Archive | Homelessness RSS feed for this section

New Volunteer Opportunities!

11 Dec
2013

UPDATE: THESE OPPORTUNITIES HAVE PASSED

Winter 2013: As the holidays approach and people get into the giving spirit, I’ll be posting new volunteer opportunities that pop up around NYC. Feel free to share these with friends and family who might be interested in helping out a local non-profit, whether it’s just for a day or for a few months!

 

Holiday Help at the Food Bank for NYC

Food Bank procures and distributes food to a network of more than 1,000 community-based member programs citywide, helping to provide 400,000 free meals a day for New Yorkers in need. From Meals on Heels on the Upper West to Souper Saturdays in Park Slope, there are tons of ways to help out the Food Bank  this holiday season. Sign up here: http://volunteer.foodbanknyc.org/holidays

 

Mulchfest 2014 with NYRP: Saturday, January 11, 12:00pm–2:00pm

Every year Mulchfest diverts thousands of Christmas trees from landfills and recycles them into wood chips that can be used to protect and nourish trees in our parks, gardens and street tree pits. Help spread fresh Christmas tree chippings to street trees and work on various winter maintenance projects in the Sherman Creek Park.

To register to volunteer or to get more information e-mail volunteer@nyrp.org.

 

Helpline Volunteer/Intern with the National Eating Disorders Association (Long-Term)

Position Summary: Information and Referral Helpline interns will offer information and referrals to callers and answer basic questions regarding body image and eating disorders in a caring and compassionate manner. The intern will be continually challenged to accept continuing advancement in responsibilities on the Helpline as the intern becomes ready. The Helpline intern may also assist with other duties in the National Eating Disorders Association office as needed (i.e. writing letters, assisting with information distribution, etc.). This position is a great learning opportunity and involves a minimum of 15 hours of training.

Primary Responsibilities:

  •   Information and Referral Services

·        Provide positive, respectful and timely responses regarding eating disorder information requests via incoming phone calls, voicemail messages, emails, forums, instant messages, and social media sites under Helpline responsibility.

·        Ensure the distribution of Helpline information and referral material in a timely manner that fits the needs of the individual and is presented in a professional manner.

·        Compose general letters of response for information requests.

·        Develop skills related to database management.

·        Increase knowledge and understanding concerning eating disorders and how to appropriately support those affected by them.

·        When deemed appropriate by Helpline Supervisor, the intern may assist in the training of new Helpline volunteers and interns.

·        Contribute to the association’s mission of eliminating eating disorders and body dissatisfaction.

  • Program and Administrative Duties:

·        Assist Programs Department staff with ongoing educational and outreach projects.

·        Assist with minor administrative tasks as needed.

Required Qualifications:

·        High energy, positive attitude, and enthusiasm.

·        Meticulous attention to detail and strong organizational skills.

·        Excellent communication skills and demonstrated ability to provide quality customer service.

·        Strong computer skills, data and word-processing ability.

·        Must be dependable and self-motivated.

·        Able to work effectively as an individual and as part of a team.

·        Must be able to work in New York office.

Time Frame and Commitment:

·        Completion of 15-20 hour Helpline training taking place during the intern’s scheduled shift.

·        Minimum of 8 hours per week for a minimum of 4 months

·        Participation in one activity taking place outside of the main office.

·        Monthly reflections to be submitted and reviewed with Helpline Supervisor to set continuing advancement objectives.

·        Must be able to work at the NEDA headquarters, in New York City, during Helpline hours.

Contact Erin Brekke, Volunteer Coordinator at ebrekke@nationaleatingdisorders.org to apply.

Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

Dine Out for a Cause: Bread & Life’s “Feed the Need”

24 Oct

2014 UPDATE: THIS OPPORTUNITY HAS PASSED

Feed the Need: Dine Out for Bread and Life! is a dine out event that will take place on Thursday, October 24, 2013.  The event will benefit St. John’s Bread and Life, Brooklyn’s largest provider of emergency food.  100% of the funds raised will be used to purchase food for our hungry neighbors! This also happens to be National Food Day, a nationwide celebration and a movement for healthy, affordable, and sustainable food.

