October 2020 NYC Family Volunteer Opportunities

October 2020 - NYC Meal Deliveries Citymeals on Wheels Date/Time: Monday - Friday ongoing, 9am - noon Location: Manhattan, Queens, or the Bronx Ages: Families with children of all ages are welcome to participate. Volunteers under 18 MUST be accompanied by an adult. Time Commitment: Three hours Citymeals on Wheels provides a continuous lifeline of nourishing meals and vital companionship to New York City's homebound elderly. Working in partnership with community-based organizations and senior centers, Citymeals prepares and delivers over 2 million weekend, holiday and emergency meals to more than 18,000 of our frail aged neighbors each year. Last year, more than 26,000 individuals volunteered over 90,000 hours of their time to Citymeals' mission. Volunteers are needed to deliver meals to homebound seniors' homes.  Deliveries are done on foot or using your own vehicle.   Contact: Sheila Clay, sheila@citymeals.org, or Vivienne O'Neill, vivienne@citymeals.org www.citymeals.org Handmade Card Project Citymeals on Wheels Date/Time: Ongoing need Location: Send your cards to: Liz Cantillo Citymeals on Wheels 309 Drake Street Bronx, NY 10474 Please list the number of cards on the outside of the envelope and write Handmade Card Project on the envelope. Inside the envelope, on a separate piece of paper, please write your full name, the name of your group, organization or company (if applicable), and your email or mailing address so that we may thank you for your support. Ages: Everyone can participate Time Commitment: Varies Citymeals works with student, community and corporate groups all over the city to craft handmade cards that brighten the days of isolated older New Yorkers. Each year, hundreds of students from local schools decorate cards for their homebound elderly neighbors to be delivered along with meals or food packages. Last year they created 76,106 cards. Please join us in reminding our frail aged neighbors they haven't been forgotten. Showing you care can be as simple as making a thoughtful card. Learn more here. Contact: Sheila Clay, sheila@citymeals.org www.citymeals.org Halloween Candy Give Back Operation Gratitude Date/Time: Collect your donations in October Location: Candy donations should be shipped no later than November 13 to: OG Candy Processing Center ATTN: Halloween Candy 8967 Oso Ave - Building D Chatsworth, CA 91311 Ages: Everyone can participate Time Commitment: Varies Operation Gratitude's mission is to lift the spirits and meet the evolving needs of our First Responder, U.S. Military Active Duty, Veteran, and Wounded Hero communities. We also seek to provide volunteer opportunities for all Americans to express their appreciation for these deserving Heroes through hands-on volunteerism, such as collection drives, letter writing campaigns, handcrafted "Made with Love" projects, and care package assembly events. The Operation Gratitude Halloween Candy Give-Back Program has been connecting communities with Military and First Responder Heroes each fall since 2007. While Halloween may look a little different this year, Operation Gratitude and our incredible volunteers are committed to continuing to give back in meaningful ways. You and your family can help by collecting and donating candy. Click here for more information about Candy Give-Back donation guidelines. Contact: candy@operationgratitude.org. This year, candy donors are asked to sign-up to participate. We will be sharing important information and updates via email that you'll need throughout the candy season. Click here to sign your family up to participate. If you'd like to participate as part of a larger group, sign-up here. https://www.operationgratitude.com/ Donate Halloween Costumes The Halloween Helpers Date/Time: Costumes are accepted year-round Location: Mail costumes to: 414 Penn Rd. Wynnewood, PA 19096 Ages: Everyone can participate Time Commitment: Varies Even if Halloween will look a little different this year, let's try and make it fun and special for kids and those in need! The Halloween Helpers distributes new and previously-enjoyed Halloween costumes to children in need throughout the world. We collect all sizes and styles (but not adult in content). All we ask is that each costume be individually bagged in a clear baggie, with a label on each identifying the gender (if relevant), type or style of costume and size. All costumes must be complete because what is a princess without her crown? Contact: info@thehalloweenhelpers.com http://www.thehalloweenhelpers.com/  Dear New York Food Bank for New York City Date/Time: Ongoing project Location: Online activities Ages: Everyone can participate - great for both kids and adults! Time Commitment: Varies, volunteers can receive one hour of service for every three letters sent to our Community Kitchen and Pantry. During this challenging time, a kind note can make a huge impact! While we cannot currently accept volunteer assistance on site at our Community Kitchen, we are continuing to distribute emergency pantry bags to New Yorkers in need, and we are seeking volunteers to write brief notes to show our neighbors that we care. Thousands of clients visit our network of sites each week, so every note helps and the need is ongoing! Send one, or send a group mailed together! Since this program launched at the end of April, we have been grateful to receive over 2000 letters from volunteers across the country! We want to ensure every client can leave our Community Kitchen & Pantry with a personalized note during this difficult time, and we need more volunteer support to help make that happen! Write a brief note today to show a fellow New Yorker you care. See our online toolkit for details on how to get started. Looking for more ways to make a difference? Check out the Food Bank's "Spread Love: A Kids + Teens Guide to Supporting Food Bank's COVID-19 Response."  Contact: Volunteer Engagement Team, volunteer@foodbanknyc.org foodbanknyc.org Send Kindness to an Elder Letters of Love - Love for Our Elders Date/Time: Anytime and as often as you'd like Location: Mail cards to: Love for Our Elders P. O. Box 24248 Cleveland, OH 44124 Ages: Everyone can help Time Commitment: Varies Love for Our Elders is committed to fostering a sense of belonging and hope in our older, often vulnerable generation. One way they are doing this is through Letters of Love: collecting cards and mailing these to elders in senior communities across the globe. These include nursing homes, assisted living facilities, hospices, and senior centers. During the COVID-19 pandemic, it's more important than ever to fight loneliness with love for our elders. Please follow these letter writing guidelines: Letters must be legible (large print) and handwritten. Avoid religion. Please refrain from including anything religious in your letters, such as religious quotes, words like "God," etc. Exclude the date (day, month, and year). Embrace creativity! Recipients love it when the letters are personal. We encourage you to make your letters detailed, thoughtful and heartfelt. Be kind and thoughtful (more than talking about yourself). This is a one-way letter exchange, meaning you will not receive a letter back, so remember that no reciprocation attached is part of the beauty of your act of kindness, and the recipients don't feel burdened by feeling obligated or being unable to respond. Envelope your letters if you can! It's so much nicer to open up an enveloped card, don't you think? If you're sending more than 1 letter, leave your enveloped letters unsealed and unstamped and put them in a larger envelope or box to send. Share your act of kindness! Tag @loveforourelders Send as many cards as you'd like! Letters are accepted year-round, so there's no deadline for when you must send them by. Learn more here. Contact: https://loveforourelders.org/contact https://loveforourelders.org Virtual Peer-to-Peer Mentorship Program Including You Date/Time: Ongoing Location: Virtual Ages: Middle and high school students (ages 11-17) Time Commitment: Varies, but student mentors can expect to spend about one hour a week engaged in Including You mentorship activities and training sessions.  Including You is a peer-to-peer mentoring organization that celebrates inclusion and brings student volunteers together with kids who have developmental or physical disabilities or who face educational disparities due to poverty. After going through training, Including You student mentors will be paired with another student in need of support. Each week, the students will meet over Zoom, FaceTime, or a phone call and will get to know each other, work on homework, and do fun activities like trying out new recipes, learning TikTok dances, or reading together - all while building a lasting friendship. Contact: joinus@includingyou.org IncludingYou.org Virtual Fall Teen Internship Program DOROT Date/Time: Program runs from mid-October through the week of December 14. Location: Virtually, over ZOOM and by telephone Ages: High school students, grades 9 - 12. Time Commitment: One afternoon per week, Monday - Thursday. Interns volunteer for one and one-half to two hours depending on the activity. DOROT is a nonprofit organization addressing the challenges of an aging population. We deliver our programs and services through intergenerational connections with volunteers of all ages. Teen interns will choose one of the following options: Friendly Visits Visit with a DOROT elder once each week via zoom or telephone with a Teen Intern partner, and make a difference in their lives and yours. Bridge the generational gap through conversations, exploration of common interests and companionship. Interns can also play chess during friendly visits with older adults. There is a group orientation on the first day. Choose one afternoon per week: Mondays - Thursdays, 4 - 5:30pm Monday visit start date: October 19 Tuesday visit start date: October 13 Wednesday visit start date: October 14 Thursday visit start date: October 15 Intergenerational Discussion Group A group of 10 teen interns will plan, lead and participate in a weekly, intergenerational discussion group via zoom with older adults on topical issues. Bridge the gap between the generations through open conversation that engages all involved. Thursdays, 4:30 - 6:30pm Discussion group start date: Thursday, October 8, teen orientation. First session with older adults is Thursday October 15. Intergenerational Art with Nancy Katz Join a group of 10 teen interns and 10 older adults for an exploration through art of our current times.  Get to know one another while working with mixed media - paper, wood and color.  All art supplies will be provided by mail. No previous art experience required. Participants will work together online. Wednesdays, 4:45pm - 6pm Art program start date: Wednesday, October 14, teen orientation. First session with older adults is Wednesday, October 21. Contact: Read more information and fill out the application on our website, dorotusa.org/fallteenapp. A zoom group interview is required. Contact Quinn at qlockwood@dorotusa.org with questions. Applications for this program will be accepted on a rolling basis until October 6. https://dorotusa.org/  Check out our featured Project of the Month!   EXPLORE our growing list of at-home projects you can do whenever you're ready, each with conversation starters, book ideas, and more! Follow along on social media as other families tackle this month's projects and share their stories! Simply join our Facebook group or find us on Instagram (@doinggoodtogether and #sharekindness)   Raise an Upstander with DGT's Big-Hearted Tools    It's never too early (or too late) to start big-hearted conversations with your children about the power of kindness and the importance of upstanding for others. We have tools to help parents engage with children about tough topics, including this eBook with one-of-a-kind worksheets, conversation starters, and a kindness challenge to help your whole family practice being "upstanders." Available for just $4.99 in our online store or free to members in our Membership Circle.        If you received this email from someone else and would like to subscribe, please click here. This list was compiled by Doing Good Together™ (www.doinggoodtogether.org)  When calling to volunteer for any of the opportunities listed above, please let the coordinator know you found it through this listing. You are encouraged to ask any questions you may have of the sponsoring organization before committing to a project. Disclaimer: This list is provided as a service to families. Inclusion of organizations in this listing does not imply affiliation, endorsement or quality assurance on the part of Doing Good Together.™ Doing Good Together™ bears no responsibility whatsoever for the activities and actions of the listed organizations.                                                                                                                                                                                    © 2020 Doing Good Together™

September 2020 NYC Family Volunteer Opportunities

September 2020 - NYC Meal Deliveries Citymeals on Wheels Date/Time: Monday - Friday ongoing, 9am - noon Location: Manhattan, Queens, or the Bronx Ages: Families with children of all ages are welcome to participate. Volunteers under 18 MUST be accompanied by an adult. Time Commitment: Three hours Citymeals on Wheels provides a continuous lifeline of nourishing meals and vital companionship to New York City's homebound elderly. Working in partnership with community-based organizations and senior centers, Citymeals prepares and delivers over 2 million weekend, holiday and emergency meals to more than 18,000 of our frail aged neighbors each year. Last year, more than 26,000 individuals volunteered over 90,000 hours of their time to Citymeals' mission. Volunteers are needed to deliver meals to homebound seniors' homes.  Deliveries are done on foot or using your own vehicle.   Contact: Sheila Clay, sheila@citymeals.org, or Vivienne O'Neill, vivienne@citymeals.org www.citymeals.org Handmade Card Project Citymeals on Wheels Date/Time: Ongoing need Location: Send your cards to: Liz Cantillo Citymeals on Wheels 309 Drake Street Bronx, NY 10474 Please list the number of cards on the outside of the envelope and write Handmade Card Project on the envelope. Inside the envelope, on a separate piece of paper, please write your full name, the name of your group, organization or company, and your email or mailing address so that we may thank you for your support. Ages: Everyone can participate Time Commitment: Varies Citymeals works with student, community and corporate groups all over the city to craft handmade cards that brighten the days of isolated older New Yorkers. Each year, hundreds of students from local schools decorate cards for their homebound elderly neighbors to be delivered along with meals or food packages. Last year they created 76,106 cards. Please join us in reminding our frail aged neighbors they haven't been forgotten. Showing you care can be as simple as making a thoughtful card. Learn more here. Contact: Sheila Clay, sheila@citymeals.org www.citymeals.org Thank the Frontline Banner Project New York Says Thank You Foundation Date/Time: Throughout the month of September Location: From home Ages: Everyone can participate Time Commitment: Less than an hour Stars of HOPE is the world's largest and fastest-growing healing arts program. Started by New York Says Thank You Foundation in 2007, Stars of HOPE empowers people of all ages to transform individuals and communities in need of hope through the power of art and messages of healing. Families can create paper stars or digital stars from home that will be brought together to create banners to thank the frontline workers. People can send or email us their star picture and we will create the banner for a local hospital, EMT, Firehouse. If someone has family members in a hospital, we would gladly send the banner to their location. Contact: Fran Sheff-Mauer, fran@starsofhopeusa.org. Sign-up online at https://starsofhopeusa.org/digital-stars/ https://starsofhopeusa.org/ DOROT 9/11 Day of Service and Remembrance Cardmaking Program DOROT Date/Time: At your convenience Location: Mail your completed cards with a DOROT Cardmaking form to: DOROT Attn: 9/11 Day of Service Cardmaking Program 171 West 85th Street New York, NY 10024 Ages: Everyone can participate Time Commitment: Varies DOROT invites volunteers of all ages to join us in expressing gratitude and appreciation to our nation's veterans for their service. Even as we face an unprecedented health crisis, we can come together with other Americans to honor 9/11 and commemorate the tragedy through volunteer service. Make cards for veterans that offer reflection, thanks and heartfelt wishes for a better tomorrow. We welcome cards from across the country and from individual volunteers and community groups. Please make greeting cards using these guidelines: 9/11 Day of Service Cardmaking Guidelines. Contact: volunteers@dorotusa.org www.dorotusa.org Dear New York Food Bank for New York City Date/Time: Ongoing project Location: Online activities Ages: Everyone can participate - great for both kids and adults! Time Commitment: Varies, volunteers can receive one hour of service for every three letters sent to our Community Kitchen and Pantry. During this challenging time, a kind note can make a huge impact! While we cannot currently accept volunteer assistance on site at our Community Kitchen, we are continuing to distribute emergency pantry bags to New Yorkers in need, and we are seeking volunteers to write brief notes to show our neighbors that we care. Thousands of clients visit our network of sites each week, so every note helps and the need is ongoing! Send one, or send a group mailed together! Since this program launched at the end of April, we have been grateful to receive over 2000 letters from volunteers across the country! We want to ensure every client can leave our Community Kitchen & Pantry with a personalized note during this difficult time, and we need more volunteer support to help make that happen! Write a brief note today to show a fellow New Yorker you care. See our online toolkit for details on how to get started. Looking for more ways to make a difference? Check out the Food Bank's "Spread Love: A Kids + Teens Guide to Supporting Food Bank's COVID-19 Response."  Contact: Volunteer Engagement Team, volunteer@foodbanknyc.org foodbanknyc.org Playdates with a Purpose Repair the World Date/Time: Tuesday, September 15,  11 - 11:40am Location: Zoom link sent upon registration Ages: Recommended for 3-7 year olds, younger and older siblings are welcome! Time Commitment: Under an hour It's back-to-school time, and we're excited to launch our at-home packaging projects with September school supply kits. Playdates with a Purpose includes facilitated play, service and learning around issues of equity, created especially for children age 3 - 7! Join us on Zoom to play, serve and learn. Generously made possible by PJ Library, a program of the Harold Grinspoon Foundation. Contact: Registration is available online. https://werepair.org/ Virtual Intergenerational Chess DOROT Date/Time: Mondays, 4 - 5:30pm. Programs meets weekly from October 5 - December 14. Location: Online. Virtual chess platform. Ages: Middle school and high school students, grades 6 - 12. Time Commitment: One and one-half hours per week   DOROT is a nonprofit organization addressing the challenges of an aging population. We deliver our programs and services through intergenerational connections with volunteers of all ages. Strengthen your skills and make a friend across the chess board! DOROT's Intergenerational After School Chess program fosters a setting where wisdom and curiosity meet face-to-face, building mutually beneficial relationships in the process. This fall, join DOROT older adults once a week to play chess while also getting to know each other over a virtual platform. DOROT partners with Chess NYC to offer direct teaching by a chess master. Students must be familiar with the game of chess. Intergenerational Chess at DOROT is sponsored by the Targoff family and friends. Contact: Read more information and fill out the application on our website, dorotusa.org/chess. An interview is required to participate in this program. Contact Quinn at qlockwood@dorotusa.org with questions. Applications for this program will open the week of September 7 https://dorotusa.org/  Virtual Fall Teen Internship Program DOROT Date/Time: Program runs from mid-October through the week of December 14. Applications open on the DOROT website the week of September 7. Location: Virtually, over ZOOM and by telephone Ages: High school students, grades 9 - 12. Time Commitment: One afternoon per week, Monday - Thursday. Interns volunteer for one and one-half to two hours depending on the activity. DOROT is a nonprofit organization addressing the challenges of an aging population. We deliver our programs and services through intergenerational connections with volunteers of all ages. Teen interns will choose one of the following options: Friendly Visits Visit with a DOROT elder once each week via zoom or telephone with a Teen Intern partner, and make a difference in their lives and yours. Bridge the generational gap through conversations, exploration of common interests and companionship. Interns can also play chess during friendly visits with older adults. There is a group orientation on the first day. Choose one afternoon per week: Mondays - Thursdays, 4 - 5:30pm Monday visit start date: October 19 Tuesday visit start date: October 13 Wednesday visit start date: October 14 Thursday visit start date: October 15 Intergenerational Discussion Group A group of 10 teen interns will plan, lead and participate in a weekly, intergenerational discussion group via zoom with older adults on topical issues. Bridge the gap between the generations through open conversation that engages all involved. Thursdays, 4:30 - 6:30pm Discussion group start date: Thursday, October 8, teen orientation. First session with older adults is Thursday October 15. Intergenerational Art with Nancy Katz Join a group of 10 teen interns and 10 older adults for an exploration through art of our current times.  Get to know one another while working with mixed media - paper, wood and color.  All art supplies will be provided by mail. No previous art experience required. Participants will work together online. Wednesdays, 4:45pm - 6pm Art program start date: Wednesday, October 14, teen orientation. First session with older adults is Wednesday, October 21. Contact: Read more information and fill out the application on our website, dorotusa.org/fallteenapp. A zoom group interview is required. Contact Quinn at qlockwood@dorotusa.org with questions. Applications for this program will open the week of September 7. https://dorotusa.org/  Make a Blanket Project Linus Date/Time: Make blankets on your own at any time Location: Click here to find a chapter near you Ages: Everyone can participate Time Commitment: Varies Project Linus provides comfort to children who are sick, traumatized, or otherwise in need through the gift of a handmade blanket. Our blankets are lovingly made by adults and children from all walks of life, working individually or as a family or group.  No previous craft experience is required. Click here to learn how to make no-sew fleece blankets. The need for blankets continues and in fact may be greater now than ever before. However dropping blankets off at blanket drop-off sites has become more of a challenge as some stores and locations may have temporarily closed. Others that remain open may have temporarily removed our drop off bins due to COVID-19 concerns. In addition, some locations such as shelters and hospitals for which we supply blankets have placed restrictions on what our chapter coordinators can distribute to them. Please contact your local chapter coordinator to see what specific blanket needs they have before you make your blankets. Be sure to ask if they are accepting blanket donations now and if so, where they should be dropped off. All blankets must be new, handmade, washable, and smoke-free Materials used (fleece, fabric, yarn, etc.) should be new and odor-free.  All colors and patterns suitable for children are fine.  We accept tied fleece blankets, knitted and crocheted afghans, quilts, tied comforters, sewn receiving blankets, and any other kind of handmade blanket.  Please keep materials and blankets away from pets! The best sizes for blankets are between 30" x 30" and 40" x 60" but we accept any blanket in sizes suitable for infants through teenagers. Contact: Click here to find your local chapter. https://www.projectlinus.org/ Youth Service America #DoGoodFromHome Challenge and 9/11 Day At Home YSA has partnered with Design for Change and Hasbro to call on kids and teens to use their compassion and creativity to do acts of good from home. For every kind act shared through the #DoGoodFromHome Challenge, Hasbro will donate up to 25,000 toys and games to organizations providing care to the children of COVID-19 essential workers. Check out daily activities that you can do from the safety of your home. Download this toolkit with easy instructions, podcasts and activities for your students and children. Engage kids in learning more about COVID-19 and challenge them to be changemakers in their community. Take a picture or video, share it on social media using #DoGoodFromHome and challenge others! YSA is also proud to partner with the 9/11 Day organization to launch 9/11 Day At Home, a nationwide day of virtual volunteering, planned for the upcoming September 11 National Day of Service and Remembrance. We encourage you and your school or organization to participate. Request a free toolkit now at 911DayAtHome.org. This innovative initiative will provide a wide range of safe and relatively easy "good deeds" that your staff, constituencies, and supporters can do from home for #911Day. More than 30 nonprofits that have joined with us and 9/11 Day to help us build this amazing good deed list (to be unveiled at 911day.org on Sept 11) including our fellow national program leaders, World Central Kitchen, Points of Light, United Way, and the Corporation for National and Community Service. Now more than ever we need this moment to remember the importance of unity, and inspire Americans to dedicate time to helping those most in need. That's how we all keep the promise to #NeverForget. Check out our featured Project of the Month!   EXPLORE our growing list of at-home projects you can do whenever you're ready, each with conversation starters, book ideas, and more! Follow along on social media as other families tackle this month's projects and share their stories! Simply join our Facebook group or find us on Instagram (@doinggoodtogether and #sharekindness)   Share simple kindness tips with families in your school, faith group or organization. Let's encourage more kindness in the world with free kindness and service ideas! Does your organization have a newsletter or website geared to families? Our new set of Service and Smiles kindness tips (one for each week of the school year) can provide an uplifting opportunity for social-emotional development during times of hybrid and distance-learning. You'll find service projects, kindness cues, and other simple ideas that teach children about giving, caring, and compassion - and how to take action - right from their own homes. It's free - just acknowledge Doing Good Together as the source! To sign up, visit our Service and Smiles web page.       If you received this email from someone else and would like to subscribe, please click here. This list was compiled by Doing Good Together™ (www.doinggoodtogether.org)  When calling to volunteer for any of the opportunities listed above, please let the coordinator know you found it through this listing. You are encouraged to ask any questions you may have of the sponsoring organization before committing to a project. Disclaimer: This list is provided as a service to families. Inclusion of organizations in this listing does not imply affiliation, endorsement or quality assurance on the part of Doing Good Together.™ Doing Good Together™ bears no responsibility whatsoever for the activities and actions of the listed organizations.                                                                                                                                                                                    © 2020 Doing Good Together™

