During the COVID-19 crisis, VOA-Greater New York is committed to doing everything we can to ensure the safety of our clients, staff and volunteers.

Most of our 80 social services programs are residential and will continue to operate 24/7, providing shelter, supportive housing and other critical services to tens of thousands of the most vulnerable individuals and families in our community. At this time, however, all in-person volunteer activities scheduled through May 18 have been postponed, to be rescheduled at a later date.

Below are some of the ways we hope we can count on you – our loyal and dedicated partners – to help us care for those we serve during this time of heightened uncertainty.

URGENT NEED: Cleaning Supplies
Our programs are in urgent need of cleaning products including sanitizing spray and wipes. Please let us know if you can help provide bulk quantities of these items.
As community centers close, many older adults—including seniors at our East 12 th Street Residence—are feeling the loss of the meals that these centers provide. A grocery gift card will help stock their depleted pantries. Learn more.
Adhering to social distancing guidelines, residents at our supportive housing programs are spending hours alone in their rooms. Help them stay engaged and pass the time with books, games and other activities. Shop the wish list.
Help keep children residing in our family shelters occupied during this time spent at home by ordering books, coloring sheets, stickers, games and other activities for them to enjoy. Shop the wish list.
With social distancing in place and staff at many companies working remotely, we are proactively finding ways to ensure the success of Operation Backpack ® 2020.

Of the approximately 19,000 backpacks we need each year, we count on receiving 9,000 full backpack donations from our corporate partners holding drives at their workplaces – drives which may now be delayed, though hopefully not abandoned.

In the event we do not receive these backpack donations this year and have to purchase additional supplies to fill backpacks from scratch, we are introducing our new peer-to-peer fundraising platform. We hope you will set up your 2020 fundraising team and spread the word!
Knowing that VOA-Greater New York is an essential social services provider that needs to stay "open for business," Intent Media packed up snacks from their office and delivered them to our East Village residence for older adults. Thank you Intent Media for being a good neighbor!

Please email donations@voa-gny.org if you have (or wish to purchase and send) individually-packaged snacks for one of our SROs or family shelters. Treats like these mean so much to the folks we serve.
VOA-Greater New York's annual report gives a glimpse into the life-changing, often life saving – work we do every day. Read about five clients who benefited from the support of VOA-Greater New York and people like you.
It can be difficult to maintain a sense of normalcy when routines are upended as they are now – especially when the lines between “home” and “work” are blurred.

Try beginning and ending your work day with a short walk outdoors, as if you’re commuting to and from the office. It will help your body know when to power on/off for the day. Just be sure to follow social distancing guidelines.
Make a positive impact in your community
by making a donation to VOA-Greater New York!

86 cents of every dollar raised goes directly to program services.