Storytime and Service

Repair the World

Date/Time: Sunday, May 5, 3–4:30 p.m.

Location: 808 Nostrand Avenue, Brooklyn. We will walk over together to the Service Site location at Brower Park Pollinator Garden.

Ages: Geared towards families with children 5–10 years old.

Time Commitment: One and a half hours.

Formerly the Family Service Corps, our Storytime and Service programming highlights learning about our justice issue areas, taking direct action to make change, and meeting other kids and families looking to spend the afternoon in community with one another. Each month will feature a new story that teaches us about our service activity for the day. 

This month, we will be venturing to one of our community garden partners, the Pollinator Garden with Friends of Brower Park, to take care of our earth together.

Contact: micali.morin@weRepair.org. Registration is available online. 

https://werepair.org/communities/brooklyn/

Family Volunteering at Brooklyn Book Bodega

Brooklyn Book Bodega

Date/Time: Saturday, May 18, 10 a.m.–noon.

Location: 141 Flushing Avenue, Suite 407, Brooklyn.

Ages: Families with children ten years old and older are welcome to volunteer. We cannot accommodate anyone younger than ten years old in this space.

Time Commitment: Two hours.

The mission of Brooklyn Book Bodega is to increase the number of 100+ book homes for kids 0–18 years old in NYC. During the volunteer shift, family members will work together to stamp and sort books that have been donated to Brooklyn Book Bodega for distribution in the community. Family Volunteering Day is an opportunity to help us increase literacy by stamping and sorting donated books intended for distribution – as a family! All volunteers must read and agree to our Volunteer Code of Conduct.

Contact: info@brooklynbookbodega.org. Registration is available online. Click the register button, and select the number of adult and child tickets you will need for you and your family. Spots are limited, so please register only if you can attend.

https://www.brooklynbookbodega.org/

MV4NY Environmental Stewardship and Park Beautification Day 

Muslim Volunteers for New York, Inc. 

Date/Time: Saturday, May 18, 10 a.m.–1 pm. The event will be held rain or shine.

Location: Ruppert Park on 2nd Avenue between 90th and 91st Streets, 

1741 2nd Avenue, NY.

Ages: All ages are welcome. Young children must be accompanied by an adult.

Time Commitment: Volunteers can work for any length of time between 10 a.m.–1 pm.

Muslim Volunteers for New York, Inc. is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization engaged in community service in NYC in the areas of education, environmental stewardship, alleviation of hunger and poverty, and health, wellness, and community. 

MV4NY is a “Partnering Steward” of Ruppert Park and is committed to helping restore this green space for the community. So please come and join us to beautify it. This is a free, family-friendly event involving raking, planting, mulching, painting, and more. You will be able to participate in eco-friendly Arts and Crafts, enjoy complimentary refreshments, get free giveaways, and much more. Students will receive community service letters upon request. 

There are limited spots so please register by May 10 to secure your spot! 

Contact: Mubeen Siddiqui, mubeen@mv4ny.org, or Sahar Husain, sahar@mv4ny.org. Registration is available online.

www.MV4NY.org

Serve a Hot Meal to the Homeless

Manhattan Church of Christ

Date/Time: Saturday, May 25, 9 a.m.–noon.

Location: Manhattan Church of Christ, 48 East 80th Street.

Ages: Everyone can participate.

Time Commitment: Varies.

The Saturday Lunch Program provides hot meals to people experiencing homelessness with dignity and compassion. All shifts are family-friendly. Volunteers help set up, prepare, and serve meals, then break down and clean up. If any volunteers would like to arrive early to help prepare the food, please contact Rev. Carl in advance. 

Contact: To sign up, please contact Reverend Carl Garrison at carl@manhattanchurch.org.

https://www.manhattanchurch.org/coh

Thursday Night Meal Program

Rutgers Presbyterian Church

Date/Time: Thursday evenings from 5–6:45 p.m. all year round.

Location: 236 W. 73rd Street NY. Meet on the steps of the church.

Ages: Families with middle school-aged children and older are welcome to volunteer. Community Service hours are available for young people.