August 2020 NYC Family Volunteer Opportunities

August 2020 - NYC Dear New York Food Bank For New York City Date/Time: Ongoing project Location: Online activities Ages: Everyone can participate - great for both kids and adults! Time Commitment: Varies, volunteers can receive one hour of service for every three letters sent to our Community Kitchen and Pantry During this challenging time, a kind note can make a huge impact! While we cannot currently accept volunteer assistance on site at our Community Kitchen, we are continuing to distribute emergency pantry bags to New Yorkers in need, and we are seeking volunteers to write brief notes to show our neighbors that we care. Thousands of clients visit our network of sites each week, so every note helps and the need is ongoing! Send one, or send a group mailed together! Since this program launched at the end of April, we have been grateful to receive over 2000 letters from volunteers across the country! We want to ensure every client can leave our Community Kitchen & Pantry with a personalized note during this difficult time, and we need more volunteer support to help make that happen! Write a brief note today to show a fellow New Yorker you care. See our online toolkit for details on how to get started. Looking for more ways to make a difference? Check out the Food Bank's "Spread Love: A Kids + Teens Guide to Supporting Food Bank's COVID-19 Response." Contact: Volunteer Engagement Team, volunteer@foodbanknyc.org foodbanknyc.org Love Rocks Kindness Rocks Project Date/Time: Anytime Location: Create at home Ages: Everyone can participate Time Commitment: Varies Have you ever found yourself walking down the street only to have a pop of color catch your eye? What's that? A rock. A colorful rock. With something nice on it that just made your day. This is a great family-friendly project to get those creative juices flowing while spreading some kindness. Supplies: Rocks! Preferably smooth river rocks, but any rocks of any size and color will do! Acrylic paint - bold bright colors and/or solid dark colors hold up best Paint brushes - various sizes Cup of water Newspaper or plastic drop cloth Acrylic paint pens (not necessary, but certainly fun!) Stencils (not necessary, but helpful!) Sealant - https://rockpainting101.com/best-sealer-painted-rocks/ Click here for more information on making your rocks. Then go ahead and share your rocks. Share photos of your rocks on social media at #thekindnessrocksproject. Then you can hide your rocks in your yard or when you take a walk for people to spot, or put them along your sidewalk for people to take and hide themselves. Make sure that you seal your rocks well. You want them to hold up to the elements until they are found. Never glue embellishments to rocks you plan on hiding. While they are beautiful, these additions are terrible for the environment and the animals. No matter how strong you think that glue is, a squirrel is going to be able to pick it off. Stick to paint on any rock you plan on hiding. Be kind. These rocks are meant to make people happy, so their phrases should always be positive. Stay clear of negative thoughts, bad language, or anything inappropriate. You never know who is going to find the rocks. Place your rocks in open spaces, not in places that will disturb nature or damage a lawnmower. Contact: thekindnessrocksproject@gmail.com https://www.thekindnessrocksproject.com/ Make Lemons into Lemonade for Kids with Cancer Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation (ALSF) Lemonade Days Date/Time: August 1 - 9 Location: Your community Ages: Everyone can participate Time Commitment: Varies Lemonade Days is an annual tradition at Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation which celebrates their founder, Alex Scott, and her call to ask everyone to join the fight against childhood cancer. Although 2020 presents unique challenges to the tradition of holding lemonade stands, kids with cancer still need our help - now more than ever. You and your kids can join ALSF from August 1 - 9 by picking a day (or days) to host a virtual or social-distancing friendly fundraiser.   Contact: Registration is available online. Once registration is complete, you'll be connected with a coach (by email) to answer your questions and provide ideas and resources to make your event a sweet success. https://www.alexslemonade.org/ #MyDearFriend Kind Note Writing Glamourgals Foundation Inc. Date/Time: Ongoing Location: Your home Ages: Everyone can participate Time Commitment: Varies GlamourGals brings community connections to seniors by building leadership skills in teens. Senior isolation is at 100%. In an effort to combat COVID-19, senior homes across the country are limiting visitations leaving residents increasingly isolated. Now more than ever we need your support! Through the forward thinking and passionate action of our network, GlamourGals is facilitating safe and helpful way for our volunteers to continue to connect with seniors. Tips for Writing Cards: Address it as "To My Dear Friend." This will allow senior home employees to give cards to any senior. Write in big letters and clear handwriting. We want the seniors to be able to read them easily on their own. Be creative, personal, and kind. Many may have absolutely no visitors. Remind them that they are loved, someone is thinking of them, and share how you are feeling now. What do you think about to cheer yourself up? Host a virtual card writing party with your friends and mail the cards to a senior home near you. Contact us for more information and information for a senior home looking for cards, or fill out this form, upload your kind notes, and GlamourGals will digitally send your kind note to an isolated senior. Click here for more information. Contact:  Rachel@glamourgals.org, https://www.glamourgals.org/ Paracord Bracelets Operation Gratitude Date/Time: Ongoing opportunity Location: Ship your bracelets to: Operation Gratitude ATTN: Paracord Bracelet Program 9409 Owensmouth Avenue Chatsworth, CA 91311 Ages: Everyone can participate Time Commitment: Varies Operation Gratitude will be sending out 15,000 Deployed Troop Care Packages this summer, and they need volunteers to help resupply their stock of these cherished bracelets. Paracord gets its name from parachute cord and can hold up to 550 lbs. of weight. The bracelet provides 7.5 feet of cord in an emergency. Paracord "Survival" Bracelets can be used to: Secure camouflage nets to trees or vehicles Build a makeshift shelter Extend a security strap or rope to reach and haul heavy objects Create a harness to extract an injured person from a bad location Make a sling or splint Your family can help by making these paracord bracelets. Visit the Operation Gratitude Paracord Bracelets page for more details and to learn how to make the bracelets.    Contact: info@operationgratitude.com https://www.operationgratitude.com Caring Cards DOROT Date/Time: Ongoing opportunity Location: Send completed cards with this form:  Cardmaking Project Volunteer Information Form to: DOROT; 171 West 85th Street; New York, NY 10024; Attn: Cardmaking Program Ages: Families with children age five and older are welcome to participate Time Commitment: Varies Now that we are all keeping our distance from our older neighbors to protect them from COVID-19, a Caring Card is a wonderful way to reach out. DOROT is aiming to send Caring Cards to all 3,500 older adults we serve with a message of warmth and cheer during this lonely time. Cards can be created whenever it is convenient for you and your family. We do ask that you review these guidelines with suggested messages and tips to ensure that your cards will bring smiles to their recipients. Contact: No need to sign up in advance. If you have questions, please contact Miranda Perez at volunteers@dorotusa.org www.dorotusa.org  Creating Connections Met Council Date/Time: Ongoing Location: Items can be sent to: Leah Schechter Met Council Fulfillment Center 171 Lexington Ave New York, NY 10016 Ages: Everyone can participate Time Commitment: Varies Met Council is America's largest Jewish charity dedicated to serving the needy. We fight poverty through comprehensive social services and by treating each client with compassion, integrity and respect. So many of our clients have come to us because they had no one else to turn to for food, for housing, for someone to care for them. We are committed to our mission of getting emergency food to all of our clients and taking care of the senior residents that live in our buildings. The hardest part of COVID-19 is the isolation, loneliness, fear and anxiety that many of our seniors and Holocaust survivors are experiencing while they stay home to remain safe. We want to remind them that we are here for them, even if we can't sit next to them. We want to send mail to our over 1400 senior residents just to give them a connection every day! You can help from home by creating connections by mail! Kids, teens, adults, anyone who wants to help can send us: Poetry Letters Short stories Plays Essays on interesting topics (High school kids- Start writing your college essays early!!) Cards Illustrations, drawings, art work Anything that can be mailed... or slipped under the door to our seniors in their apartments would help to make our seniors feel connected! Thank you in advance for all your time, thoughts, and help to make sure our seniors and survivors know we are here and thinking about them.    Contact:  creatingconnections@metcouncil.org https://www.metcouncil.org/creating-connections Host a Book Drive Brooklyn Book Bodega Date/Time: Ongoing opportunity Location: Once you're ready to donate your books, contact brooklynbookbodega@gmail.com to arrange a drop off time at our storage location. Ages: Everyone can participate Time Commitment: Varies, but two weeks is recommended Brooklyn Book Bodega has a mission of increasing the number of 100+ book homes in NYC for kids ages 0 - 18. Your family can help by running a book drive. Just follow these easy steps:  Pick your dates: We recommend a length of two weeks, including two weekends, for your book drive.  Set a goal: Make it meaningful and reach for the highest number you can. Fill out the form: We want to share the news of your book drive. Print, Download, Share a sign: Hang up on donation bins and spread the word on social media sites. Start collecting! Collect gently used and new books for ages 0-18 including foreign language, dual language and nonfiction books. Please no religious, textbooks, activity books, encyclopedias, broken, or missing pages books. Here is a list of Popular Book Requests. Please note: All books must still be counted and sorted by our volunteers. Organize your donations. Sort all books into banker's boxes so that they are easy to lift. Books are heavy! Before you drop off your books, review this guide. Organize them by general age level, type, or category. For example, here are typical categories: picture books, board books, early chapter books, chapter books, preschool, elementary books, young adult, high school, etc. Please do not send any books that you would not want in your own home or are not for ages 0-18. For example, do not give us: torn books, books with scribbles, or adult books. Label the boxes. Don't forget to label each box with the book type/category. Tag us on Social Media. Don't forget to follow us on social media and tag us during your book drive Instagram @brooklynbookbodega, Twitter @BodegaBook, Facebook @Bklynbookbodega. Bring your book donations to us! At the conclusion of your book drive, contact us brooklynbookbodega@gmail.com to arrange a drop off time to our storage location. Contact: brooklynbookbodega@gmail.com. Click here to register your book drive. Brooklyn Book Bodega is also looking for kids and teens to write reviews for books to share with others: https://www.brooklynbookbodega.org/readers-corner https://www.brooklynbookbodega.org/home Family Giving Circle! Repair the World Date/Time: Monday, August 3, 3 - 4:15pm Location: Link sent upon registration Ages: Geared to families with children 8 - 12 years old, but younger and older siblings are welcome. Time Commitment: One-hour and fifteen minutes Elevate your family's giving with the collective impact of a giving circle! Through this unique platform, families will choose where funds will make the biggest impact locally. Repair the World Brooklyn will showcase our incredible service partners who are on the ground supporting our Brooklyn neighbors most impacted by COVID-19. This virtual interactive workshop will ground us in both Jewish values of giving and contextual learning on food insecurity in this moment and inspire us to continue serving our communities during the pandemic. Open to the public, with registration. Generously made possible by the UJA Federation of NY. Contact: Registration is available online.   https://werepair.org/ Words Alive Page Turners Words Alive Date/Time: Ongoing program Location: Your home Ages: Families with children age 10 and older are welcome to participate Time Commitment: Varies Words Alive provides essential literacy services to underserved students and families. Our mission is to open opportunities for life success by inspiring a commitment to reading. The Page Turners is an all-ages book club that helps us identify books to include in our program curriculum. The book list spans everything from early childhood books to young adult novels and is a wonderful option for families to volunteer together while building their own healthy reading habits at home. At Words Alive, we receive dozens of book recommendations from our volunteers, teachers, and community partners for titles they think would be a strong fit for our programs. We pride ourselves on selecting the most contemporary, diverse, relevant, and engaging texts we can get our hands on. That's where passionate readers, like you, come in! By reading and reviewing titles from our recommendation list, you help us determine which books should be added to our program curriculum and taught in in-person and virtual programming. And the best part? You can get started today from the comfort of your favorite reading spot! Get started here: https://www.wordsalive.org/page-turners. Contact: Robyn Grand, robyn@wordsalive.org http://www.wordsalive.org Farm Harvesting Helpers The Campaign Against Hunger Date/Time: Various dates in August (depending on weather) Location: 385 Beach 45th Street, Far Rockaway Queens Ages: Volunteers must be at least 12, and 12-year olds must be accompanied by a chaperone. Time Commitment: Two to three hours Volunteers are needed to help with our preparation for harvest. You must be able to bend, stand, and lift a minimum of 10 -15 lbs. Contact: Farm Manager: Jenae Russell, jjoseph@tcahnyc.org www.tcahnyc.org Join the UJA-Federation of New York for a Virtual Supplies for Success Event This year has presented unprecedented challenges. We don't know yet what school will look like, but we know there will be school. For people living in poverty, school supplies are a luxury they simply can't afford.   Unfortunately, we can't volunteer together this year to pack backpacks, but we can still make a difference!   Supplies for Success will deliver pre-assembled backpacks and kits filled with school supplies directly to our nonprofit community partners for the start of the new school year. We're including supplies for virtual learning and more art supplies than usual to keep kids busy and learning when homebound.   $25 will help one child. Please help as many kids as you can. Thank you! Visit the website to make a donation:  https://www.suppliesforsuccess.org/ Check out our featured Project of the Month!   EXPLORE our growing list of at-home projects you can do whenever you're ready, each with conversation starters, book ideas, and more! Follow along on social media as other families tackle this month's projects and share their stories! Simply join our Facebook group or find us on Instagram (@doinggoodtogether and #sharekindness)   DGT's Big-Hearted Parenting Director Sarah Aadland Featured in New Podcast "Connection in a Time of Distance"  The Moms that Lead podcast, hosted by Stronger to Serve founder and friend of DGT, Teri Schmidt, helps busy moms develop leadership skills to prioritize their purpose and become the healthy world-changers they were created to be. In this episode, Sarah and Teri discuss simple but meaningful ways that you and your family can connect with each other -- and with your community -- in difficult times. Tune in, get loads of great ideas, and share this important information with other big-hearted families you know!       If you received this email from someone else and would like to subscribe, please click here. This list was compiled by Doing Good Together™ (www.doinggoodtogether.org)  When calling to volunteer for any of the opportunities listed above, please let the coordinator know you found it through this listing. You are encouraged to ask any questions you may have of the sponsoring organization before committing to a project. Disclaimer: This list is provided as a service to families. Inclusion of organizations in this listing does not imply affiliation, endorsement or quality assurance on the part of Doing Good Together.™ Doing Good Together™ bears no responsibility whatsoever for the activities and actions of the listed organizations.                                                                                                                                                                                    © 2020 Doing Good Together™