1 in 5 adult New Yorkers – and 1 in 4 children — relies on food pantries and soup kitchens to meet their food needs. To respond to this need, Bread and Life needs the help of the entire food community.   Bread and Life serves more than 1,000,000 meals annually to our Brooklyn and Queens neighbors who would otherwise go hungry. We are asking restaurants, food purveyors, patrons and the entire food community to join us in combatting hunger in our neighborhoods! 

Be part of the solution and support a great local cause!

 

Participating Restaurants:

                  

    

    

 

 

About Bread and Life: Bread & Life is a 501c3 organization whose mission it is to feed those most vulnerable. This program began 31 years ago in direct response to the cuts in the federal budget for food aid, cuts which forced tens of thousands of New Yorkers to find a new way of providing meals for their families. Before these cuts, there were just sixteen emergency food agencies in New York City. After the cuts they mushroomed to more than 1,600.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Hurricane Sandy Volunteer/Donation Projects: From Gale A. Brewer’s Office

5 Nov

I just received the following email from councilwoman Gale Brewer, and wanted to pass along as it contained a lot of great information about new donation drop-off locations and volunteer opportunities. See below:

Today, Monday, November 5, 2012 West Side institutions are working with former Community Board Chair Mel Wymore to fill a large truck of supplies to go to Staten Island. You could drop off supplies at JCC, 334 Amsterdam Avenue at West 76 Street, NY NY up to 10pm on Monday, November 5. Items needed: blankets, toiletries, wipes, flashlights, batteries. No clothes. The truck will leave the West Side on Tuesday, November 6, 2012.

On Monday, November 5, 2012…info from the City Council as to where assistance is needed:

Staten Island  Councilmember Oddo and Assemblymember Malliotakis have organized volunteers throughout the weekend.  Today they are at the Staten Island Recreational Association at 599 Fr. Capodanno Blvd. from 9am to dusk and will continue to help clean out homes that have been impacted by the storm. They are in need of cleaning supplies – shovels, rakes, brooms, gloves, garbage bags, masks, toiletries and pharmaceuticals (e.g. Tyelonol, Advil, etc.).

Brooklyn Red Hook Councilmember Gonzalez along with a number of local community groups have been organizing volunteers to help residents and local businesses in the Red Hook area.  Volunteers should report to 402 Van Brunt Street, between 10 am – 5 pm.

Coney Island  Councilmember Domenic Recchia is coordinating volunteers, at 2770 West 5th St, Room 4C (nearest open F Train stop is Avenue X), and they will send you to wherever you are needed most.

Park Slope The Park Slope Armory shelter (361 15th Street, between 7th & 8th Avenues) continues to need volunteers who can work a 12-hour shift, starting at 8 AM or 8 PM daily. You need to be comfortable working with the elderly, disabled, and other people with special needs and you cannot bring your children. If they have too many volunteers, you may be turned away, so be prepared for that. The John Jay High School shelter (237 7th Avenue, between 4th & 5th Streets) also continues to need day, evening, and overnight volunteers. You need to be able to dedicate at least 6-8 hours and cannot bring your children.

-From Brad Hoylman: Many of my neighbors are still without heat, hot water or plumbing. In coordination with the offices of our local elected officials and the Chelsea Reform Democratic Club, we are seeking three (3) shifts of volunteers to go door-to-door in Fulton Houses and Westbeth to assist residents today, Monday, November 5.  How you can help: Show up at either 12 p.m. or 3 p.m. at the Fulton Center Auditorium (119 9th Ave between 17th and 18th Streets) to go door-to-door at Fulton Houses to assess residents’ needs. OR  Show up at 4 p.m. at Westbeth (55 Bethune Street Washington and West Streets) to help carry water and other supplies to residents. hoylmanforsenate@gmail.com

 Thank you, Gale A. Brewer!

 

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Hurricane Sandy Recovery: Donate Locally

4 Nov

There are a number of organizations that do great work in NYC. They were doing it last week, and they continue to do so in the aftermath of Sandy. They feed, shelter, nurse, teach, and support our community of NYC. Some of them lost power, some of them lost everything. Now it’s our turn to help them..

Below is a list of organizations who are currently accepting donations which will go directly towards Hurricane Sandy relief in NY; for some, it will go directly to the people they support. For others, it will go towards rebuilding their headquarters or other damaged services vital to their continued operations.

