A Honolulu Advertiser team is among those participating.)

Community groups in Kohala need volunteers to help make minor home repairs and paint houses for neighbors with financial challenges.

And Miss Hawai'i Teen American Tesia Worley of Wai'anae is asking for help to paint the interior walls at the Wai'anae Coast Comprehensive Center's Adult Day Care Center.

"I think there are a lot of people, especially in Hawai'i, who are complacent, who want to do something but think that one person can't do enough," Lum said. "But if everybody did a little bit to share the aloha ... the world would be so much better. It's kinda cliche, but I believe in it."