July 2020 NYC Family Volunteer Opportunities

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July 2020 - New York  Raising an Anti-Racist Generation Doing Good Together (DGT) Date/Time: Ongoing Location: https://www.doinggoodtogether.org/dgts-antiracist-resource-collection Ages: Families and educators of children of all ages Time Commitment: Varies It's critical to talk to our children about race, but those conversations can be challenging. DGT looked to the experts and compiled the best available resources to provide the guidance you need. Tools to Raise an Anti-Racist Generation is an evolving collection of books, videos, tips and projects for families and educators seeking to better understand racism and become more effective advocates for racial equality.   Contact: Jenny Friedman, jenny@doinggoodtogether.org www.DoingGoodTogether.org Host a Book Drive Brooklyn Book Bodega Date/Time: Ongoing opportunity Location: Once you're ready to donate your books, contact brooklynbookbodega@gmail.com to arrange a drop off time at our storage location. Ages: Everyone can participate Time Commitment: Varies, but two weeks is recommended Brooklyn Book Bodega has a mission of increasing the number of 100+ book homes in NYC for kids ages 0 - 18. Your family can help by running a book drive. Just follow these easy steps:  Pick your dates: We recommend a length of two weeks, including two weekends, for your book drive.  Set a goal: Make it meaningful and reach for the highest number you can. Fill out the form: We want to share the news of your book drive. Print, Download, Share a sign: Hang up on donation bins and spread the word on social media sites. Start collecting! Collect gently used and new books for ages 0-18 including foreign language, dual language and nonfiction books. Please no religious, textbooks, activity books, encyclopedias, broken, or missing pages books. Here is a list of Popular Book Requests. Please note: All books must still be counted and sorted by our volunteers. Organize your donations. Sort all books into banker's boxes so that they are easy to lift. Books are heavy! Before you drop off your books, review this guide. Organize them by general age level, type, or category. For example, here are typical categories: picture books, board books, early chapter books, chapter books, preschool, elementary books, young adult, high school, etc. Please do not send any books that you would not want in your own home or are not for ages 0-18. For example, do not give us: torn books, books with scribbles, or adult books. Label the boxes. Don't forget to label each box with the book type/category. Tag us on Social Media. Don't forget to follow us on social media and tag us during your book drive Instagram @brooklynbookbodega, Twitter @BodegaBook, Facebook @Bklynbookbodega. Bring your book donations to us! At the conclusion of your book drive, contact us brooklynbookbodega@gmail.com to arrange a drop off time to our storage location. Contact: brooklynbookbodega@gmail.com. Click here to register your book drive. Brooklyn Book Bodega is also looking for kids and teens to write reviews for books to share with others: https://www.brooklynbookbodega.org/readers-corner https://www.brooklynbookbodega.org/home Creating Connections Met Council Date/Time: Ongoing Location: Items can be sent to: Leah Schechter Met Council Fulfillment Center 171 Lexington Ave New York, NY 10016 Ages: Everyone can participate Time Commitment: Varies Met Council is America's largest Jewish charity dedicated to serving the needy. We fight poverty through comprehensive social services and by treating each client with compassion, integrity and respect. So many of our clients have come to us because they had no one else to turn to for food, for housing, for someone to care for them. We are committed to our mission of getting emergency food to all of our clients and taking care of the senior residents that live in our buildings. The hardest part of COVID-19 is the isolation, loneliness, fear and anxiety that many of our seniors and Holocaust survivors are experiencing while they stay home to remain safe. We want to remind them that we are here for them, even if we can't sit next to them. We want to send mail to our over 1400 senior residents just to give them a connection every day! You can help from home by creating connections by mail! Kids, teens, adults, anyone who wants to help can send us: Poetry Letters Short stories Plays Essays on interesting topics (High school kids- Start writing your college essays early!!) Cards Illustrations, drawings, art work Anything that can be mailed... or slipped under the door to our seniors in their apartments would help to make our seniors feel connected! Thank you in advance for all your time, thoughts, and help to make sure our seniors and survivors know we are here and thinking about them.    Contact: creatingconnections@metcouncil.org https://www.metcouncil.org/creating-connections Recycle Used and Unwanted Crayons The Crayon Initiative Date/Time: Ongoing Location: Ship crayons to: 155 Railroad Avenue, Suite E Danville, CA 94526 Click here for detailed shipping instructions Ages: Everyone is welcome to participate Time Commitment: Varies The Crayon Initiative is a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving the environment and enriching the lives of hospitalized children through art and imagination. You can help by recycling your used and unwanted crayons. Do you have stray crayons lying around your house? We bet you do. And whether they're still unopened, used or broken, we're happy to take them off your hands. Crayons can turn up just about anywhere, especially after a good housecleaning. Take a peek in your junk drawers, your storage bins, your closets, your couch cushions, your child's old backpack... you get the idea! Take heart, knowing that your crayon donation will soon brighten the day of a child in need of a pick-me-up. Start a collection box in your own home, box them up, and ship them to the Crayon Initiative. Contact: https://thecrayoninitiative.org/contact/ https://thecrayoninitiative.org/ Support Our Troops, Veterans and First Responders Operation Gratitude Date/Time: Ongoing project Location: Ship your letters to Operation Gratitude ATTN: Letter Writing Program 9409 Owensmouth Avenue Chatsworth, CA 91311 Ages: Everyone can participate Time Commitment: Varies  Operation Gratitude sends care packages to our active duty military, veterans, first responders, and new recruits.  Each care package includes a bundle of letters from the American people, thanking them for their service to our country. Package recipients tell us that these letters, notes, and drawings are the most cherished items in their care package. Your family can help by writing letters. Visit the Operation Gratitude website for full instructions. Contact: info@operationgratitude.com https://www.operationgratitude.com/ Virtual Summer Reading Book Drive Repair the World Date/Time: Tuesday, July 7, 11 - 11:40am Location: Link sent upon registration Ages: Geared to families with children 3 - 7 years old, but younger and older siblings are welcome. Time Commitment: About 40 minutes Do you have extra books you're ready to donate? Gather your book donations and join us for a virtual book drive! Tune in to sort them, make bookmarks, and learn about organizations supporting children's learning this summer. Open to the public, with registration. Generously made possible by the UJA Federation of NY. Contact: Registration is available online.   https://werepair.org/ Sharing Smiles Empowering the Ages Date/Time: Ongoing Location: Your home Ages: Families with children as young as 4 are welcome but most of our writers are age 8 and older. A parent or guardian to complete the online form to sign up participants under age 18. Time Commitment: Varies depending on pair - on average 2 notes per month for 1 - 3 + months Empowering the Ages empowers people of all ages to reach their full potential through intergenerational engagement. The Sharing Smiles program was created in response to the pandemic to allow people from older and younger generations to connect safely with each other through email. Once you've signed up online you'll be matched with an older writer who wants to share a friendly note with someone from a younger generation. We have older writers of all ages 60+ but most are 70-90. Most of our writers are from the U.S. but a few are international. Click here for more information and program details. Contact: Leah, leah@empoweringtheages.org, or Megan, megan@empoweringtheages.org https://empoweringtheages.org Caring Cards DOROT Date/Time: Ongoing opportunity Location: Send completed cards with this form: Cardmaking Project Volunteer Information Form to: DOROT; 171 West 85th Street; New York, NY 10024; Attn: Cardmaking Program Ages: Families with children age five and older are welcome to participate Time Commitment: Varies Now that we are all keeping our distance from our older neighbors to protect them from COVID-19, a Caring Card is a wonderful way to reach out. DOROT is aiming to send Caring Cards to all 3,500 older adults we serve with a message of warmth and cheer during this lonely time. Cards can be created whenever it is convenient for you and your family. We do ask that you review these guidelines with suggested messages and tips to ensure that your cards will bring smiles to their recipients. Contact: No need to sign up in advance. If you have questions, please contact Miranda Perez at volunteers@dorotusa.org www.dorotusa.org  Caring Cards for Community Food Pantry Repair the World Date/Time: Tuesday, July 17, 11:00 - 11:45am Location: Link sent upon registration Ages: Geared to families with children 6 - 12 years old, but younger and older siblings are welcome. Time Commitment: About 45 minutes During this challenging time, a kind note can make a huge impact. Join us for a virtual art hour to create caring cards for The Food Bank for New York City. These cards will be included with the emergency pantry bags the Food Bank is distributing to New Yorkers experiencing hunger. Open to the public, with registration. Generously made possible by the UJA Federation of NY.  Contact: Registration is available online.   https://werepair.org/ Family Giving Circle! Repair the World Date/Time: Monday, August 3 - 4:15pm Location: Link sent upon registration Ages: Geared to families with children 8 - 12 years old, but younger and older siblings are welcome. Time Commitment: One-hour and fifteen minutes Elevate your family's giving with the collective impact of a giving circle! Through this unique platform, families will choose where funds will make the biggest impact locally. Repair the World Brooklyn will showcase our incredible service partners who are on the ground supporting our Brooklyn neighbors most impacted by COVID-19. This virtual interactive workshop will ground us in both Jewish values of giving and contextual learning on food insecurity in this moment and inspire us to continue serving our communities during the pandemic. Open to the public, with registration. Generously made possible by the UJA Federation of NY. Contact: Registration is available online.   https://werepair.org/ Check out our featured Project of the Month!   EXPLORE our growing list of at-home projects you can do whenever you're ready, each with conversation starters, book ideas, and more! Follow along on social media as other families tackle this month's projects and share their stories! Simply join our Facebook group or find us on Instagram (@doinggoodtogether and #sharekindness)   NEW! Join the DGT Membership Circle and receive DGT's Summer of Kindness Camp download! The kindness experts at Doing Good Together have adapted our most-loved club activities for a unique at-home summer camp for your whole family, exclusively for DGT's Membership Circle. This e-book will guide your family through a 6-week exploration of essential questions featuring creative activities, books, movies, virtual field trips, journal prompts, and creative extras. But this is just the beginning! As always, members will receive ongoing encouragement and tools to live generously and thoughtfully all year long! Not part of our Membership Circle? Join us for just $29.99/year!       If you received this email from someone else and would like to subscribe, please click here. This list was compiled by Doing Good Together™ (www.doinggoodtogether.org)  When calling to volunteer for any of the opportunities listed above, please let the coordinator know you found it through this listing. You are encouraged to ask any questions you may have of the sponsoring organization before committing to a project. Disclaimer: This list is provided as a service to families. Inclusion of organizations in this listing does not imply affiliation, endorsement or quality assurance on the part of Doing Good Together.™ Doing Good Together™ bears no responsibility whatsoever for the activities and actions of the listed organizations.                                                                                                                                                                                    © 2020 Doing Good Together™

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June 2020 NYC Family Volunteer Opportunities

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June 2020 - NYC Creating Connections Met Council Date/Time: Ongoing Location: Items can be sent to: Leah Schechter Met Council Fulfillment Center 171 Lexington Ave New York, NY 10016 Ages: Everyone can participate Time Commitment: Varies Met Council is America's largest Jewish charity dedicated to serving the needy. We fight poverty through comprehensive social services and by treating each client with compassion, integrity and respect. So many of our clients have come to us because they had no one else to turn to for food, for housing, for someone to care for them. We are committed to our mission of getting emergency food to all of our clients and taking care of the senior residents that live in our buildings. The hardest part of COVID-19 is the isolation, loneliness, fear and anxiety that many of our seniors and Holocaust survivors are experiencing while they stay home to remain safe. We want to remind them that we are here for them, even if we can't sit next to them. We want to send mail to our over 1400 senior residents just to give them a connection every day! You can help from home by creating connections by mail! Kids, teens, adults, anyone who wants to help can send us: Poetry Letters Short stories Plays Essays on interesting topics (High school kids- Start writing your college essays early!!) Cards Illustrations, drawings, art work Anything that can be mailed... or slipped under the door to our seniors in their apartments would help to make our seniors feel connected! Thank you in advance for all your time, thoughts, and help to make sure our seniors and survivors know we are here and thinking about them.    Contact: creatingconnections@metcouncil.org https://www.metcouncil.org/creating-connections Brighten a Seniors Day Letters Against Isolation Date/Time: Ongoing Location: At home project Ages: Everyone can help Time Commitment: Varies Your family can help brighten the days of a senior citizen by sending letters to seniors in assisted living facilities or care homes. Once a week, we will send you the address of an elderly care facility in the continental US. You can write about whatever you would like, but remember that these letters will be brightening days; try to make them cheerful, and be creative! Do not include your address, phone number or anything else that would identify yourself and do not send gifts. Younger volunteers are welcome to send decorated cards. When you finish writing your letters, carefully copy the address onto your envelope(s), and mail your letters! Once you've mailed your letters, email us at lettersagainstisolation@gmail.com and tell us how many letters you sent. This is really important as it allows us to work with the senior centers and allocate volunteers more efficiently. Learn more here. Contact: lettersagainstisolation@gmail.com. Click here and scroll down to find the Get Involved form. https://www.lettersagainstisolation.com The Longest Day Alzheimer's Association Date/Time: Saturday, June 20 Location: Your home Ages: Everyone can participate Time Commitment: Varies The Longest Day is the day with the most light - the summer solstice. On June 20, people from across the world will fight the darkness of Alzheimer's disease through a fundraising activity of their choice. Use your creativity and passion to raise funds and awareness for the care, support and research efforts of the Alzheimer's Association. From basketball to baking and card games to crafts, there's an activity for everyone! Plus, nearly any fundraising activity can be done at home or online while practicing physical distancing. Click here for a variety of creative fundraising project ideas! Contact: TLD@alz.org. Registration is available online. https://act.alz.org/site/TR?fr_id=13035&pg=entry Getting to Zero - Advocacy EndCoronavirus.org Date/Time: Ongoing Location: At-home project Ages: Everyone can participate Time Commitment: Varies EndCoronavirus (ECV) is an international coalition of over 4,000 volunteers, including scientists, community organizers, caring citizens, business owners, and individuals like you. We have been operating since February 29, 2020, starting at our parent organization, the New England Complex Systems Institute (NECSI). We develop effective, community-based solutions to end the pandemic. We were one of the first to offer guidelines and advocacy for policy makers, businesses, and individuals. For this task, discuss as a family the steps you're taking to protect your health and help our city crush the curve and get to zero. What are some areas for improvement? What are the hardest parts? How can you help each other to reduce the risk of infection and cope with the current situation? You can look at some of the guidelines we have on our website: https://www.endcoronavirus.org/families  Contact: https://www.endcoronavirus.org/join. You can also contact us through Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/endcoronavirus.org endcoronavirus.org Create Animal Drawings Animal Care Centers (ACC) Date/Time: Ongoing project Location: Send a photo of your artwork to ACC at CommunityOutreach@nyccacc.org Ages: Everyone can participate Time Commitment: Varies Animal Care Centers is seeking all artists! Throughout history, artists have used their skills to inspire people to take action. For years, ACC has been using profile pictures to help potential adopters get to know each of our individual animals. By drawing a one-of-a-kind profile portrait for an animal ready for adoption, you can help inspire someone to add a new pet to their family. Take a look through the ACC website or app to find an animal you think would benefit from an awesome portrait; then send a photo of your artwork to ACC at CommunityOutreach@nyccacc.org. Be sure to include the animal's name and ID number. Submissions are limited to one drawing per family and the ACC can include up to three portraits per animal in their adoption profile, but all submissions can be featured and shared on social media. Learn more here: www.nycacc.org/communitykids. Contact: CommunityOutreach@nyccacc.org   https://www.nycacc.org/  Make Cards for Cancer Patients The Scarlet Fund (at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center) Date/Time: Ongoing project Location: Drop off or mail cards to: Timna Sherman Chefetz c/o The Scarlett Fund 2211 Broadway, Apt 6E New York, New York 10024 Ages: Everyone can help Time Commitment: Varies The Scarlett Fund (TSF) is calling on our community to help make cards for our friends who are battling cancer. Due to COVID-19, most patients will no longer be allowed to have visitors. These patients need our support more than ever and we are asking that everyone take a moment to write a note, share a poem, draw a picture, or craft an inspirational card to be distributed to patients. These cards will remind them that they are not alone. While we usually focus on our younger patients, for this card drive, we will be sharing our notes with patients of all ages. Our recipients love to know about YOU! If you like, you can share your name, your age, your hometown and even a photo of yourself. Please refrain from referencing the words "Cancer", "COVID-19" and "Get Better" in your cards. This is an ongoing drive so feel free to keep making and sending cards. We will also be supporting our health care workers. Please write cards of thanks and inspiration to our nurses, doctors, technicians and other employees of Memorial Sloan Kettering. They are our frontline and are working harder than ever to care for our most vulnerable patients. You are welcome to make as many cards as you like. If you are a child, please ask an adult to review your cards before you send them  Contact: jenniferjjames@mac.com  https://www.thescarlettfund.com/ Thank You Letter to a Sanitation Worker Department of Sanitation and the Big Reuse Date/Time: Ongoing project Location: At home Ages: Everyone can participate Time Commitment: Varies Sanitation workers work hard to keep our city clean, healthy, and sustainable. Especially during this time, they are putting themselves at risk to do a job that our city depends on. Please show them your support by writing a letter of thanks. If you know your sanitation worker's name, you can personalize it. And feel free to use drawings, too! Then take a picture of your card, and send it to us. We will then share it with the sanitation garage in your community, (and, if personalized, will do our best to make sure your particular sanitation worker sees it). Send pictures of you thank you letters to baruch@bigreuse.org Contact: Baruch Blum, Outreach Associate, 818.984.6572, baruch@bigreuse.org bigreuse.org At Home Projects Good+Foundation Date/Time: Ongoing project Location: Your home Ages: Projects are recommended for five years and up with adult supervision Time Commitment: Varies depending on project and age-level Our mission at Good+Foundation is to dismantle family poverty by pairing tangible goods like baby diapers, formula and strollers with innovative services for low-income fathers, mothers and caregivers. Good+Foundation is going virtual with our volunteer opportunities! We've developed several opportunities that families can work on together at home. Families can help by creating "No Sew Blankets" or "Braided Pacifier Clips" for Good+Foundation families in need. Right now, our NYC and LA warehouses are only open to receive large-scale emergency donations and supplies for the families we serve, but please remain in contact with us to organize a drop-off or to ship your items when we are able to receive donations again. The families we serve will need these items when we reopen. Contact Anastasia to order your project materials and for full project instructions. Contact: Anastasia Plavnicky, Volunteer Coordinator, anastasia@goodplusfoundation.org https://goodplusfoundation.org/ Park Slope Donation Drive Little Essentials Date/Time: Saturday, June 6, 11am - 2pm Location: Sidewalk outside of Fig Tree, 688 Union Street, Brooklyn Ages: Everyone can participate Time Commitment: Varies Little Essentials offers at-risk families living in poverty urgently needed children's supplies and parenting education to promote the health, wellbeing and safety of their children under five years of age. Local Brooklyn friends, we are holding another donation drive outside of the Fig Tree Program. While you are out for fresh air/exercise, you can safely drop off your new and gently used, clean, and sanitized items at our table. Please make sure to observe physical distancing and face covering guidelines so we can keep everyone safe. We especially need:  Diapers (sealed bags only) Wipes (new) Hygiene items Pack 'n Plays & Bassinets Car Seats Snap N' Gos Strollers Carriers Blankets Contact: info@littleessentials.org, 646.850.3611 https://www.littleessentials.org Make Paracord Bracelets Soldiers Angels Date/Time: Ongoing Location: Mail completed bracelets to: Soldiers' Angels 2895 NE Loop 410, Suite 107 San Antonio, Texas 78218 Ages: Everyone can help Time Commitment: Varies The mission of Soldiers' Angels is to provide aid, comfort, and resources to the military, veterans, and their families. Thousands of Soldiers' Angels "Angel" volunteers assist veterans, wounded, deployed personnel, and their families in a variety of unique and effective ways. Making paracord bracelets to share with our military service members and veterans is a fun arts and craft activity that will keep your children busy and help to teach them the power of giving! Paracord bracelets provide an easy-to-carry line of cord that can be used for a variety of survival needs. Ready to get started? Please Note: Paracord bracelets made for military service members have two important rules that must be followed in order for the service member to be allowed to wear the bracelet with their uniform: 1.    They must be in specific colors only: black, olive green, tan, or camo 2.    They must use MIL-SPEC cording Your bracelets will be included in the care packages we are sending to deployed service members around the world. You can find all the supplies you need on Amazon. Click here for more information about paracord bracelets, including detailed instructions for making the bracelets. Contact: Nancy Marshall, 210.629.0020. nmarshall@soldiersangels.org https://soldiersangels.org/ Playdates with a Purpose: International Children's Day Repair the World Harlem Date/Time: Monday, June 1,  3 - 3:40pm Location: Zoom link will be sent upon registration Ages: Geared to families with children 3 - 7 years old, but younger and older siblings are welcome. Time Commitment: About 40 minutes Join Repair the World Harlem and JCC Harlem for a project for our youngest volunteers! Playdates with a Purpose includes facilitated play, learning and story time around issues of equity. We'll be celebrating International Children's Day this month! Join us on Zoom to play and learn at home, together! Generously made possible by PJ Library, a program of the Harold Grinspoon Foundation.  Contact: Kate Thomas, kate.thomas@werepair.org. Registration is available online.   https://werepair.org/harlem/ Father's Day Family Service Project Repair the World Brooklyn Date/Time: Wednesday, June 17, 3 - 3:40pm Location: Zoom link will be sent upon registration Ages: Geared to families with children 6 - 12 years old, but younger and older siblings are welcome. Time Commitment: About 40 minutes Families are invited to learn with Repair the World Brooklyn in an engaging virtual service project! In preparation for Father's Day, we'll celebrate our own fathers and our community heroes! Join us on Zoom for a special project at home, together! Open to the public, free of cost. Generously made possible by the UJA Federation of NY.  Contact: Kate Thomas, kate.thomas@werepair.org. Registration is available online.    https://werepair.org/brooklyn/  How to Help Now Repair the World Brooklyn has transformed our workshop at 808 Nostrand Avenue into a distribution center. Our transformed space has re-opened and we are collecting non-food supplies for our Central Brooklyn neighbors who need them. Some items that we're asking for are feminine products, hygiene supplies, cleaning supplies, paper goods, and baby supplies. You can purchase items directly from our Target Wishlist, or ship items to: Repair the World: Donation 808 Nostrand Avenue Ave Brooklyn, NY 11216 We are also fundraising for our local service partners: The Campaign Against Hunger, which is in need of donations to purchase the thousands of grocery bags necessary to package wholesome food for clients.  DOROT, which serves more than 3,500 older adults each year who are homebound, homeless or need to be connected to their greater community. Met Council on Housing, which fights to ensure where everyone has access to safe, decent, affordable housing. The Food Bank for New York City, which provides millions of meals to soup kitchens and food pantries throughout the five boroughs by donating here. St. John's Bread & Life, which is serving to-go breakfast and lunch and pantry bags to clients in Brooklyn. Bushwick City Farms, who are continuing to focus on growing healthy free food for the community. Check out our featured Project of the Month!   EXPLORE our growing list of at-home projects you can do whenever you're ready, each with conversation starters, book ideas, and more! Follow along on social media as other families tackle this month's projects and share their stories! Simply join our Facebook group or find us on Instagram (@doinggoodtogether and #sharekindness)   Customize and co-brand DGT's Kitchen Table Kindness Kits for your organization! As camps close and summer events are cancelled, many organizations are looking for ways to connect to their campers, students, and congregation members. DGT™ is here to help. DGT's popular Kitchen Table Kindness Kits - delivered by mail or downloaded to home computers - contain projects to help families serve others while prompting conversations about empathy, compassion, and the common good. We are pleased to customize these kits for your organization! Each kit created would be co-branded with your logo and include the kindness and service activities most relevant and appealing to the families you serve. Your members can receive the kits via mail or digital download. It's just one more way we are able to promote more kindness and service even as we stay safer at home. Learn more about the kits here: https://www.doinggoodtogether.org/kitchentablekindnesskits To connect with DGT about customizing a kit, please contact Jenny@DoingGoodTogether.org       If you received this email from someone else and would like to subscribe, please click here. This list was compiled by Doing Good Together™ (www.doinggoodtogether.org)  When calling to volunteer for any of the opportunities listed above, please let the coordinator know you found it through this listing. You are encouraged to ask any questions you may have of the sponsoring organization before committing to a project. Disclaimer: This list is provided as a service to families. Inclusion of organizations in this listing does not imply affiliation, endorsement or quality assurance on the part of Doing Good Together.™ Doing Good Together™ bears no responsibility whatsoever for the activities and actions of the listed organizations.                                                                                                                                                                                    © 2020 Doing Good Together™