Time Commitment: One hour and forty-five minutes each week.

Rutgers is a progressive Presbyterian Church where all are welcome (including dogs in the service). It is an active church with an outstanding music program that reaches out to the neighborhood and the world for peace and social justice. The church has been providing food to the community in various ways for close to 40 years. We now serve between 80 and 120 guests each Thursday night rain or shine, 52 weeks a year. Our guests include those who are under-housed (e.g., renting a room) and those with no housing. While we often have new arrivals, including families of newcomers to NYC, there is a sense of community among many of our guests.

We provide a choice of ham and cheese, turkey, or vegetarian sandwiches which are made by the deli at West End and 72nd Street. They also give us bananas. In addition, we provide bottled water and other snacks to our guests. We celebrate holidays with special food and/or gifts. From Thanksgiving to March we provide a container of hot food in addition to the sandwiches. Volunteer cooks make these meals for a month in a ‘cook-off’ in the church’s kitchen and then freeze the meals. Cooks are welcome at these events.

Contact: Janara Kellerman, Executive Assistant to the Pastor, at kellerman@rutgerschurch.org.

https://www.rutgerschurch.org

Drive the Difference: Saturday Volunteering for the Whole Family! 

Grassroots Grocery 

Date/Time: Every Saturday! We need both volunteer packers to unload, pack, and sort groceries and volunteer drivers to pick up and drop off food at community sites in their own vehicles. You can choose to be one or both! Packing and sorting runs from 9–10:30 a.m., and then drivers with cars go on to deliver produce to a community in need.

Location: The meeting point is at 1750 East Gun Hill Road, Bronx, NY, in the Urban Edge shopping center parking lot. (Behind the Dunkin Donuts.) Families doing a delivery will receive a pre-assigned address in Harlem or the Bronx before the start of the event.

Ages: Everyone is welcome to volunteer.

Time Commitment: Depends on the activity you choose.

Join fellow neighbors on a Saturday to sort, pack, and deliver fresh produce to New Yorkers in need! Grassroots Grocery rescues excess, unsold produce from the biggest produce market in the United States, and their growing volunteer task force delivers this bounty to over 25 communities in need, ensuring that fresh and healthy produce makes its way to neighbors in need that other food assistance programs don't reach. Great for families and folks of all ages, you can be the fuel that powers this neighbors-helping-neighbors hunger-fighting mission! Join fellow neighbors on a Saturday to sort, pack, and deliver fresh produce to New Yorkers in need!

Contact: dan@grassrootsgrocery.org. Registration is available online.

https://www.grassrootsgrocery.org

Meal Delivery to Homebound Neighbors

Citymeals on Wheels

Date/Time: Monday–Saturday.

Location: Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx

Ages: Everyone can volunteer. Those younger than 17 years old must be accompanied by an adult.

Time Commitment: Three hours.

Citymeals on Wheels provides a continuous lifeline of nourishing meals and vital companionship for homebound older adult New Yorkers. Individual volunteers help us ensure our meal recipients never go a day without nourishing meals and vital companionship. Other volunteer opportunities include Friendly Visiting, handmade cards, Senior Script, and kitchen help. Learn more here. 

Contact: volunteer@citymeals.org.

https://www.citymeals.org

Birthday, Holiday & Caring Cardmaking

DOROT

Date/Time: Ongoing project.

Location: Mail your cards and a Cardmaking Project Information Form to:

DOROT

171 West 85th Street

New York, NY 10024

Attn: Card Making Project

Ages: Everyone can participate.

Time Commitment: Varies.