Food Bank for New York City: As one of the country’s largest food banks, the Food Bank procures and distributes food to a network of more than 1,000 community-based member programs citywide, helping to provide 400,000 free meals a day for New Yorkers in need. In the aftermath of the storm, the need for food is even greater now. To make a donation, click here.

Little Shelter: This no-kill shelter in Huntington, LI has been open since 1927; I got my own dog there 11 years ago. Their facility suffered a lot of damage, including the cattery and second kennel. Staff on site managed to save all of the animals inside, but the buildings need extensive repair. To donate, click here.

The Ali Forney Center: AFC protects lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning (LGBTQ) youth from the harm of homelessness, and supports them in becoming safe and independent as they move from adolescence to adulthood. Their Drop-In Center in Chelsea was destroyed by flooding. They are currently scrambling for a plan to provide care to desperate kids while preparing to ultimately move into a larger space that will better meet their needs. To read an official statement and donate, click here.

Operation Wesley: Thousands of pets were displaced this week when Hurricane Sandy ripped through the Northeastern US. Operation Wesley wants to bring comfort to these less fortunate pets in New Jersey and New York by delivering pet food and supplies to the hardest hit areas. From now until Saturday, November 10th, they will be accepting mail packages; on Sunday and Monday items will be delivered. For a list of supplies needed and a shipping address, please visit their website: http://operationwesley.org/sandyhelp.html For more information about helping pets, visit the Naked K9’s Facebook Page.

Henry Street Settlement: They open doors of opportunity to enrich lives and enhance human progress for Lower East Side residents and other New Yorkers through social services, arts, and health care programs. They’ve been working tirelessly to help their LES community with food and warmth, even though their own facilities are in need of repair after flood damage from the storm. Please donate by clicking here.

Brooklyn Recovery Fund: This is a joint effort between the Brooklyn Community Foundation, the Office of the Brooklyn Borough President, and the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce to create a pooled fund to provide support to Brooklyn’s nonprofit organizations working with the communities and individuals most affected by Hurricane Sandy. To donate, click here.

Hope for New York: HFNY mission is to provide volunteer and financial resources to organizations serving the poor and marginalized of New York City. They are affiliated with a number of churches and shelters in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx, including the Bowery Mission and NYC Rescue Mission. To donate funds or in-kind supplies, visit their website by clicking here.

Please know that I in no way discourage donating to the Red Cross, the Mayor’s Fund for NYC, FEMA, or any other organization helping recovery in our area and beyond. If you’d like to add any other organizations to this list, please email suggestions to giveandgetnyc@gmail.com.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

How to Help After Hurricane Sandy

31 Oct
2012

Hurricane Sandy has left a path of destruction across the eastern seaboard, and now is the time for us to come together and help our fellow man. Below are any and all opportunities I’ve found to help recovery efforts, whether its volunteering your time or donating money to those who are already dispatched into communities across New York. This list is focused on NYC, but I welcome any new opportunities in the Tri-State Area and beyond: please email giveandgetnyc@gmail.com and your organization’s needs will be posted.

At this time, the donation of time and money is much more beneficial than in-kind donations, as the efforts needed to package and dispatch such items is time consuming. Unless expressly noted by an organization that they are in need of specific items, which some are and have, please consider a monetary donation before giving in-kind gifts.

VOLUNTEER

FOOD BANK FOR NEW YORK CITY: If you are interested in joining the Food Bank for NYC within this critical time of need, please join their mailing list HERE. If you have any additional questions, please feel free to email us at volunteerfoodbanknyc@gmail.com.

NYC SERVICE: To be dispatched wherever there is a need in NYC, email nycservice@cityhall.nyc.gov with your name, email and borough.

BROOKLYN BRIDGE PARK: As of October 31, the park remains closed, but they will need all the help they can get with clean up efforts over the next several days. If you would like to volunteer, please email Sarah Ward (sward@brooklynbridgepark.org), and they will alert you when it is time to mobilize.