Doing Good Together, 5141 16th Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55417 SafeUnsubscribe™ Forward this email | Update Profile | About our service provider Sent by mail@doinggoodtogether.org in collaboration with Try email marketing for free today!

April 2020 NYC Family Volunteer Opportunities

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April 2020 - NYC   We are all currently experiencing the impact of the efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19 in our communities. Our lives have changed dramatically in the past few weeks - our schools are closed, community events and everyday activities have been canceled, our homes transformed into schools and workspaces. Many nonprofits that serve vulnerable populations are now struggling to meet their basic needs. Although we like to encourage our subscribers to get out in the community and volunteer, right now fulfilling an organization's wish list or making a financial donation may be the best way that we can help. Below is a list of organizations you can contact in your community, as well as a few national sites you can use to search for additional organizations in your area. We suggest you be cognizant of potential staff shortages and the increased work demands on nonprofit staff and check an organization's website and social media channels for updated information. Here are some organizations that serve our hungry neighbors that can use your financial assistance: West Side Campaign Against Hunger - www.wscah.org  The Campaign Against Hunger - https://www.tcahnyc.org/ Food Bank of NYC - https://www.foodbanknyc.org/, https://www.foodbanknyc.org/covid-19/  City Harvest - https://www.cityharvest.org New York Common Pantry - http://nycommonpantry.org/,  Rescuing Leftover Cuisine - https://www.rescuingleftovercuisine.org  God's Love We Deliver - https://www.glwd.org/  City Meals on Wheels - https://www.citymeals.org National food pantry search site - https://www.foodpantries.org  National homeless shelters and human services search site - https://www.homelessshelterdirectory.org  Also, visit the Doing Good Together COVID-19 response page for a growing list of ways your family can share kindness, volunteer, donate, and learn together, even as you stay home together to slow the spread of the pandemic. There is much that we can do from home to lift the spirits of others who are struggling with ongoing issues made more difficult by the current crisis. Let's take this opportunity to turn our gaze outward, to spread joy, to help our neighbors and to be kind to ourselves and others. Everyone at Doing Good Together sends warm wishes for the health and safety of every member of our community. Be well.   Virtual Family Project - Make Greeting Cards for Seniors! Repair the World Date/Time: Monday, April 13, 11am - noon Location: This is an online virtual project on Zoom -  https://zoom.us/j/364279502 Ages: Geared toward children ages 6-12 with an adult, open to younger and older siblings Time Commitment: One hour Join us on Zoom for a special project at home, together! Families are invited to learn with Repair the World in this engaging virtual project. From home, we'll craft greeting cards together for seniors living in Met Council on Jewish Poverty's affordable housing buildings. During this time of physical distancing, let's connect to reach our most socially isolated neighbors! Open to the public, free of cost. Generously made possible by the UJA Federation of NY. Contact: kate.thomas@weRepair.org. Registration is available online.  https://werepair.org/brooklyn/   Virtual Playdates with a Purpose Repair the World Date/Time: Sunday, April 26, 11:30am - 12:30pm Location: This is an online virtual project on Zoom -  https://zoom.us/j/151830175 Ages: Geared toward children ages 3-6, open to younger and older siblings! Time Commitment: One hour Join Repair the World Harlem and JCC Harlem for a project for our youngest volunteers! Playdates with a Purpose includes facilitated play, learning, and storytime around issues of equity. This month's Playdates will be from the comfort of your own home! Join us on Zoom to play and learn at home, together! Generously made possible by PJ Library, a program of the Harold Grinspoon Foundation. Contact: kate.thomas@weRepair.org. Registration is available online.  https://werepair.org/harlem/  Thank You Letter to a Sanitation Worker Big Reuse/DSNY Date/Time: Anytime Location: At home Ages: Everyone can participate Time Commitment: Varies Sanitation workers work hard to keep our city clean, healthy, and sustainable. Especially during this time, they are putting themselves at risk to do a job that our city depends on. Please show them your support by writing a letter of thanks. If you know your sanitation worker's name, you can personalize your letter.  Feel free to include drawings, too! Then take a picture of your card, and send it to us. We will share it with the sanitation garage in your community, (and, if personalized, will do our best to make sure your particular sanitation worker sees it). Through the Make Compost, Not Trash campaign, DSNY employees, volunteers, and organizational partners like Big Reuse and the NYC Compost Project, are working to spread the word about the importance of using the NYC curbside composting brown bin. When you put your food and yard waste in a brown bin, you are helping to nourish soils, make energy, fight climate change, and reduce our dependence on landfills. The sanitation workers who collect the waste are an essential part of this operation. Send pictures of your thank you letters to ceorganics@bigreuse.org. Contact: Baruch Blum, Outreach Associate, 818.984.6572, baruch@bigreuse.org bigreuse.org, makecompost.nyc Take a Picture with Your Food Scraps or Create a Food Scrap Sculpture! Big Reuse / DSNY Date/Time: Anytime Location: At home Ages: Everyone can participate Time Commitment:  Varies For families who have the NYC curbside composting brown bin, recycling food (and yard) waste is one of the good deeds you can do from home. Through the Make Compost, Not Trash campaign, DSNY employees, volunteers, and organizational partners like Big Reuse and the NYC Compost Project, are working to spread the word about the importance of using the brown bin. When you put your food and yard waste in a brown bin, you are helping to nourish soils, make energy, fight climate change, and reduce our dependence on landfills. You can help us promote this program by taking a picture of your family with your food scraps or by creating food scrap art! You can create a food scrap sculpture. Or a painting of food scraps. Or any food scrap inspired artwork. Then take pictures of your food scraps or food scrap art and send them to us. We might feature it on our social media and then other families will be inspired to participate, too! Send your photos to ceorganics@bigreuse.org. Contact: Baruch Blum, Outreach Associate, 818.984.6572, baruch@bigreuse.org bigreuse.org, makecompost.nyc Emergency Assistance Fund for College Youth Together We Rise Date/Time: Ongoing Location: Online Ages: Everyone can help Time Commitment: Varies Together We Rise's mission is to help ease the transitions that foster children experience within the system. The foster care system can be a confusing and sometimes disheartening place for children. Together We Rise's fundraising and network of passionate volunteers strives to give children in foster care a brighter future, a sense of normalcy and belonging. Right now college students formerly in the foster care system are being displaced from their dorms and on-campus housing. The Together We Rise network is working on creating emergency housing, providing travel, utilities, and groceries to these students. You can help by making a financial donation to this emergency fund. Contact: 714.784.6760, info@familyfellows.org.   https://www.togetherwerise.org/  Letters of Gratitude Operation Gratitude Date/Time: Ongoing Location: Put all loose artwork and letters/cards (no individual envelopes) in a large envelope or box according to their recipient type, and ship to: Operation Gratitude ATTN: Letter Writing Program 9409 Owensmouth Avenue Chatsworth, CA 91311 Ages: Everyone is welcome to participate Time Commitment: Varies Write letters to our military, veterans and first responders. Operation Gratitude sends care packages to our active duty military, veterans, first responders and new recruits. Each package includes a bundle of letters from the American people, thanking them for their service to our country. Package recipients tell us these letters, notes, and drawings are the most cherished items in their box. Visit the Operation Gratitude website for full instructions.     Contact: info@operationgratitude.com www.operationgratitude.com Send Kindness to an Elder Letters of Love Date/Time: Anytime and as often as you'd like Location: Mail cards to: Love For The Elderly P. O. Box 24248 Cleveland, OH 44124 Ages: Everyone can help Time Commitment: Varies The mission of Letters of Love is to bring joy into the lives of the elderly. They do this by collecting cards and mailing these to elders in senior communities across the globe. These include nursing homes, assisted living facilities, hospices and senior centers. With the outbreak of COVID-19, it's more important than ever to fight loneliness with love for our elders. Here are their letter writing guidelines: Letters must be legible (large print) and handwritten. Avoid religion. Please refrain from including anything religious in your letters, such as religious quotes, words like "God," etc. Exclude the date (day, month, and year). Embrace creativity! Recipients love it when the letters are personal. We encourage you to make your letters detailed, thoughtful and heartfelt. Be kind and thoughtful (more than talking about yourself). This is a one-way letter exchange, meaning you will not receive a letter back, so remember that no reciprocation attached is part of the beauty of your act of kindness, and the recipients don't feel burdened by feeling obligated or being unable to respond. Envelope your letters if you can! It's so much nicer to open up an enveloped card, don't you think? If you're sending more than 1 letter, leave your enveloped letters unsealed and unstamped and put them in a larger envelope or box to send. Learn more here. Contact: https://lovefortheelderly.org/contact https://lovefortheelderly.org/ Feed a Hungry Family Family-to-Family Date/Time: Monthly donation Location: Contact Family-to-Family to sign up to sponsor a family Ages: The whole family can participate Time Commitment: Varies Family-to-Family, Inc. is a grassroots nonprofit 501(c)(3) hunger and poverty relief organization dedicated to providing food, personal hygiene products and other basic life essentials to American families struggling with the challenges of poverty. Your family can help by sponsoring a family in need with a monthly box of groceries. Once you sign up to Sponsor a Family,Family-to-Family will match you with a family in one of the communities they sponsor, and email you information about your "new family." Monthly sponsorships are $36.50 and will help provide enough groceries for an average of 15 meals per month. Families are encouraged to learn more about one another, and you are encouraged to exchange emails and letters with your family. Family-to Family offers other options to help hungry families - click here to learn more. Contact: Nancy Hennessee, nhennessee@family-to-family.org. Sign-up online to sponsor a family. https://www.family-to-family.org/ Check out our featured Project of the Month!   EXPLORE our growing list of at-home projects you can do whenever you're ready, each with conversation starters, book ideas, and more! Follow along on social media as other families tackle this month's projects and share their stories! Simply join our Facebook group or find us on Instagram (@doinggoodtogether and #sharekindness)   Stay home, teach kindness, make a difference, and have fun! Homebound with your kids? This is the ideal time to teach your children that when our community faces difficult challenges, your family thinks about helping others, too. We've put together a DGT Kindness Kit that allows you and your kids to offer simple acts of generosity right from your own kitchen table. Find all you need to advocate for issues that matter; combat hunger; treat homebound folks to creative artwork; share gratitude with people who mean the world to you; and spark fun, meaningful conversations about empathy, compassion and the common good! Find more information about our Kindness Kit  in our DGT Store and order today: only $9.95, including shipping. (Bulk discounts are available.) We're also offering a digital version for $4.95. However, if the cost is a problem, use the coupon code KINDNESS to download it for free       If you received this email from someone else and would like to subscribe, please click here. This list was compiled by Doing Good Together™ (www.doinggoodtogether.org)  When calling to volunteer for any of the opportunities listed above, please let the coordinator know you found it through this listing. You are encouraged to ask any questions you may have of the sponsoring organization before committing to a project. Disclaimer: This list is provided as a service to families. Inclusion of organizations in this listing does not imply affiliation, endorsement or quality assurance on the part of Doing Good Together.™ Doing Good Together™ bears no responsibility whatsoever for the activities and actions of the listed organizations.                                                                                                                                                                                    © 2020 Doing Good Together™

Doing Good Together, 5141 16th Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55417 SafeUnsubscribe™ Forward this email | Update Profile | About our service provider Sent by mail@doinggoodtogether.org in collaboration with Try email marketing for free today!

