Students from P.S. 172 Beacon School of Excellence, were invited to participate in a Day of Service hosted by City Harvest in Sunset Park Brooklyn. City Harvest rescues perfectly good, nutritious food that would otherwise go to waste and delivers it for free to New Yorkers experiencing hunger. Over the past 40 years, they have rescued and distributed over one billion pounds of food for neighbors across the five boroughs who are struggling to put meals on the table. Students first were introduced to the mission and purpose of City Harvest and learned more about the food needs of our city. Students from Melissa Moreno’s class, have been learning about service-learning over the past few months in her classroom. To take it even further, Ms. Moreno also engaged students by taking them to pack 500 bags of apples at City Harvest. Those 500 apples will eventually go to 500 homes in need of fresh produce. To find out more about City Harvest and volunteer opportunities, visit their website.

Service in Schools High School Leadership Institute

High school students interested in becoming leaders while also serving the community can apply now for the Service in Schools Leadership Institute! The Leadership Institute is an exciting opportunity, powered by Service in Schools, for NYC public high school students in grades 10-12 to build their leadership skills and learn about issues affecting their community over the course of a five-day in-person Institute during spring break, from Monday, April 22 through Friday, April 26, and an in-person after-school session on May 9. The Leadership Institute culminates in the planning and implementation of a day-long Youth Service Summit for elementary school students in late May 2024. Participants will earn valuable service hours for their efforts. Learn more and complete the application by Monday, March 4 at 11:59pm. Email Service in Schools ServiceinSchools@schools.nyc.gov with questions.

Leadership Council

Are you a leader interested in making a difference in your community? NYC Youth Leadership Councils (YLCs), powered by NYC Service, offer a chance to share ideas, create solutions, and put them into action. Team up with teens from your neighborhood or school, meet new people who share your interests, and get support from adults to make your voice heard. Participants must be between the ages of 14 and 21, and must be in high school or an equivalency program. Signing up is easy, just log in to the NYC Service website and fill out an application! Don’t delay, submit your application today!

Big Brother Big Sister of NYC

Founded in 1904, Big Brothers Big Sisters of NYC (BBBS of NYC) is the nation’s first and the city's largest youth mentoring organization. Their mission is to build and support mentoring relationships to ignite the biggest possible futures for youth. This work is guided by their values: Put Youth First; Advance Diversity, Equity and Inclusion; Operate with Integrity; Engage with Empathy; and Invest in Learning and Innovation. By matching a caring adult mentor, a Big, with a New York City youth, a Little, they are inspiring the next generation of leaders. BBBS of NYC serves over 2,500 youths annually across all five boroughs, with 97% of Littles being promoted to the next grade and 93% of Littles accepted into college. To qualify, children must be between the ages of 7 and 16. Each match is also assigned a Program Manager to provide guidance and support throughout the year. Get involved by signing up on the Big brothers Big Sisters of NYC website.

Serve Neighbors Experiencing Hunger

Broadway Community is looking for volunteers to help prepare and distribute breakfast and lunch to hundreds of guests of their soup kitchen. Volunteers will also work with their chef and other volunteers to create elements of the lunch menu, wait and clean tables, and socialize with soup kitchens guests. Volunteers must be patient, compassionate, empathetic, able to lift 20lbs, and a team player. To volunteer, visit the Broadway Community, Inc. page on the NYC Service website.

Volunteer with Mount Sinai Morningside

Mount Sinai Morningside offers rewarding volunteer opportunities for youth that will allow them to help others and learn and grow individually through service. The summer Junior Medical Program and the year round Unit Support Volunteer program are excellent opportunities for students to engage in service while gaining experience in the medical field. Mount Sinai is seeking volunteers 15 years old and older who are dedicated to caring for individuals. Volunteers must also possess the desire to give their time and talents to positively impact the patient experience. Each volunteer has special skills and a unique contribution to make at MSM. Learn more and apply now on the Mount Sinai Morningside website.

Leif Ericson Park Cleanup with Parent-Child Relationship Association

Parent-Child Relationship Association (PCR) Park Cleanup volunteers help maintain the appearance, health, and safety of landscapes and features in public parks. Volunteers work to beautify park grounds by keeping lawns green, raking the leaves and litter-free, planting and tending the flowers and shrubs, and removing weeds. In an effort to keep the park safe, volunteers also maintain and make any repairs to park debris as needed. The Leif Ericson Park Cleanup with PCR occurs every Saturday in March. To volunteer, sign up on the NYC Service website. Contact volunteer.pcrnyc@gmail.com for questions.

Lower East Side Street Care

Work with NYC Parks Stewardship to care for local street trees! Volunteers will learn how to aerate, cultivate, mulch, and identify street trees. They will also learn about the important roles street trees play in New York City. Volunteers should dress in clothes that can get dirty and closed toe shoes. Space is limited and registration is required. Volunteers under 18 must be accompanied by a chaperone. This event has been funded in part by NYC Service. Register on the NYC Parks website, or to sign up a group of 10 or more volunteers, reach out to stewardship@parks.nyc.gov.

30 Service Projects For Kids

Service learning projects have become an important part of school culture, and for good reason. These activities get kids involved in their communities, developing a sense of generosity. We Are Teachers is a proud community of educators—3 million strong—who share ideas, resources, and stories of the amazing things happening in classrooms around the country. They have created a list of 30 Service Learning Projects that are ideal for kids of all ages, whether they’re working on their own, as a class, or with their families. Check out these resources and get inspired!

City Parks Foundation Grant

Looking for funding to activate a local park or open space? City Parks Foundation NYC Green Fund Grassroots grant program will provide funding support from $1,000 to $40,000 per year, along with the option of two-year funding for returning grantees, to better sustain projects long-term. The NYC Green Fund Grassroots grant program is intended to advance the viability of grassroots initiatives across parks and open spaces in all five boroughs and to foster a resilient network of equitable, public green spaces. Activate a local park or open space with a NYC Green Fund Grassroots grant! Learn everything you need to know about applying at an info session.

Does your school have a great service project to share? If so, the Service in Schools team wants to know!

Invite the Service in Schools team to visit your service project. We want to see your students and school community in action. Email the Service in Schools team at ServiceinSchools@schools.nyc.gov with two weeks’ notice, and we will schedule a visit to your school to learn about your project and see the impact you are making on the community. 

Visit our website. Follow @ServiceinSchools on Twitter and @ServiceinSchools on Instagram to receive program updates, upcoming service opportunities, resources, and more. We encourage students who use Twitter and Instagram and are interested in service opportunities to follow us.

Mission: Service in Schools strives to expand the number of NYC students engaged in transformative community service and service-learning experiences that enable them to use their voice, skills, and critical thinking to strengthen communities.