NEW YORK CARES: As the City’s lead organization for the management of unaffiliated volunteers, New York Cares’ Emergency Response Program ensures that volunteers can be quickly and effectively mobilized in the event of a disaster. If you are already a New York Cares volunteer please click here. You will be prompted to sign up to express your interest in being contacted about disaster recovery projects after Hurricane Sandy. We do not yet know the extent of the need, or where or when volunteer projects will take place, but we will contact interested volunteers once we have a better understanding of the response needed. Thanks for your support as we help the city respond. If you are not already registered with New York Cares please click here.

RED CROSS: If you’d like to volunteer at a Red Cross shelter and are…

  • Over the age of 16
  • Available for 12 hour shift from Wednesday, Oct 31 to Friday, November 2.
  • Be ready to deploy to a shelter location outside of New York City and stay for up to 72 hours.
  • Able to lift and carry 30-40 lbs
  • Comfortable working with people in stressful situations

If you meet these requirements, please fill out our Spontaneous Volunteer Application.

Hurricane Sandy has forced the cancellation of approximately 300 American Red Cross blood drives in 14 states along the East Coast, resulting in a shortfall of more than 10,700 units of blood and platelets thus far. To help by donating blood in NY, click here: http://www.redcrossblood.org/nyp . For other states, click here.

NYC PUBLIC ADVOCATE: The Public Advocates office is helping to mobilize volunteers. Register here.

JERSEY CARES: Register with Jersey Cares to volunteer for recovery projects in New Jersey, and they will email you when projects are in place: http://www.jerseycares.org/HOC__Volunteer_Registration_Page

NJ EMERGENCY VOLUNTEER HOTLINE: If you are interested in volunteering in NJ, call the state’s volunteer emergency response hotline at 1-800-JERSEY-7 (1-800-537-7397). This hotline was established earlier this year to enhance the state’s emergency responsiveness by harnessing New Jerseyans’ strong spirit of service. If storm conditions preclude the hotline from being answered by live operators, volunteers may call one of two backup hotline numbers: 609-775-5236 or 908-303-0471. Volunteers may also send an email to rowena.madden@sos.state.nj.us. Read more here.

STATEN ISLAND RECOVERS: This is a recovery organizing site for Staten Island in the wake of Hurricane Sandy. The site allows people to offer/request assistance, and is coordinated by the folks at Occupy NYC and community organizations on the ground. Visit the site: https://statenisland.recovers.org/

UPPER WEST SIDE SHELTERS (Updated 12:50pm, 10/31): “Upper West Side shelter needs help: clothes in large sizes needed for Sandy evacuees at MS 118, 154 West 93 St.” There are three shelters in the neighborhood. The one at John Jay College had enough volunteers last night (not sure about tonight yet) but the following two were running low on volunteers and will need help again tonight, including for overnight shifts:

Brandeis High School on West 84th Street (between Amsterdam & Columbus Avenues).

MS 118 on 93rd Street (between Amsterdam & Columbus Avenues)

If you can volunteer at an evacuation shelter or know anyone who can, please contact Shelly Fine at sfine50@aol.com or 917.453.3911.

DONATE

MAYOR’S FUND TO ADVANCE NEW YORK: The Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City is committed to improving the lives of New Yorkers. Right now, you can donate directly to hurricane relief in NYC through this website: https://www.nyc.gov/html/fund/html/donate/donate.shtml

RED CROSS: The best way to donate is to make a financial gift. Visit www.redcross.org, call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or text the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation. In-kind donations are not needed at this time.

NYC RESCUE MISSION: If you can purchase or have extra food/water–take it to NYC Rescue Mission, 90 Lafayette Street, New York, NY 10013-4494. They are also in need of dry ice, generators, and AA and D batteries. If you are not in the area but wish to donate, you can do so through their website: https://nycrescue.org/give/donate-now/

THE HUMANE SOCIETY: The Humane Society of the United States’ Animal Rescue Team is assisting animals and people in the wake of Hurricane Sandy’s destruction, and is prepared for ongoing disaster relief after this historic storm. To make a donation click here

THE BOWERY MISSION: In the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, The Bowery Mission is providing safe shelter and food to more homeless and displaced New Yorkers, effectively tripling its normal capacity. The supply of food and pantry items is drastically decreasing at a time when it is needed most. Make a donation by clicking here, or donate over the phone by calling 1-800-BOWERY-1 (1-800-269-3791)

Tags: , , , ,

← Older Entries