March 2020 NYC Family Volunteer Opportunities

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March 2020 - NYC Serve a Hot Meal to the Homeless Manhattan Church of Christ Date/Time(s): Saturdays: March 14, 9am - 1:30pm March 21, 10am - 2pm March 28, 9am - 1:30 pm Location: Manhattan Church of Christ, 48 East 80th St., NY Ages: All ages, families are encouraged to volunteer together Time Commitment: Varies, come for a few hours or stay for the entire shift. The Saturday Lunch Program provides hot meals with dignity and compassion to the homeless or those who live marginally.  All shifts are family-friendly, and involve a set-up team to set tables and decorate, a service team to run trays of food back and forth to the guests, and a break down & clean up team. Volunteers help set up, prepare and serve meals, then break down and clean up. Contact: carl@manhattanchurch.org. Volunteers should email Rev. Carl Garrison to sign up. www.manhattanchurch.org Brooklyn Book Bodega Event Brooklyn Book Bodega Date/Time(s): Sunday, March 15, 10am - 4pm. Shift times: 10am - 12:30pm 11:30am - 2pm 1:30 - 4pm  Location: Brooklyn Navy Yard, Building 77, 141 Flushing Avenue, Queens Ages: Families with children of all ages are welcome. Volunteers under age 16 must be supervised by a parent or guardian Time Commitment: Two to two and one-half hours The mission of Brooklyn Book Bodega is to increase the number of 100+ book homes in Brooklyn. We believe every child in Brooklyn deserves to own the books that they want to read and enjoy. A Bodega Book event is a book collection and distribution event. Volunteer responsibilities at the event include checking in guests, checking out guests, setting up books, helping guests with browsing and assisting with miscellaneous tasks. Contact: Seema Aghera, Brooklynbookbodega@gmail.com. Registration is available online. https://www.brooklynbookbodega.org/ Purim Project in Carroll Gardens Repair the World Date/Time: Sunday, March 8, 9am - noon Location: Hannah Senesh Community Day School, 342 Smith St, Brooklyn Ages: Geared toward families with children from birth to age five Time Commitment: Three hours Repair the World Brooklyn is facilitating a family-friendly project catered to our youngest volunteers in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn! Drop by our table at the Purim celebration for an impactful project and learning experience based in Jewish tradition and social justice. Entrance fee is $5. Generously made possible UJA Federation of NY. Contact: kate.thomas@weRepair.org. Registration is available online. https://werepair.org/brooklyn/   Playdates with a Purpose at JCC Harlem Repair the World Date/Time: Sunday, March 8, 2 - 4pm Location: JCC Harlem, 318 W 118th St, New York Ages: Geared toward families with children ages three to six, but open to younger and older siblings! Time Commitment: Two hours Join us at JCC Harlem's Family Purim Festival with a project geared toward 3-6 year olds! Ready to dance, sing, and celebrate with your little ones? Join us and our friends at PJ Library for this neighborhood celebration! Come play in our costume pop-up corner, make your own mask and get your face painted. There will be fun crafts, a tzedakah (justice) project, games and more! Whether Purim is your favorite holiday or you've never celebrated before, all are welcome! This is a party you don't want to miss. Costumes are encouraged. Let us know you'll be there! Then, we'll go ahead and send you the ticket information by email. Playdates with a Purpose is a PJ Library project. Cost to attend the festival is $25/family (up to 5 people) or $10/person. Contact: kate.thomas@weRepair.org. Registration is available online. http://jccharlem.org Caring Crafts in Cobble Hill! Repair the World Date/Time: Sunday, March 1, noon - 1pm Location: Kane Street Synagogue, 236 Kane St, Brooklyn Ages: Geared toward K-2nd graders with their adults, open to younger and older siblings Time Commitment: One hour Decorate and make a tzedakah box (charity jar) and choose from Repair the World Brooklyn's local community partners for your family to commit to donating to! We'll also have tote bags for you to decorate and then bring home to collect canned and dry goods for one of our pantry partners! We'll celebrate the upcoming Jewish holiday Purim (one of the most fun Jewish holidays!) by learning about the practice of sharing "mishloach manot" and explore how these gifts can extend to our Brooklyn neighbors. Geared to families with children in kindergarten through 2nd grade, but younger and older siblings are welcome too. Open to the public, free of cost. Generously made possible by the UJA Federation of NY. Contact: kate.thomas@weRepair.org. Registration is available online. https://werepair.org/brooklyn/ DOROT Purim Family Visits DOROT Date/Time: Choose your volunteer day: Sunday, March 17 between 1 -3 pm; and Wednesday, March 20 between 4 - 6pm. Families choose a 30-45-minute window within that time frame for their visit. Location: New family orientations and package pick-up at DOROT, 171 W. 85th St. Families can visit with seniors that live on the Upper West and Upper East Side. Families will receive their senior visiting information when they pick up the package. Families who have not volunteered with DOROT before must attend an orientation at DOROT on one of the following days: Thursday, March 5, 5pm Tuesday, March 10, 5pm Ages: Open to families with children ages 5 - 12 Time Commitment: 40-minute orientation for new families at DOROT. Families who have volunteered with us before can arrange to pick up the package at DOROT during business hours. Visits last 30-45 minutes and take place in the senior's homes (so volunteer time will include travel to and from the older adult's location.) DOROT alleviates social isolation among the elderly and provides services to help them live independently as valued members of the community. We serve the Jewish and wider community, bringing the generations together in a mutually beneficial partnership of elders, volunteers and professionals. Celebrate Purim by delivering gifts of food to our older friends and sharing a wonderful gift - the gift of friendship. Fulfill the mitzvah of giving mishloach manot, a traditional Purim food package filled with goodies, especially hamantaschen. Learn more here. Contact: Quinn Lockwood, qlockwood@dorotusa.org, 917. 441.3714. Families must register online. https://www.dorotusa.org/ Host a Birthday Party for Kids CelebrateU Date/Time: Thursday, March 5, 6 - 7:45pm Location: The Henry Street Settlement, 530 Baruch Place Ages: Sixth grade and older can volunteer on their own; fifth grade and younger can volunteer with their parents. Time Commitment: Approximately two hours The Celebrate U Foundation is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to spread happiness by throwing birthday parties for children in shelters or who can't afford to celebrate their birthday in the New York City area. The effect of these celebrations goes way beyond cake and party favors. Celebrate U believes that by showing children that their community truly cares about them, it can raise self-esteem, provide hope for a brighter future and empower children. Early education is essential, but so is building a child's self-esteem, giving them hope for a bright future and knowing society cares about them. And every child deserves a birthday party. Volunteers set up a birthday party with decorations, a banner and paper goods, they do an arts and crafts project with the kids, sing songs and serve cake to the children. The party celebrates any child with a birthday that month and is open to all shelter guests.  A short training session will take place for new volunteers one week prior to each event Contact: Alisonkauder@gmail.com, 917.502.2850 www.celebrateu.org Annual Book Drive Project Cicero Date/Time(s): Friday, March 6 through Sunday, March 8. There are a variety of shifts available. Location: The sorting and distribution event will take place in the Gold Ballroom at The Hotel Pennsylvania, at the corner of 33rd Street & 7th Ave. Book drives are held the week of March 2- 5, and all books are picked up by March 6. Check with your school to see if they are participating in the annual drive. Books can also be donated to Project Cicero through their Amazon wishlist page. Ages: Everyone can participate in book drives. Volunteers for sorting and distribution event must be ages 12 and up with an adult. Time Commitment: For the sorting and distribution event, 2 hours or more is preferred. Project Cicero is a partnership of independent, public, and parochial schools, private and public organizations, and corporations whose primary goal is to create and supplement classroom and school libraries for children in under-resourced New York City public schools through an annual citywide book drive. Project Cicero also puts books into homeless shelters, juvenile detention facilities, community centers, before and after school programs, and wherever else there is a need. To date, Project Cicero has placed 3,750,000 new and gently used books into more than 30,000 classrooms and school libraries reaching over 1,000,000 children in under-resourced schools in New York City.  Donated books must be in excellent condition, and only children's book (through young adult/high school level) will be accepted. The sorting and distribution event involves helping to sort, display and organize over 150,000 donated children's books as teachers visit and select books for their classrooms. Contact: projcicero@gmail.com. Registration for the sorting event is available online and slots fill quickly. www.projectcicero.org MV4NY's Book Sorting Event for Project Cicero Muslim Volunteers of New York Date/Time: Saturday, March 7: 11:30am - 12:30pm 12:30 - 1:30pm Location: Project Cicero Sorting and Distribution Event, Hotel Pennsylvania Gold Ballroom, 401 7th Ave, NY Ages: All participants should be in grade 8 or older Time Commitment: One-hour shifts The mission of MV4NY is to engage the community at large, along with the Muslim-American community in a variety of grass-root efforts to give back to New York City and its residents. Project Cicero is an annual event where 1200 NYC teachers at public schools in need personally select as many books as they can to transport to their school and classroom libraries. Since 2001, 3,750,000 new and gently used books have been given to more than 30,000 NYC classrooms, reaching over 1,000,000 students! MV4NY Volunteers is coordinating a group to attend and help with organizing the books donated to Project Cicero according to subject, age and genre. Teachers will select from these sorted books. We will provide a community service letter to volunteers upon request. Contact: 646.267.9410 or muslimvolunteers4ny@gmail.com. Registration is available online. Click your preferred time before to register: Click here for 11:30am - 12:30pm shift Click here for 12:30 - 1:30pm shift https://mv4ny.org/ 'Make Compost, Not Trash' Big Reuse, in Partnership with NY Department of Sanitation Date/Time: Varies Location: Brooklyn Community Boards 2, 6 and 7 Ages: Most of the volunteer opportunities are best suited for teenagers Time Commitment: Two hours We want to grow participation in curbside composting to keep waste out of the landfill, keep methane from our atmosphere, and Make Compost, Not Trash. Join the Make Compost, Not Trash campaign by volunteering at an upcoming event with our team. Opportunities include neighborhood canvassing, street tree care, and park clean ups, and compost distribution events. Neighborhood canvassing involves educating your neighbors on curbside composting by joining us as we knock on doors and speak with New Yorkers about their experiences with the brown bins. Street tree care and park clean ups involve cleaning tree pits and parks and applying compost to plants and trees. All of these events are led by one of our Outreach Associates, who will educate and train all volunteers.     Contact: Maryrose@bigreuse.org. Please complete an online volunteer application. MakeCompost.NYC Support GallopNYC's Therapeutic Riders GallopNYC Date/Time(s): Winter term runs through March 22. The spring term will begin on March 31 and the schedule may vary slightly. Tuesday: Morning, 9:30am - noon Midday, 12:15 -1:45pm Afternoon, 3:30 - 6pm Evening, 6 - 8pm Under 16, 3:30 - 6pm Wednesday: Morning, 9:30am - noon Midday, 12:15 - 2pm Pony Club, 3:30 - 6pm Evening, 5:30 - 8pm Under 16, Pony Club, 3:30 - 6pm Thursday: Morning, 9:30am - noon Midday, 12:15 -1:45pm Evening, 4:30 - 8pm Friday: Morning, 9:30am - noon Midday, 12:15 - 2:30pm Afternoon, 3:30 - 6pm Evening, 5:30 - 8pm Under 16, 3:30 - 6pm Saturday: Morning, 8:30 - 11:15am Midday, 11:15am - 1:45pm Afternoon, 1:45 - 4:15pm Pony Club, 4 - 6pm Under 16, Pony Club, 4 - 6pm Sunday: Morning, 8:30 - 11:15am Under 16, 8:30 - noon Midday, 11:15am - 1:45pm Under 16, noon - 4pm Afternoon, 1:45 - 4pm Evening, 4:30- 7pm   Location: All sessions take place at GallopNYC, 88-03 70th Road, Flushing Ages: 16+; mature younger teens welcome with a parent and after a screening process Time Commitment: Two to four hours per shift. Volunteers are encouraged to commit to the same shift for at least 5 weeks, if possible. GallopNYC is a non-profit organization based in New York City that offers therapeutic horsemanship programs to children and adults with disabilities. We serve over 500 riders a week and operate our riding program at four locations, all within NYC. Schedules at each location vary seasonally. Therapeutic horsemanship teaches the skills of horseback riding and horse knowledge to build developmental, emotional, social, and physical skills for each individual rider. Under the direction of a PATH International certified instructor, supported by trained volunteers, each rider progressively acquires riding skills and measurable improvements in life skills. Through weekly sessions, we help riders walk, talk, learn and have FUN! We also offer hippotherapy services. Therapeutic horsemanship means learning to ride a horse but it means much more - it means building a bond with a horse, learning to care for a horse, understanding how horses perceive the world and respond to people, and ultimately being a leader to a horse. Volunteer Duties may include: Side Walking: Assist the instructor during therapeutic riding sessions by working directly with the riders. Act as an intermediary between the rider and instructor by assisting the rider in carrying out the instructor's directions. Lead Walking: Volunteer will lead horses during therapeutic riding classes, working with a group of side-walkers, keeping primary focus on assigned horse (and not the rider) while maintaining communication with team. No experience is necessary. We provide all required training. Volunteers should make sure to dress in weather appropriate attire and most importantly, volunteers need to wear shoes that covers their entire foot, ideally boots. Contact: Cheriselle Scott, volunteer@gallopnyc.org, 646.518.8699. Registration is available online. volunteer.gallopnyc.org  Do you have a teen who is making an impact in the community? Riley's Way Foundation is asking teens across the country to tell us how they can drive change that inspires kindness and builds meaningful connections in their communities. Working with their school or a nonprofit partner, teens can submit a brand new idea or tell us how they plan to improve or expand an existing teen-led initiative. Riley's Way will award 15 winning projects with $3,000 and the opportunity to join a virtual community of like-minded peers from across the country. The deadline to apply is March 31, 2020. Please visit our website at www.callforkindness.org for more information: Check out our featured Project of the Month!   EXPLORE our growing list of at-home projects you can do whenever you're ready, each with conversation starters, book ideas, and more!   With your generosity, we can grow a new generation of kind, caring adults: As a member of our Kindness Builders Monthly Giving Circle, you'll provide the tools families need to nurture their children's hearts as well as their minds. This special group of DGT donors builds a more just, compassionate world every day simply by making an affordable, automatic tax-deductible donation each and every month.   To set up a recurring gift, simply fill out our secure online donation form, and select the amount of your gift. If you want to make kindness common, please join us today! https://www.doinggoodtogether.org/donate-monthly       If you received this email from someone else and would like to subscribe, please click here. This list was compiled by Doing Good Together™ (www.doinggoodtogether.org)  When calling to volunteer for any of the opportunities listed above, please let the coordinator know you found it through this listing. You are encouraged to ask any questions you may have of the sponsoring organization before committing to a project. Disclaimer: This list is provided as a service to families. Inclusion of organizations in this listing does not imply affiliation, endorsement or quality assurance on the part of Doing Good Together.™ Doing Good Together™ bears no responsibility whatsoever for the activities and actions of the listed organizations.                                                                                                                                                                                    © 2020 Doing Good Together™

Doing Good Together, 5141 16th Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55417 SafeUnsubscribe™ Forward this email | Update Profile | About our service provider Sent by mail@doinggoodtogether.org in collaboration with Try email marketing for free today!

February 2020 NYC Family Volunteer Opportunities

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February 2020 - NYC Brooklyn Book Bodega Events Brooklyn Book Bodega Date/Time(s): Saturday, February 1 and Sunday, February 9, 10am - 4pm Shift times: 10am - 12:30pm 11:30am - 2pm 1:30 - 3:30pm Location(s): Saturday, February, Ingersoll Community Center, 177 Myrtle Avenue Sunday, February 9, Brooklyn Navy Yard, Building 77, 141 Flushing Avenue Ages: Families with children of all ages are welcome. Volunteers under age 16 must be supervised by a parent or guardian Time Commitment: Two to two and one-half hours   The mission of Brooklyn Book Bodega is to increase the number of 100+ book homes in Brooklyn. We believe every child in Brooklyn deserves to own the books that they want to read and enjoy. A Bodega Book event is a book collection and distribution event. Volunteer responsibilities at the event include checking in guests, checking out guests, setting up books, helping guests with browsing, and assisting with miscellaneous tasks. Contact: Seema Aghera, Brooklynbookbodega@gmail.com. Registration is available online. https://www.brooklynbookbodega.org/ Annual Toiletry Drive for Homeless Women (to support Valentine's Day Party gift bags) Brooklyn Community Services Date/Time: All donations must be made by Friday, February 7. Drop off your donations weekdays between 9am and 5pm. Location: BCS Headquarters,151 Lawrence Street, Fl. 4, Brooklyn. Donations can also be mailed to: Janelle Anderson, 151 Lawrence St. 4th Floor, Brooklyn, NY 11201 Ages: Everyone is welcome to participate Time Commitment: Varies Every year for Valentine's Day, BCS gives shelter residents Beauty Baskets for personal care, including menstrual, hygiene and wellness products. Beauty Baskets help us alleviate the financial burden for the women we serve. With your support, BCS can empower women on their journey to better self-care. Items to donate can include:  Menstrual products (reusable and otherwise) Body wash Loofahs Combs/brushes Shampoo Conditioner Toothpaste Mouthwash Head scarfs Socks Stockings Deodorant Perfume Lotions Make-up Please do not include any glass items or shaving razors. Items collected make a real difference to the homeless women served by BCS, who come into the shelter with very few personal possessions. All donated items will be included in gift bags distributed at the annual Valentine's Day Party. Items may also be purchased from their Amazon Wishlist.   Contact: volunteer@wearebcs.org https://wearebcs.org/ Sweet Dreams Pajama and Book Drive The Muslim Volunteers for New York (MV4NY) Date/Time: Friday, February 7 through Sunday, February 16 Location: Online Ages: Everyone is welcome to participate Time Commitment: Varies   The Muslim Volunteers for New York (MV4NY) is conducting their 3rd annual nationwide "Sweet Dreams" Pajama and Book Drive to benefit underserved babies and children (ranging in ages from 0-16) served by two outstanding programs; The Pajama Program and Room to Grow. The MV4NY pajama and book drive is designed to help at-risk families and young children. Too many kids in our community experience poverty, abandonment, and hunger. The simple comfort that a pair of new pajamas provides and the escape that a lovely book offers is priceless in a world that can seem uncertain and insecure. Your generosity will help provide the comfort of a warm pair of pajamas and cozy bedtime story to at-risk children. Check out Doing Good Together's Picture Books that Illuminate Hunger, Poverty, & Homelessness or Chapter Books that Raise Awareness about Hunger, Poverty, and Homelessness to help your children learn more about poverty and homelessness. Contact: Please make your financial donation for new pajamas and books online at https://fs27.formsite.com/MV4NY/tqm96jw8ln/index.html. Please note - 100% of your financial donations will be spent on pajamas and books, to maximize the number of children served. https://www.facebook.com/mv4ny/    Serve a Hot Meal to the Homeless Manhattan Church of Christ Date/Time(s): Saturday, February 8, 15, 22, 29, 9:30am - 1:30pm Location: Manhattan Church of Christ, 48 East 80th Street Ages: Everyone is welcome to participate Time Commitment: Varies, come for a few hours or stay for the entire shift! The Saturday Lunch Program provides hot meals with dignity and compassion to the homeless or those who live marginally. All shifts are family-friendly, and involve a set-up team to set tables and decorate, a service team to run trays of food back and forth to the guests, and a break down & clean up team. Volunteers help set up, prepare and serve meals, then break down and clean up. Contact: Reverend Carl Garrison, carl@manhattanchurch.org https://www.manhattanchurch.org/ Tu B'shevat Festival Project at Brooklyn Children's Museum Repair the World Brooklyn Date/Time: Sunday, February 9: Shift 1, 11 - 11:30am Shift 2,  1 - 1:30pm Shift 3, 2 - 2:30pm Shift 4, 3 - 3:30pm  Location: Brooklyn Children's Museum, 145 Brooklyn Ave, Brooklyn Ages: Geared toward ages 4-10, but open to younger and older! Time Commitment: 30-minute shifts Repair the World Brooklyn is facilitating a family food justice packaging project at the Brooklyn Children's Museum Tu B'shevat Festival! Package soup for a local food pantry, learn about food insecurity and how it connects with the lessons of the Jewish "New Year of the Trees." Volunteers are encouraged to explore the museum before or after the packaging project. Pay museum admission at the door: $13 for adults and free for children 12 and under. Generously made possible by the UJA Federation of NY. Contact: info@weRepair.org. Registration is available online:  Shift 1, 11 - 11:30am Shift 2,  1 - 1:30pm Shift 3, 2 - 2:30pm Shift 4, 3 - 3:30pm  https://werepair.org/brooklyn/ Share the Love! Valentine's Day Pajama and Stuffed Animal Drive Family-to-Family Date/Time: All deliveries should be made by February 13 Location: Check the Family-to-Family website for a list of locations where you can send your gift. Ages: All ages can participate Time Commitment: Varies New pajamas and a snuggly stuffed animal can make a child living in poverty feel special and secure. Consider sending one new pair of pajamas, any size, along with a new stuffed animal and a Valentine's Day card, to an American child living in poverty in one of the communities Family-to-Family serves. When purchasing pajamas, please makes sure to buy those that meet federal safety regulations. Contact: moreinfo@family-to-family.org https://www.family-to-family.org  Create Valentines for our Veterans Soldiers' Angels Date/Time: Cards should be delivered by February 14 Location: Mail your cards and $1 per card to: Soldiers' Angels 2700 NE Loop 410, Suite 310 San Antonio, TX 78217 Ages: Everyone is welcome to participate Time Commitment: Varies Holidays like Valentine's Day are fun to celebrate when you have loved ones or friends to share the day with. Unfortunately, our military heroes often find themselves alone or feeling homesick during holidays. The mission of Soldiers' Angels is to make sure no one who serves this country feels unloved - and that's especially true on Valentine's Day! You and your family can help by making or purchasing Valentines cards for our military and veteran heroes. Why do we ask for the $1 per card? The $1 helps cover the cost to distribute the thousands of cards we receive. Have questions? Check out our FAQ's here. Feel free to purchase or make your Valentines. Our heroes love hearing from children. Making Valentines is a good activity to do with the kids one afternoon. It's also a fun activity for your office, club, or civic group. Be sure to write a note of encouragement or thanks on your cards. Don't be afraid to sign your name! Contact: info@soldiersangels.org  www.soldiersangels.org/     Family Packaging Project at Repair the World Brooklyn Repair the World Brooklyn Date/Time: Sunday, February 23, 2:30 - 4pm Location: Repair the World Brooklyn Workshop, 808 Nostrand Ave., Brooklyn Ages: Geared toward ages 5-12, but younger and older siblings are welcome too. Time Commitment: 90 minutes Repair the World Brooklyn is facilitating a family packaging project at our Brooklyn workshop! Package necessary items for a local organization and deepen the experience with learning based in Jewish tradition and social justice. More information on the project to be provided soon. Generously made possible by the UJA Federation of NY. Contact: Kate Thomas, Repair the World NYC Education and Family Program Manager kate.thomas@weRepair.org. Registration is available online. https://werepair.org/brooklyn/ DOROT Purim Family Visits DOROT Date/Time: Choose your volunteer day: Thursday, March 5 or Tuesday, March 10. Visits take place from 5 - 6pm. Location: Volunteers sign up to make home visits to older adults who live on the Upper West and Upper East Side of Manhattan. Ages: All youth volunteers must be between 5-17 years old and accompanied by an adult. Time Commitment: Visits last between 30 minutes and one hour. PLEASE NOTE that families who have not volunteered with DOROT before are required to attend an orientation on February 25 from 4:30 - 5:30pm or on March 4 from 5:30 - 6:30pm. Orientations are held at DOROT, 171 West 85th Street.   Make Purim extra special with a visit to a DOROT elder. DOROT provides the mishloach manot, which are prepared by local synagogues and day schools and include hamantaschen. You and your family spend time visiting and celebrating the holiday. It's always fun when volunteers visit in costume! Visits are in Manhattan only. Contact: Quinn Lockwood, qlockwood@dorotusa.org, with any questions. Registration is available online.  dorotusa.org  Fight Hunger at WSCAH! West Side Campaign Against Hunger Date/Time: Monday through Friday, 7am - 4pm  (Open until 7pm on Mondays) Location: 263 West 86th Street, New York Ages: Families with children 10-13 years old may come accompanied by an adult; teens 14-18 may come individually with permission from guardian. Time Commitment: Volunteer shifts range from two-three hours depending on the time of day.   West Side Campaign Against Hunger offers several different programs that respond to immediate hunger and assist our customers on their paths to self-sustainability. A majority of our volunteers support our 86th Street Market, our supermarket-style food pantry, which serves approximately 100-200 customers each day we are open to the public. Volunteers help with deliveries, organize food product, clean and bag food items, and stock our shelves. Contact: Jake Benoit, Youth Engagement Coordinator, at jbenoit@wscah.org. Registration is available online. https://www.wscah.org/ Host a Birthday Party for Kids CelebrateU Date/Time(s): Thursday, February 13, 4:15 - 6pm Wednesday, February 26, 4:30 - 6pm  Location: February 13, Homes for the Homeless, 730 Kelly Street February 26, The Huntington House, 347 East 10th Street Ages: Fifth grade and up Time Commitment: Approximately two hours The Celebrate U Foundation is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to spread happiness by throwing birthday parties for children in shelters or who can't afford to celebrate their birthday in the New York City area. The effect of these celebrations goes way beyond cake and party favors. Celebrate U believes that by showing children that their community truly cares about them, it can raise self-esteem, provide hope for a brighter future and empower children. Early education is essential, but so is building a child's self-esteem, giving them hope for a bright future and knowing society cares about them. And every child deserves a birthday party. Volunteers set up a birthday party with decorations, a banner and paper goods, they do an arts and crafts project with the kids, sing songs and serve cake to the children. The party celebrates any child with a birthday that month and is open to all shelter guests.  A short training session will take place for new volunteers one week prior to each event. Contact: Alisonkauder@gmail.com, 917.502.2850 www.celebrateu.org Intergenerational Chess DOROT Date/Time(s): February 3 - May 18, Mondays from 4pm - 5:30pm February: 3, 10, 24 March: 2, 9, 16, 30 April: 6, 13, 20, 27 May: 4, 11 Location: DOROT, 171 West 85th Street Off Amsterdam Avenue Ages: Students in grades 6 through 12 Time Commitment: One and one-half hours each Monday. Volunteers must commit to all sessions.   Share your love of the game, play chess with older adults and help build intergenerational connections across the chess board. Students and DOROT Seniors will get to know each other and play chess together. Chess Masters will demonstrate different strategies at each session. Refreshments will be served. Contact: Quinn Lockwood, qlockwood@dorotusa.org, 917.441.5051. Registration is available online. http://www.dorotusa.org/chess Check out our featured Project of the Month!   EXPLORE our growing list of at-home projects you can do whenever you're ready, each with conversation starters, book ideas, and more!   The season of kindness calls for more empathy toward "others." Download our "Beyond Our Neighbors" curriculum today! Extend the season of love and kindness by expanding children's circles of concern. Our FREE "Beyond Our Neighbors" curriculum makes it easy. Created in partnership with Making Caring Common, these unique lesson plans include group and take-home activities to inspire kindness and acts of service, along with discussion guides for meaningful reflection. Ideal for students in grades 2-6, these free lesson plans are perfect for faith groups, troops, and after-school programs. Download your free copy today!       If you received this email from someone else and would like to subscribe, please click here. This list was compiled by Doing Good Together™ (www.doinggoodtogether.org)  When calling to volunteer for any of the opportunities listed above, please let the coordinator know you found it through this listing. You are encouraged to ask any questions you may have of the sponsoring organization before committing to a project. Disclaimer: This list is provided as a service to families. Inclusion of organizations in this listing does not imply affiliation, endorsement or quality assurance on the part of Doing Good Together.™ Doing Good Together™ bears no responsibility whatsoever for the activities and actions of the listed organizations.                                                                                                                                                                                    © 2020 Doing Good Together™