DOROT is a nonprofit organization addressing the challenges of an aging population. We serve our clients with a diverse range of programs and services. We deliver those programs and services through intergenerational connections with volunteers of all ages. DOROT’s greeting card project helps bring joy and celebration to some of our frailest and most isolated seniors. DOROT always needs birthday cards which we send to over 3,000 older adults each year. Sometimes, a card from a DOROT volunteer is the only communication an older adult receives to acknowledge their special day. We also welcome cards for Thanksgiving, Rosh Hashanah, and Passover holidays as well as Caring Cards which we can use on a variety of occasions. Every card is designed and created by volunteers. Making a card is an easy, fun, and important way to contribute to the work that we do to decrease social isolation. Whether you’re looking for something to do on a rainy day or planning an activity for your synagogue youth group, all you need is a bit of paper, a few pens, and a little imagination. Be sure to use colored paper for the outside, but white for the inside to make it easier to read. The card you create should be able to fit into a 6x9 standard envelope. This is the type DOROT uses to mail out the cards to our seniors. Write in large block (print) letters. As people get older, many have a hard time reading small print. Click here for cardmaking tips and directions.

Contact: info@dorotusa.org, 212.769.2850.

https://www.dorotusa.org/

Raise a Puppy and Be a Hero

Canine Companions

Date/Time: Ongoing opportunity.

Location: Nationwide. Remote volunteering is an option.

Ages: Please note: If you are under the age of 18, you must have a parent or legal guardian fill out the application and you can sign on as a co-applicant. 

Time Commitment: 14-18 months (flexible).

Canine Companions is a national nonprofit organization that provides expertly trained service dogs and a lifetime of follow-up services – completely free of charge – to children, adults, and veterans with disabilities so they can lead lives with greater independence. Canine Companions volunteer puppy raisers provide purpose-bred puppies a safe home, take them to puppy classes, serve up a healthy diet, provide socialization opportunities, and give lots of love. Each hour spent caring for a Canine Companions puppy is vital to their development as a future service dog. Our puppy-raising program provides a unique opportunity for families to volunteer to assist with our very important mission. As a volunteer puppy raiser, we ask that you meet the following requirements: 

• Provide a safe environment for a puppy who will be the only dog under 12 months old in your home. 
• Work closely with Canine Companions to monitor the puppy’s progress and submit monthly reports. 
• Attend an average of two Canine Companions-approved classes per month. 
• Teach the puppy manners and basic skills. 
• Responsible for the puppy’s food, veterinary expenses, and puppy classes. 
• Transport the dog to the regional training center at the projected turn-in time. 
• Feed the puppy a diet recommended by Canine Companions. 
• Utilize a kennel or crate for sleeping indoors. 
• Provide the puppy with age-appropriate socialization opportunities, such as public outings and veterinary appointments. 
• Keep the puppy on a leash at all times, unless supervised in a securely fenced area. 
• Supervise the puppy throughout the day. 

Contact: nerpuppy@canine.org. Email us or sign up by visiting Canine.org and filling out a puppy-raising application request.

Canine.org

Share Your Surplus Garden Harvest

AmpleHarvest.org

Date/Time: Ongoing.

Location: Your own garden or find a community garden near you.

Ages: All ages can participate, depending on the garden or farm.

Time Commitment: Varies.

Do you like to garden? One out of six children in America lives in a food-insecure home, meaning their parents don't know where their next meal will come from. No matter where you live, there are people in your community that are experiencing hunger. Food pantries can help fill in the gaps but are continuously lacking in healthy, fresh produce to offer. Luckily, you can help alleviate this issue in your own neighborhood! By planting just a little extra to donate, you can improve the health of your community as well. When you donate your surplus garden bounty, you are helping to relieve hunger and making an impact on obesity and other food-related diseases. Consider planting an extra row or even a few additional plants to donate to a local food pantry. And if you find yourself with a runaway zucchini plant or another bountiful crop that gives you more than you can eat, don't let it go to waste! Even a small donation will help increase food security in your area. 

Ampleharvest.org is pleased to partner with Bonnie Plants “Grow More Feed More” initiative and Home Depot's “Donate Your Harvest” initiative. Bonnie Plants will donate 5% of online sales to Ampleharvest.org. Click here for more information on Grow More Feed More and to order your plants online. Home Depot supports Ampleharvest.org with its Donate Your Harvest initiative. Click here for links to gardening helpful hints, plants and supplies, and locations on harvest drop-off locations in your area.

Contact: You can find one of more than 8,000 food pantries in all 50 states (and on Native American Reservations too!) eager for your help by clicking here.

www.ampleharvest.org