Doing Good Together, 5141 16th Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55417 SafeUnsubscribe™ Forward this email | Update Profile | About our service provider Sent by mail@doinggoodtogether.org in collaboration with Try email marketing for free today!

January 2020 NYC Family Volunteer Opportunities

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January 2020 - NYC Book Events Brooklyn Book Bodega Date/Time(s): Friday, January 10, 10am - noon Sunday, January 12 - three shifts: 10am - 12:30pm 11:30am - 2pm 1:30 - 3:30pm  Location: Brooklyn Navy Yard, Building 77, 141 Flushing Avenue Ages: Families are welcome to volunteer together Time Commitment: Two or two and one-half hours On January 10 Brooklyn Book Bodega will be organizing and stamping books in preparation for our events at the Brooklyn Navy Yard. Then, on January 12, the first Brooklyn Book Bodega event of the new year will be held. Responsibilities include checking in guests, checking out guests, setting up books, helping guests with browsing and assisting with miscellaneous tasks. The Brooklyn Book Bodega increases the number of 100+ book homes in Brooklyn. Research shows that households with 100+ books boost life outcomes for children and adolescents. Our vision is to create a vibrant and welcoming community that encourages children and adolescents from diverse backgrounds to engage with each other over a shared passion for reading while building their personal libraries. Contact: brooklynbookbodega@gmail.com. Registration is available online.  https://www.brooklynbookbodega.org/ Serve a Hot Meal to the Homeless Manhattan Church of Christ Date/Time(s): Saturday, January 11, 18 and 25, 9am - 1pm Monday, January 20 - MLK Day, 9am - 1pm  Location: Manhattan Church of Christ, 48 East 80th Street Ages: All ages, families are encouraged to volunteer together. Time Commitment: Varies, four to five hours. Volunteers help set up, prepare and serve meals, then break down and clean up. All shifts are family-friendly, and involve a set-up team to set tables and decorate, a service team to run trays of food back and forth to the guests, and a break down & clean up team. Contact: carl@manhattanchurch.org. Volunteers should email Rev. Carl Garrison to sign up. Registration is also available online. www.manhattanchurch.org MulchFest 2020 - TreeCycle! City of New York Parks & Recreation Date/Time: December 26 to January 11 - special Chipping Saturdays on January 4 and January 11, 10am - 2 pm. Location(s): Various locations, search by zip code here. Ages: Everyone is welcome to participate Time Commitment: Varies Join the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation, the Department of Sanitation and GreeNYC to recycle your Christmas trees into wood chips. These wood chips are used to nourish trees and plants on streets and gardens citywide. More than 30,000 trees were recycled last year. You can bring your tree to a chipping location on either Chipping Saturday, January 4 or 11, or to a drop-off location and the city will recycle it for you later. The Sanitation Department also conducts curbside collections. See website for chipping and drop-off locations. Please remember to remove all lights and ornaments. Contact:  If you'd like to volunteer at MulchFest, you may register to join the Green Team and MillionTreesNYC volunteer group. See website for details. https://www.nycgovparks.org/highlights/festivals/mulchfest MLK Day of Services UJA Federation - NY/ Time For Good Initiative Date/Time: Monday, January 20 - Various times and locations across NYC Location(s): Variety of locations, depending on project Ages: There will be projects for families with children of all ages Time Commitment: Varies, depending on project On January 20th, join thousands of New Yorkers and sign up to participate in UJA-Federation/Time for Good sponsored MLK Day of Service volunteer opportunities. There are dozens of ways to give back to the community, in many locations across New York, Westchester and Long Island.     Projects include: Painting a community mural Serving lunch to seniors Gardening activities Making care packages for seniors Assembling food packages And many more! Contact: View family-friendly opportunities and register online. REGISTER EARLY - SPOTS FILL QUICKLY!! https://www.timeforgood.org/mlk-day MLK Weekend of Service 2020 Repair the World Date/Time: Various dates and time. Location: Locations throughout New York City Ages: Most projects are open to all ages Time Commitment: Varies We honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy and commitment to racial and economic equity. Today, we hold these values in mind as we join together to serve our communities. Together we amplify work that is being done and move towards repairing the world. You can also fill out our group interest form if you know you're bringing a class or group!    Family friendly volunteer opportunities include: Package winter care kits for The Campaign Against Hunger Package high nutrient meals with Muslims Against Hunger Package school supply kits for Brooklyn Community Services (BCS) Assemble hygiene kits and paint a mural at Temple Beth Elohim Contact: Kate Thomas kate.thomas@werepair.org. Explore our project offerings for families in Brooklyn and Harlem at our MLK Day website. Registration is available online. https://werepair.org/ MLK Weekend Volunteer Opportunities Volunteer New York! Date/Time: Saturday, January 18, various times Location(s): Click here for project locations Ages: Many opportunities are family-friendly; check individual opportunities for specific age requirements. Time Commitment: Varies, depending on the opportunity The Martin Luther King, Jr. National Day of Service is a day intended to empower individuals, strengthen communities, bridge barriers, create solutions to social problems, and move us closer to Dr. King's vision of a "Beloved Community." MLK Day 2020 will be the 10th year Volunteer New York! has hosted this community-wide action day, which has united thousands of volunteers to serve for shared causes and beliefs, providing tens of thousands of hours of support to local nonprofits and creating countless memories for the families and individuals that have served together in honor of Dr. King. Volunteer New York! is a Westchester-based organization that encourages volunteerism and supports local non-profits. Projects include packing diapers for families in need, making birthday boxes and cards for children, serving meals, paint therapy for seniors and many others. Contact: 914.948.4452, or fill out the online contact form. Registration is available online. Please select the opportunity and follow the registration prompts. https://www.volunteernewyork.org/ Host a PJ and Book Drive! Pajama Program Date/Time: Flexible Location: Your own community Ages: Everyone is welcome to participate Time Commitment: Varies The Pajama Program is a non-profit that provides new pajamas and new books to children in need through a nation-wide network of service agencies. Winter is considered the "danger season" for children in shelter and temporary housing. Snuggling up in cozy, new pajamas with their very own new book, these children are given a secure and nurturing "good night" at bedtime. You can help by organizing a drive to gather new pajamas and books for the children who need them most. Consider hosting a Pajama Party or Book Drive for your child's next Birthday! Invite your guests to a Pajama Party (or any theme party) In lieu of gifts, ask guests to bring a new pair of pajamas or a new book to donate to Pajama Program Pajamas should be new/unused and a complete set or nightgown Decide on an age range to collect (all ages, infant, children to age 5, children 6 - 12, teens, etc.) Posters, signs and brochures can be used for invitations or to decorate the party space, and may be downloaded from the Pajama Program website, https://pajamaprogram.org/pajamas-books/start-a-drive/ Once your drive is complete, report the donation to the Pajama Program through this link on their website Within 7 days, the Pajama Program will contact you with a receiving organization in your area that will accept the donations, and help you get the donation into the hands of the children they serve. Contact: 212.716.9757 www.pajamaprogram.org Winter Package Delivery DOROT Date/Time: Sunday, February 2, 10 am - 2 pm. Be aware that registration will open in January and slots fill quickly. Location: Various locations around the Upper West and Upper East Side. Package pick-up locations will be announced. Ages: Appropriate for families with children above age five. Time Commitment: Two hours Bring warmth and companionship to an older neighbor with a Sunday morning visit. Sign up for the East or West Side location for orientation, package pick-up, and a home visit assignment. Contact: Quinn Lockwood, qlockwood@dorotusa.org. Registration will be available on the DOROT Winter Package Delivery page. www.dorotusa.org  Families Helping Families: Family Day Little Essentials Date/Time: Saturday, January 18, 10:30am - 12:30pm Location: Little Essentials Warehouse, 15 Warren Street, NYC Ages: Families with children age eight and older are welcome to participate. All minors must have a volunteer release form - please contact alex@littleessentials.org for a minor volunteer release form if you or a family member are under 18 years of age. Time Commitment: Two hours Little Essentials offers at-risk families living in poverty urgently needed children's supplies and parenting education to promote the health, well-being and safety of their children under five years of age. Families are welcome to help sort, clean, bundle and count donated items for families living in poverty. Contact: Alex@littleessentials.org. Register early as spots fill quickly! www.littleessentials.org Host a Birthday Party for Kids CelebrateU Date/Time: Thursday, January 23, 6 - 8pm Location: The Henry Street Settlement House, 130 Baruch Place Ages: Fifth grade and up Time Commitment: Approximately two hours The Celebrate U Foundation is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to spread happiness by throwing birthday parties for children in shelters or who can't afford to celebrate their birthday in the New York City area. The effect of these celebrations goes way beyond cake and party favors. Celebrate U believes that by showing children that their community truly cares about them, it can raise self-esteem, provide hope for a brighter future and empower children. Early education is essential, but so is building a child's self-esteem, giving them hope for a bright future and knowing society cares about them. And every child deserves a birthday party. Volunteers set up a birthday party with decorations, a banner and paper goods, they do an arts and crafts project with the kids, sing songs and serve cake to the children. The party celebrates any child with a birthday that month and is open to all shelter guests.  A short training session will take place for new volunteers one week prior to each event. Contact: Alisonkauder@gmail.com www.celebrateu.org  Outreach, Serving at a Soup Kitchen or Food Pantry, Advocacy Hunger Free America Date/Time: Events run from Wednesday, January 16 through Wednesday, January 22 Location(s): Throughout New York City Ages: Ages 13 and up, teens under the age of 18 must have a guardian fill out a waiver form. Time Commitment: Varies by project Some 12.3% of Americas struggle with hunger every year, which is why we are holding our 19th Annual MLK Serve- A-Thon. The purpose of our Serve-A-Thon is to provide an opportunity for people to bond over service and to make a meaningful impact in the lives of those who struggle with hunger, social injustice, and poverty. Help honor Dr. King's legacy as a civil rights and anti-poverty leader and activist by volunteering to help advance food security in our communities.  Contact: volunteer@hungerfreeamerica.org. Registration is available online. https://www.hungerfreeamerica.org/  Monday, January 20th is Martin Luther King Day of Service "Everybody can be great because everybody can serve" Monday, January 20th is a school and bank holiday to honor the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Instead of just making it a day OFF, make it a day ON and consider participating in a service project with your family. Many organizations provide tips, resources and hands-on opportunities to begin a conversation about social justice around the Holiday. Visit the following sites for more ideas: https://www.pointsoflight.org/mlk-jr-day-of-service/ https://www.nationalservice.gov/serve-your-community/mlk-day-service https://www.nycservice.org/pages/pages/158 Check out our featured Project of the Month!   EXPLORE our growing list of at-home projects you can do whenever you're ready, each with conversation starters, book ideas, and more!     2020 FAMILY RESOLUTION: Join the DGT Membership Circle, and ensure more acts of kindness and community engagement Families across the nation are seeking ways to do more for their community and to make kindness a priority. With the DGT Membership Circle, you can meet your family's goals and do so with the advice and expertise of those who are leaders in the field of kindness and family service. Join now to receive your welcome kit in January!       If you received this email from someone else and would like to subscribe, please click here. This list was compiled by Doing Good Together™ (www.doinggoodtogether.org)  When calling to volunteer for any of the opportunities listed above, please let the coordinator know you found it through this listing. You are encouraged to ask any questions you may have of the sponsoring organization before committing to a project. Disclaimer: This list is provided as a service to families. Inclusion of organizations in this listing does not imply affiliation, endorsement or quality assurance on the part of Doing Good Together.™ Doing Good Together™ bears no responsibility whatsoever for the activities and actions of the listed organizations.                                                                                                                                                                                    © 2020 Doing Good Together™

Doing Good Together, 5141 16th Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55417 SafeUnsubscribe™ Forward this email | Update Profile | About our service provider Sent by mail@doinggoodtogether.org in collaboration with Try email marketing for free today!

December 2018 - Family Volunteer Opportunities

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December 2018 - New York City Volunteer One-Night-of-Chanukah Dorot   Date/Time: Sunday, December 2 or Thursday, December 6   Location: At the home of an elderly Dorot client -Upper East or Upper West side Set aside one night of Chanukah to light the menorah with an elderly client of Dorot. Together, you and your family will create a memorable and meaningful Chanukah tradition, while fulfilling the mitzvot (commandment) of lighting Chanukah candles with a homebound elder who may have no family with whom to celebrate the holiday. Your family will be assigned to an elder and you call to schedule a time to visit and deliver a care package from Dorot filled with treats, a small menorah and candles.   Ages: Families with children age four and up are welcome to participate   Time Commitment:  Each visit should last approximately a half hour.   Contact: Quinn Lockwood, qlockwood@dorotusa.org, 914.441.5051. Register online now through November 28. www.dorotusa.org Adopt a Family for the Holidays Catholic Charities   Date/Time: Now through December 8   Location: Catholic Charities NY, 1011 First Avenue, New York Become a Secret St. Nick for a New York family in need! You and your family can help Catholic Charities make sure children and their families receive the gifts they need most during the holidays this year such as coats, gloves, blankets and more. Catholic Charities NY wants to help the families we serve have one less thing to worry about so that they may have a cheerful holiday season. Last year Catholic Charities provided winter necessities to more than 800 families. Family sizes range from a family of one to as many as eight. Catholic Charities will give you a brief description of your "adopted" family and their needs. If you cannot adopt a family this year, we ask that you please consider a monetary donation that will be used to purchase gifts for our families this winter season. All donations are tax-deductible.   Ages: Everyone is welcome to participate   Time Commitment: Varies   Contact: lakisha.morris@archny.org, 646.794.2436. Click here to Adopt a Family https://archny.org/ St. Nicholas Shopping Project - Astor Place Catholic Charities   Date/Time: Saturday, December 8 from 7am - 3pm and 11am - 5pm   Location: Astor Place Kmart, 770 Broadway, New York Despite hard work that often includes holding more than one job, many New York residents do not earn enough to pay for food, shelter, and utilities. The needs of struggling families with children, the working poor, frail seniors, and other residents in our communities continue to grow. Catholic Charities wants to help the families we serve have one less thing to worry about and ensure that they have a cheerful holiday season! Volunteers are needed to help support the St. Nicholas Project Shopping Day. This is a fun-filled day at the Kmart in Astor Place. Volunteers will be shopping for approximately 600 families on this day. Volunteers will be asked to help us "shop" at Kmart to select winter clothing items, process these items through the Kmart registers, and load everything onto Catholic Charities trucks for delivery. Volunteers will: Shop for families (volunteers will receive a family profile and shop for winter items - Catholic Charities provides this budget). We are unable to guarantee that each volunteer will be able to shop for families (earlier shifts will have first priority). Help at the cash registers Bag and sort donation items Load trucks Provide other assistance as needed Volunteers will be asked to assist in one or more of these areas. Kmart has changed its store layout, and we will depend on volunteers to help us with moving, bagging, and storing items. TEAM REGISTRATION: This is a great opportunity for corporate groups, school groups, friends, and family teams. If you wish to sign-up multiple people you can create a team -- however, you must first create your own log-in to do so. Click for CREATE-A-TEAM Instructions.   Ages: Families with ages nine and older are welcome to participate   Time Commitment: Up to six hours   Contact: Registration is available online. https://www.catholiccharitiesnyvolunteer.org/ Community School District 17 Feast and Talent Show Seeds in the Middle   Date/Time: Saturday, December 8, 10 am - 1 pm   Location: Community School District 17 Office, Maggie L. Walker Educational Campus, 1224 Park Place, Brooklyn This is a special event held every year for families from schools in this district that spans Crown Heights, Flatbush and Brownsville, central Brooklyn. Volunteers are needed to help make and serve food, help with talent show, and bring special gifts and donations that are healthy and will make everyone happy! This event focused on children and families who come from difficult circumstances. Feel free to bring new toys, gently used toys, or clothes for any age in good condition. Please bring a delicious, fresh dish for their potluck. We are located in a food desert area, where access to fresh fruits and vegetables is limited. We may be making fresh orange juice, so children can help make that, too!   Ages: All ages are welcome with a parent   Time Commitment: Two hours at any time. Volunteers may also be needed to help with set-up and breakdown.   Contact: Nancie, info@seedsinthemiddle.org, 917.697.3745 seedsinthemiddle.org   13th Annual - Mom's Christmas Stocking Campaign Mom's Christmas Stocking   Date/Time: Sunday, December 9, 1 - 3pm   Location: Grassroots Fitness Project, 371 Amsterdam Avenue, second floor. D. Wendy Strauss started this project in honor of her own mother. After her Mom passed away, Wendy found a request from her mom that she continue to fill a Christmas stocking for her each year, and to give it to a woman in need. Mom's Christmas Stocking fills upwards of 200 stockings for women and children each holiday season to be distributed to shelters in NYC through Women In Need (www.women-in-need.org). Volunteers are needed to purchase stocking stuffers for women and babies and to participate on event day; filling stockings and transporting bags of filled stockings to the final location before pick up. Suggested stocking stuffer items include: Makeup Travel size toiletries, lotion, shampoo, conditioner, deodorant  Feminine products Jewelry Hair accessories Toothbrushes, toothpaste, floss Nail kits, emery boards, polish Socks, trouser socks, slipper socks Candy, chocolates, mints Specialty gift items, hats, gloves, slipper socks, pashmina scarves Pens, markers, notebooks, note pads, pocket calendars, date books Baby clothing such as bibs, socks, onesies  Child safe toys, bottles, pacifiers, baby care kits, wipes, diapers Ages: Everyone is welcome to participate   Time Commitment: Shop in advance at your convenience, "stuffing" event is two hours but drop in and stuff for as long as you'd like!   Contact: D. Wendy Strauss, darylwendy@msn.com or mom.stocking@gmail.com, 212.920.4719 http://momschristmasstocking.com/ Become a Santa! Stockings with Care   Date/Time: Please fulfill your child's wish list and deliver gifts to the SWC Santa's Workshop in midtown Manhattan (location TBD) on Thursday, December 13 or Friday, December 14   Location: SWC Santa's Workshop in midtown Manhattan (location TBD) Stockings with Care is a nonprofit partnering with homeless shelters and assistance agencies to support struggling families. The goal this year is to provide Christmas magic for 1800 kids. "Santas" receive a list with 3 Wishes for one New York City child whose family either lives in a homeless shelter or is in danger of being homeless. Santas do the shopping for their child's 3 wishes, wrap the gifts, then drop them off at the Stockings with Care Santa's Workshop (a borrowed raw space). To be a Santa for a child in need, please fill out the form and let Stockings with Care know how many children you wish to sponsor and any specific comments, such as budget limitations (the average cost of an entire wish list is $100-$150). You may also specify if you have an age or gender preference from newborns to teenagers and we will see if we can match you up. Many companies offer employee gift matching programs. Please be sure to take advantage of this if your office offers a program! Every gift makes a difference in a child's Christmas.   Ages: Everyone is welcome to participate   Time Commitment: Varies   Contact: info@stockingswithcare.org www.stockingswithcare.org Food Pantry Volunteers Bed Stuy Campaign Against Hunger   Date/Time: Ongoing, Mondays and Thursdays from 9:30am - 4 pm and Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from 9:30am - 6 pm   Location: 2010 Fulton Street, Brooklyn (take the C train to Ralph Ave) Bed Stuy Campaign Against Hunger needs volunteers year-round for a variety of roles, including stocking shelves, distributing food, bagging produce for seniors, creating birthday or holiday bags, etc. Ages: Families with children ages 10 and older are welcome to assist with bagging produce, creating birthday and holiday bags and other tasks as needed. Individuals need to be 16 or older for general food pantry volunteering;   Time Commitment: Four-hour shifts   Contact: Miriam Ehrlich, mehrlich@tcahnyc.org, 718.773.3551 (x115) http://bedstuyagainsthunger.org/ Deliver Meals on Christmas Day Citymeals on Wheels   Date/Time: Tuesday, December 25, morning - shifts vary   Location: Manhattan, Queens, The Bronx and Brooklyn Citymeals on Wheels provides a continuous lifeline of nourishing meals and vital companionship to frail aged New Yorkers. Volunteers are needed to deliver a nourishing meal on Christmas morning, along with warm companionship. Ages: Families are welcome to volunteer   Time Commitment: Two to three hours   Contact: Sheila Clay, sheila@citymeals.org, 212.687.1234 www.citymeals.org  Holiday Toy Drive Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS)   Date/Time: Now through December 31   Location(s): The Bronx Zoo, NY Aquarium, Central Park Zoo, Prospect Park Zoo and Queens Zoo. Check individual sites for specific drop-off points Donations of new, unwrapped toys are being collected for the families of veterans and active duty members of the military and New York City families in need. From November 5 through December 31, drop off a new, unwrapped toy and you will receive a voucher for one free general admission ticket to the Bronx Zoo or New York Aquarium (up to 4 vouchers per family). Ages: Everyone is welcome to participate   Time Commitment: Varies   Contact: Check individual sites (above) for more information https://www.wcs.org/giveback Serve a Hot Meal to the Homeless Manhattan Church of Christ   Date/Time(s): Saturday, December 8, from 10am - 2pm (Special Holiday Party) Saturday December 15, 22 and 29, from 10 am - 2 pm Location: Manhattan Church of Christ, 48 East 80th Street Volunteers help set up, prepare and serve meals, then break down and clean up. All shifts are family-friendly, and involve a set-up team to set tables and decorate, a service team to run trays of food back and forth to the guests, and a break down & clean up team. On Saturday, December 8, we will also be having our holiday party and gift bags will be distributed!   Ages: All ages, families are encouraged to volunteer together.   Time Commitment: Varies. The full lunch program is four hours but volunteers are welcome any time during the day.   Contact: Volunteers should email Rev. Carl Garrison to sign up to volunteer.  carl@manhattanchurch.org www.manhattanchurch.org  A Special Collection! Manhattan Church of Christ   Date/Time: Please contact Reverend Carl to coordinate drop off times   Location: Manhattan Church of Christ, 48 East 80th Street The Manhattan Church of Christ is collecting the following items for community members who live marginally or are homeless. These items will be distributed at their holiday party in December. All items can be dropped off at the church: New socks, hats and gloves Small toothbrushes/toothpaste Deodorant, small soaps, shampoo, lotion Ages: Everyone is welcome to participate   Time Commitment: Varies   Contact: Rev. Carl Garrison, carl@manhattanchurch.org www.manhattanchurch.org Holiday Toy Collection Toys for Tots   Date/Time: At your convenience, until Christmas   Location: Toys for Tots partners with major retailers every year, and you'll find donation boxes all over the city.   Toys for Tots is a well-know charity, established in 1991 by the US Marine Corps Toys For Tots Foundation. Their mission is simple: to provide a tangible sign of hope to economically disadvantaged children at Christmas. Every child can relate to the idea that they receive so many gifts for the Holidays, and yet some children in our community may not receive a special toy for Christmas. Ages: Everyone is welcome to participate   Time Commitment: Varies   Contact: brooklynt4t@usmc.mil, 718.269.8786 https://brooklyn-ny.toysfortots.org/local-coordinator-sites/lco-sites/default.aspx Letters to Santa Macy's Believe Campaign - Make-A-Wish   Date/Time: Until December 24   Location: Any Macy's retail store This is the 10th year of Macy's Believe campaign benefiting Make-A-Wish. Kids of all ages can download a "letter to Santa" template from the Macy's website, and drop their stamped letter, addressed to Santa At The North Pole, in the Santa Mail letterbox at any Macy's retail store. For each letter received through December 24th, Macy's will donate $1 to Make-a-Wish, up to $1 million. Make-A-Wish provides magical, life-changing experiences for terminally ill children and their families.   Ages: Everyone is welcome to participate   Time Commitment: Varies   Contact: Click here to learn more. www.macys.com/social/believe/  30th Annual Coat Drive New York Cares   Date/Time: Now through February 1, 2019   Location: Donation sites are located across the city, in Police Stations, at major transportation terminals and at participating merchants. Check website for details on drop-off locations. You may also consider setting up a personal collection site/coat drive in your apartment building, church/temple, school or office. As the weather begins to get colder, New York Cares starts to distribute coats to our Community Partners. You may donate gently used coats at any one of the public donation sites (here is an interactive map of drop-off locations) or you may start your own family coat drive. All coats need to be delivered to the New York Cares warehouse located in midtown. Recipients of the coats include churches, schools and shelters, all of which serve New York's most in-need populations. Both adult and child-sized coats are welcomed. Ages: Everyone is welcome to participate   Time Commitment: Varies   Contact: info@newyorkcare.org, 212.228.5000 https://www.newyorkcares.org/ Letters of Gratitude Operation Gratitude   Date/Time: Ongoing   Location: Put all loose artwork and letters/cards (no individual envelopes) in a large envelope or box according to their recipient type, and ship to: Operation Gratitude ATTN: Letter Writing Program 21100 Lassen Street Chatsworth, CA 91311-4278 Write letters to our military, veterans and first responders. Operation Gratitude sends care packages to our active duty military, veterans, first responders, and new recruits. Each package includes a bundle of letters from the American people, thanking them for their service to our country. Package recipients tell us these letters, notes, and drawings are the most cherished items in their box. Visit the Operation Gratitude website for full instructions. Ages: Everyone is welcome to participate   Time Commitment: Varies   Contact: info@operationgratitude.com www.operationgratitude.com Top Three Holiday Giving Opportunities Family-to-Family   The holidays are around the corner, and this the year national poverty relief nonprofit Family-to-Family wants to make it easier than ever for families with "more" to help families with "less" celebrate the season. Family-to-Family's programs help families, veterans, seniors, Holocaust survivors and refugees in need receive food, personal hygiene products and other basic life essentials.   Here are three easy - yet meaningful - charitable acts that families can do together: Help your child be a giver with Give it Up - Ask your child to give up one gift they likely would have received this holiday season for a child with less. Here is how it works - take your child shopping for the gift, or set aside one present he or she received during the holidays. Then email moreinfo@family-to-family.org with your zip code and the number of family members participating, and Family-to-Family will send you the name of a recipient organization serving families in need. We ask that you call them to arrange a time to drop off your unwrapped gift(s). Include wrapping paper, tape and ribbon too! You'll then bring the gift to the organization we linked you to and the gift will be given to a mom or dad to give to their child as if they had bought it. Stuff a Stocking for a child or grown-up need - Let your child be a stocking stuffer this year! Bring the family on a shopping trip for adult or child stocking goodies. Adult stockings can include gloves, socks, a scarf, personal hygiene items, nail polish, a deck of cards or a Sudoku book. Stockings for kids can have a stuffed animal, mittens, travel size games and puzzles, small toys, lip gloss, pencils or a jump rope. Be creative and thoughtful. When you've finished stuffing your stocking, email moreinfo@family-to-family.org and we'll link you with either a local shelter where you can bring it, or an impoverished community where you can ship it.  Either way, an outreach worker will hand out your stocking to a mom or dad in need to give to their child, or to an adult in need! Last day to drop off stockings to a site near you is December 14. Holiday dinner baskets for struggling families in your town - Ask family or friends to join together and make baskets or bags of holiday dinner staples for families in need. It's simple! If you're making five or more baskets, first email us at moreinfo@family-to-family.org and we'll locate and link you up with a local food pantry that will give out your baskets. Then, ask each volunteer to shop for the items on a list here: https://www.family-to-family.org/holiday-giving/holiday-dinner-baskets/. Bring groceries to a central location, in either reusable grocery bags or a laundry basket. Then, volunteers from your group can drop everything off at the pantry we've linked you with. If you're making fewer than five baskets, we ask that you google "food pantry" along with your zip code to find a nearby pantry, and contact them directly about dropping off the baskets. Help Brighten the Holidays for Others - Adopt-a-Family Do you and your family want to find an opportunity to make the holidays brighter for others? Many community organizations offer holiday food or toy programs to their clients. Here is a list of organizations you can contact to see how your family can help: "Adopting" a disadvantaged child or family at holiday time can inspire a sense of giving in your children. The Doing Good Together website also offers a great page full of ideas:   www.breadandlife.org/support-us/sponsor-family blancashouse.org/volunteer-locally/  www.toysofhope.org/adopt_family.html  www.daymaker.com/give/ www.projecthospitality.org/ www.chcfinc.org/adopt-a-family/ shelteringarmsny.org/winter-wonders-holiday-gift-drive/   Giving Plates Doing Good Together   Date/Time: Flexible   Location: Your own home or community location Making some baked goods to bring along to a holiday gathering? You and your family can bake up some extra treats to share as a holiday gift with new or isolated neighbors, sick or stressed friends, or even service providers you meet on a regular basis, like the mail carrier or school bus driver. Then your family can design giving plates to place your home baked goodies on as part of your gift! Visit the Doing Good Together Design a Giving Plate for directions to make your plates and for additional ideas and reflection questions.   Ages: Everyone is welcome to participate   Time Commitment: Varies   Contact: mail@doinggoodtogether.org www.DoingGoodTogether.org Shop Kind for the Holidays! Whether you're shopping for birthday gifts, making your holiday gift list, or just looking for big-hearted books, games, and activities for your family, be sure to keep kindness in mind. DGT has compiled a variety of "kind vendors," and we've found some fun Amazon products that could turn online shopping into a big-hearted activity. Best of all, as an Amazon affiliate and having sponsored vendors, DGT benefits from these purchases as well. Want to become a Kind Vendor? Contact us and tell us about your big-hearted product!       If you received this email from someone else and would like to subscribe, please click here. This list was compiled by Doing Good Together™ (www.doinggoodtogether.org)  When calling to volunteer for any of the opportunities listed above, please let the coordinator know you found it through this listing. You are encouraged to ask any questions you may have of the sponsoring organization before committing to a project. Disclaimer: This list is provided as a service to families. Inclusion of organizations in this listing does not imply affiliation, endorsement or quality assurance on the part of Doing Good Together.™ Doing Good Together™ bears no responsibility whatsoever for the activities and actions of the listed organizations.                                                                                                                                                                                    © 2018 Doing Good Together™

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November 2018 Family Volunteer Opportunities

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November 2018 - New York City PLEASE NOTE:    THANKSGIVING VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES FILL VERY QUICKLY. IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN VOLUNTEERING WITH YOUR FAMILY ON THANKSGIVING, PLEASE CONTACT THE ORGANIZATION YOU ARE INTERESTED IN ASAP!   Donate Halloween Candy for Our Troops Operation Gratitude   Date/Time: At your convenience, after Halloween. Candy should be shipped no later than November 9.   Location: Mail candy to: Operation Gratitude Attn: Halloween Candy Program 21100 Lassen Street Chatsworth, CA 91311-4278 Don't forget to donate your leftover Halloween candy! On November 1st, the piles of left-over Halloween candy may be overwhelming. Operation Gratitude will accept your donations of unopened packages of candy. Their website provides important packaging and shipping information. Consider asking your children to write a letter or draw a picture to include with your donation, as Operation Gratitude strives to include personal notes in every care package they send. NO chocolate candy (chocolate can melt in transit).   Ages: Everyone is welcome to participate   Time Commitment: Varies   Contact: hcbb13@gmail.com, 608.318.3468, candy@operationgratitude.com https://www.operationgratitude.com/express-your-thanks/halloween-candy/  Encore: Meals on Wheels Catholic Charities of New York   Date/Time: Ongoing, every Saturday, November 3, 10, 17 and 24, 9:30am - 12:30pm   Location: Midtown West - full address provided upon registration Help Catholic Charities deliver meals to seniors in the midtown Manhattan area. Bring the gift of a delicious and nutritious meal, and provide homebound seniors with some company and a bright smile.   Ages: Families with children of all ages are welcome to participate   Time Commitment: Three hours   Contact: Registration is available online. http://encorecommunityservices.org Share Your Abundance this Thanksgiving NY Common Pantry Food Drive   Date/Time: Complete this form to schedule a pick-up. The last pick-up day will be Wednesday, November 14.   Location: NY Common Pantry, 8 East 109th Street The NY Common Pantry provides over 2,000 complete Thanksgiving meals each year. Consider organizing your own drive to help the Pantry collect food to be distributed to low-income New York families to ensure that everyone who relies on the NY Common Pantry will have the food that they need to have a festive and memorable holiday.   How to Plan a Food Drive: Choose collection sites that are both highly visible and secure, and promote to neighbors and friends. Click here to view the full list of requested food items. PLEASE DO DONATE ANYTHING IN GLASS JARS!   Ages: Everyone is welcome to participate   Time Commitment: Varies   Contact: foodrescue@newyorkcommonpantry.org. Click here for more information, or to make a monetary donation to support the 2018 Turkey Drive. www.nycommonpantry.org Serve a Hot Meal to the Homeless Manhattan Church of Christ   Date/Time(s): Saturday, November 10 and 17, 10am - 2pm Saturday, November 24, 10am - 2pm (Special Thanksgiving Holiday Meal) Location: Manhattan Church of Christ, 48 East 80th Street Volunteers help set up, prepare and serve meals, then break down and clean up.  Regular Saturday meal service will occur on November 10th and 17th. On the Saturday after Thanksgiving, the Manhattan Church of Christ opens its doors to serve a traditional Thanksgiving meal to the homeless. All shifts are family-friendly and involve a set-up team to set tables and decorate, a service team to run trays of food back and forth to the guests, and a break down & clean up team.   Ages: All ages, families are encouraged to volunteer together.   Time Commitment: Varies. The full lunch program is four hours but volunteers are welcome any time during the day.   Contact: Volunteers should email Rev. Carl Garrison to sign up to volunteer.  carl@manhattanchurch.org www.manhattanchurch.org A Special Collection! Manhattan Church of Christ   Date/Time: Please contact Reverend Carl to coordinate drop off times   Location: Manhattan Church of Christ, 48 East 80th Street The Manhattan Church of Christ is collecting the following items for community members who live marginally or are homeless. These items will be distributed at their holiday party in December. All items can be dropped off at the church: New socks, hats and gloves Small toothbrushes/toothpaste Deodorant, small soaps, shampoo, lotion Ages: Everyone is welcome to participate   Time Commitment: Varies   Contact: Rev. Carl Garrison, carl@manhattanchurch.org www.manhattanchurch.org  7th Annual Thousand Turkey Challenge West Side Campaign Against Hunger and the WSCAH Community Coalition   Date/Time: Drop off a turkey (frozen turkeys up to 14lbs) during the following hours: Monday, November 19 between 9am - 8pm Tuesday, November 20 between 9am - 8pm Wednesday, November 21 between 9am - 1pm Location: WSCAH - 263 West 86th Street, in the basement of the Church of St. Paul & St. Andrew (Between West End Avenue and Broadway) The West Side Campaign Against Hunger is a grocery-store style food pantry on the Upper West Side which has been serving low-income residents from all 5 boroughs for 38 years. Last year, the Thousand Turkey Challenge collected and distributed nearly 1400 turkeys for WSCAH clients. The goal for this year is 1500 turkeys. Donate online at www.wscah.org or Text TURKEY to 56512 on your smartphone ($18 per turkey). Ages: Everyone is welcome to participate   Time Commitment: Varies   Contact: 212.362.3662, info@wscah.org https://www.wscah.org/thousand-turkey-challenge/ Package and Deliver Thanksgiving Meals Feeding NYC   Date/Time: Tuesday, November 20, - several shifts, 6am - 3pm   Location: Pier 60/Chelsea Piers - 23rd Street and West Side Highway Since 2001, FeedingNYC has been connecting with families in need throughout New York City. Each year, FeedingNYC hand delivers nearly 3,000 Thanksgiving dinners. Each box contains one turkey, stuffing, gravy, vegetables, juices and dessert. Thanksgiving dinners are delivered to families who are in partnership with Women in Need, Jewish Federation, Catholic Charities and City Harvest. Join over 300 volunteers in this hands-on opportunity. Financial donations are also welcome through the Adopt A Box program sponsored by Manhattan Mini Storage.   Ages: Everyone is welcome to volunteer. All participants under 18 must be accompanied by adult and have a signed waiver.   Time Commitment: Two to three hours, depending on shift   Contact: feedingnyc@liveperson.com. Registration is available online. www.feedingnyc.org  Where You Can Food Drive CAMBA   Date/Time: Now through November 30   Location(s): Drop off food at any of the following CAMBA locations in Brooklyn: 1720 Church Avenue, 2nd Floor 2241 Church Avenue 885 Flatbush Avenue, Room 202 19 Winthrop Street Park Slope Women's Shelter, 1402 8th Avenue Since 1977, CAMBA has helped New Yorkers transform their lives by providing holistic programs to individuals, families and communities. Brooklyn is renowned as a center of fine cuisine. Yet more than half a million borough families live in poverty and cannot afford to buy enough food. CAMBA sponsors a food drive each Fall. Volunteers are needed to donate nutritious, nonperishable canned or packaged foods. Needed items include: canned tuna, salmon and chicken, dried milk, beans, fruit, vegetables, pasta, cereal, peanut butter, 100% fruit juice. NOTE:  Please do not donate moldy, expired or dented cans.   Ages: Everyone is welcome to participate   Time Commitment: Varies   Contact: To organize a food drive or another activity to support the pantry, please contact Lucilas@camba.org or Barbara Diaz, barbaradi@camba.org or call 718.282.3082. www.camba.org Thanksgiving Turkey Drive for Families in Need Family-to-Family   Date/Time: At your convenience, before Thanksgiving   Location: Online   Your family can help make Thanksgiving happen for families in need. Consider making a $25 donation to purchase a turkey plus one side dish (e.g. potatoes or stuffing) for one recipient Family-to-Family family. Or, buy a "flock of turkeys" (you choose how many) to feed more than one family. If you currently sponsor a family through Family-to-Family, send an email at moreinfo@family-to-family.org after you donate, with your name, the name of your sponsored family and the community where they live. Family-to-Family will make sure they receive your turkey, and will let them know you've purchased it specifically for them. If you don't sponsor a family, they will donate the turkey to a family that didn't get one. Click here to learn more about sponsoring a family.   Ages: Everyone is welcome to participate   Time Commitment: It only takes a few minutes to donate online, but you and your family can use this opportunity to talk about what it would be like to not be able to afford a Thanksgiving dinner, and why it's important to you to help other families.   Contact: moreinfo@family-to-family.org, 914.478.2641. Click here to learn more and to make your Turkey Drive donation. www.family-to-family.org Thanksgiving Morning Meal Delivery God's Love We Deliver   Date/Time: Thursday, November 22. Times vary, three hour shifts between 8:45am and 1pm   Location: Various delivery locations city-wide   God's Love We Deliver is the New York City metropolitan area's leading provider of nutritious, individually-tailored meals to people who are too sick to shop or cook for themselves. Every day at God's Love We Deliver, an army of dedicated volunteers prepare and deliver meals to our homebound elderly and ailing neighbors. On Thanksgiving morning, they need even more help - and volunteers with cars are in demand. Can't volunteer on Thanksgiving? Consider decorating holiday bags or birthday cards! God's Love We Deliver provides a birthday cake to all clients celebrating a special day.  You and your kids can create birthday cards to be included in these deliveries. You can also decorate holiday bags that are used to package Thanksgiving meals. Contact volunteer@glwd.org for more information and guidelines.   Ages: All ages, with an adult.   Time Commitment: Varies   Contact: volunteer@glwd.org or 212.294.8158. Registration is available online. First time volunteers must create an account online before they register. https://www.glwd.org Thanksgiving Meal Service Bowery Mission   Date/Time: Thursday, November 22, 8am - 6pm   Location: 227 Bowery, New York City At the Mission's flagship location (Bowery campus), over 500 volunteers will prepare traditional turkey dinners and serve 1,600 guests in the Mission's century-old chapel, with music and festive decorations for the holiday.   Ages: Volunteers must be age 14 or older. Minors under 18 must be accompanied by an adult   Time Commitment: Varies   Contact: 212.674.3456. Volunteer registration will open at bowery.org/thanksgivingvolunteer on November 1 at 7am! Plan to sign on as close to 7am as possible in order to ensure a spot - the shifts go quickly! Unfortunately, because of the extremely high demand to volunteer on Thanksgiving Day, and the relatively small size of our facility, we cannot accommodate everyone who wants to volunteer that day. This protects the experience of our community and the safety of everyone onsite. Volunteers MUST sign up through online Thanksgiving registration to be allowed onsite that day https://www.bowery.org/ Deliver Meals to Homebound Elderly City Meals on Wheels   Date/Time: Monday - Sunday (most dates available), 9:30am - 1:00pm   Location: Queens, Manhattan, Brooklyn and the Bronx The heart of the City Meals on Wheels program is the hand-delivery of nutritious meals to homebound elderly. Meal recipients look forward to these essential meals; the personal visits that come with them help brighten their days. Meal delivery is done on foot, within walking distance of a senior center, rain or shine (seniors are counting on these meals). Volunteers should wear weather appropriate clothes and comfortable shoes, and should not bring any large bags or bulky items as Citymeals does not have storage for these items while deliveries are being made. Volunteers will deliver in pairs or small groups.  NOTE: Families are also encouraged to make beautiful hand-made cards and notes to include with delivered meals. The Volunteer Coordinator can email you a template and guidelines.   Ages: Families with children of all ages are welcome to participate but volunteers age 16 and under require adult supervision.   Time Commitment: Two to three hours   Contact: Sheila Clay, Volunteer Programs Coordinator, Sheila@citymeals.org, 646.866.6286   www.citymeals.org 9th Annual Tie-Dye Cupcake Bake-Off She's the First   Date/Time: All during November   Location: Wherever you are She's the First provides scholarships to girls in low income countries with the goal of creating first generation graduates and our next generation of global leaders. This Fall, She's the First is expecting hundreds of bake sales to happen between November 1st and 30th during their 9th Annual Tie-Dye Cupcake Bake-Off. Sign up online to add yourself to the map of people who plan to have bake sales at their school, office, club or girl/boy scout troop, fundraising to send girls to school with She's the First. Then, share all over social media to recruit your friends and family, using the hashtag #bakeachange. Visit the website for a tie-dye cupcake recipe and more information. Ages: Everyone can participate   Time Commitment: Varies   Contact: Sign up online  https://shesthefirst.org/cupcakes/  30th Annual Coat Drive New York Cares Date/Time: Coat Drive will officially kick off in mid-November   Location: Donation sites are located across the city, in Police Stations, at major transportation terminals and at participating merchants. Check website for details on drop-off locations. You may also consider setting up a personal collection site/coat drive in your apartment building, church/temple, school or office.   It is never too early to start collecting coats for the New York Cares Coat Drive. As the weather begins to get colder, New York Cares starts to distribute coats to Community Partners. You may donate gently used coats at any one of the public donation sites or you may start your own family coat drive. All coats will need to be delivered to the New York Cares warehouse located in midtown. Recipients of the coats include churches, schools and shelters, all of which serve New York's most in-need populations. Adult and child-sized coats are welcomed. If you don't have any coats to donate, you can Text-to-Give and donate $20 to buy a coat for a New Yorker in need.  Text the word COAT to 41444.   Ages: Everyone is welcome to participate   Time Commitment: Varies   Contact: info@newyorkcare.org or 212.228.5000. To register your own coat drive, email Maggie.Bernhard@newyorkcares.org https://www.newyorkcares.org/coat-drive Spread Some Joy - Create Greeting Cards for DOROT! DOROT   Date/Time: Ongoing- for the Holiday Season and all year long   Location: Mail your cards and a Volunteer Return Form to: DOROT Attn: Card Making Project 171 West 85th Street New York, NY 10024   DOROT's greeting card project helps bring joy and celebration to some of our frailest and most isolated seniors. Each month, DOROT mails over 200 birthday cards to seniors. Every card is designed and created by you, our volunteers. Often, this card is the only recognition a senior receives on his or her birthday. Making a card is easy and fun! 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. After you finish your cards, our office volunteers will address and mail them to seniors. Ages: Everyone can participate   Time Commitment: Varies   Contact: 217.769.2850 www.dorotusa.org Sponsor a Family Family-to-Family   Date/Time: Ongoing, monthly donation   Location: Family-to-Family will connect you with a family to sponsor. Teach your children the importance of sharing your bounty with others by sponsoring a family in need with a monthly box of groceries. Choose one of the six options on the Family-to Family website and your family can help ease the burden of hunger and poverty in one of America's poorest communities. Depending on the option you choose, you'll need to buy groceries and personal care items, along with a box and postage. Visit the Doing Good Together Sponsor a Family project page for reflection questions and other ways your family can make a positive difference in the lives of others.   Ages: Everyone is welcome to participate   Time Commitment: Varies   Contact: nhennessee@family-to-family.org https://www.family-to-family.org/  Shop Kind for the Holidays! Whether you're shopping for birthday gifts, making your holiday gift list, or just looking for books, games, and activities for your family, be sure to keep kindness in mind. DGT has compiled a variety of "kind vendors," and we've found some fun Amazon products that could turn online shopping into a big-hearted activity. Best of all, as an Amazon affiliate and having sponsored vendors, DGT benefits from these purchases as well. Want to become a Kind Vendor? Contact us and tell us about your big-hearted product!       If you received this email from someone else and would like to subscribe, please click here. This list was compiled by Doing Good Together™ (www.doinggoodtogether.org)  When calling to volunteer for any of the opportunities listed above, please let the coordinator know you found it through this listing. You are encouraged to ask any questions you may have of the sponsoring organization before committing to a project. Disclaimer: This list is provided as a service to families. Inclusion of organizations in this listing does not imply affiliation, endorsement or quality assurance on the part of Doing Good Together.™ Doing Good Together™ bears no responsibility whatsoever for the activities and actions of the listed organizations.                                                                                                                                                                                    © 2018 Doing Good Together™

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October 2018 - NYC Family Volunteer Opportunities

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October 2018 - New York City Halloween Candy Buy-Back Operation Gratitude   Date/Time: At your convenience, after Halloween. Candy should be donated prior to November 15.   Location: Check Halloween Candy Buy Back website for buy back locations. Plan ahead for all of that "leftover" Halloween candy! On November 1st, the piles of left-over Halloween candy may be overwhelming. You can allow your children to keep a few favorites, and consider donating the rest to a very good cause. Through the Halloween Candy Buy-Back program, local dentists promise to "buy back" leftover Halloween candy with prizes, toothbrushes, coupons, etc. The candy is donated to Operation Gratitude, a non-profit that sends over 100,000 care packages annually to service members stationed in hostile regions, to their children left behind, and to Veterans. Their mission is simple: to put a smile on soldiers' faces and to show the appreciation and support of the American people. If you cannot find a local dentist who is participating in the Halloween Buy-Back program, Operation Gratitude will accept donations of unopened packages directly. Their website provides important packaging and shipping information. Consider asking your children to write a letter or draw a picture to include with your donation, as Operation Gratitude strives to include these personal notes in every care package they send.   Ages: Everyone is welcome to participate   Time Commitment: Varies   Contact: hcbb13@gmail.com, 608.318.3468, candy@operationgratitude.com http://www.halloweencandybuyback.com/, https://www.operationgratitude.com/express-your-thanks/halloween-candy/   Host a Birthday Party for Kids CelebrateU   Date/Time(s): Thursday, October 11, 6:15 - 8pm Thursday, October 25, 4:30 - 6:30pm Location(s): October 11, Henry Street Settlement, 130 Baruch Place, New York City October 25, Homes for the Homeless, 730 Kelly Street, Bronx The Celebrate U Foundation is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to spread happiness by throwing birthday parties for children in shelters or who can't afford to celebrate their birthday in the New York City area. The effect of these celebrations goes way beyond cake and party favors. Celebrate U believes that by showing children that their community truly cares about them, it can raise self-esteem, provide hope for a brighter future and empower children. Early education is essential, but so is building a child's self-esteem, giving them hope for a bright future and knowing society cares about them. And every child deserves a birthday party. A short training session will take place for new volunteers one week prior to each event.  Ages: Fifth grade and up   Time Commitment: Two hours   Contact: Alisonkauder@gmail.com www.celebrateu.org  Lunch Program Manhattan Church of Christ Community of Hope   Date/Time: Saturdays, October 13, 27 and 30, 10am - 2pm   Location: Manhattan Church Community of Hope, 48 East 80th Street between Park and Madison The Lunch Program provides hot meals to the homeless with dignity and compassion. Volunteer responsibilities include setting up, preparing and serving meals, breakdown and clean-up. Ages: Children ages five and up are welcome with parents/guardians   Time Commitment: The full lunch program is four hours but volunteers are welcome any time during the day   Contact: carl@manhattanchurch.org www.manhattanchurch.org Garden Volunteer Sessions Concrete Safaris   Date/Time: Saturday, October 13 and 27, 10am - 1pm   Location(s): October 13: Meet at Mad Fun Farm (98th Street and Third Avenue) just south of the flag pole in the gated gardens. October 27: Meet at Jefferson Gardens (300 East 115th Street) just east of Second Avenue. Gardens span from 113-115 between 2nd and 1st avenues. Join Concrete Safaris for our Garden Volunteer Session to spruce up our gardens! We will be doing a variety of garden maintenance activities that include repairing raised beds, shoveling topsoil, planting herbs, vegetables, fruits, and flowers, spreading mulch, picking up trash, weeding, and more. Dress in layers and bring a water bottle. Activities vary. Rain or Shine. Wear outdoor clothes that you are willing to get dirty.   Ages: Families are welcome to volunteer. An adult must accompany children under 18.   Time Commitment: Three hours   Contact: 646.869.1503. Registration is available online - click under the Events tab and select the correct date. www.concretesafaris.org Homework Helper MS54 - Booker T Washington Middle School   Date/Time: One day per week for 11 weeks, 3:00 - 4:30pm   Location: Booker T. Washington Middle School, 108th Street and Columbus Avenue Volunteer as a homework coach at MS54 to pass your study skills on to the next generation. You will coach a small team of 6th graders, helping with homework while teaching them how to stick with hard questions, organize their time, and support one another. Expert teachers will supervise and train you as you prepare your team for a lifetime of success.   Ages: High School students are welcome to apply   Time Commitment: Ninety minutes each week for 11 weeks   Contact: Registration is available online. http://www.ms54.org/   Help Seniors Age with Dignity at the New Jewish Home UJA-Federation of New York/Time for Good   Date/Time: Register on the Time For Good webpage, and the New Jewish Home will help you find the best fit among a variety of opportunities.   Location: The New Jewish Home in Harlem, 120 West 106th Street The New Jewish Home is a nonprofit that provides care for the evolving needs of New Yorkers as they age, from the very frailest to those who just need a little extra help in managing chronic conditions at home. Some areas where volunteers can help are with: Friendly Visiting Therapeutic Recreation Pet Therapy Visiting (if you have a certified therapy animal, you are welcome to bring it for friendly visiting) Religious Life Library Assistance Group Instruction Technology Assistance Music All volunteers must complete a volunteer application online.   Ages: All ages are welcome to participate.   Time Commitment: There are both flexible and ongoing opportunities available.   Contact: timeforgood@ujafedny.org. Registration is available online. https://www.timeforgood.org/, https://jewishhome.org/ New York Cares Day for Schools New York Cares Date/Time: Saturday, October 20, 10am - 2pm. Registration begins at 9:30am. Location: Multiple locations all over the city. Volunteers work in schools from the Bronx to Staten Island and everywhere in between. As a Cares Day team, you will be able to select your school preference. New York Cares aims to work with as many high-needs schools as possible, so consider exploring boroughs where the volunteer need is the greatest. Join NY Cares as a volunteer alongside thousands of New Yorkers in one of 35 high-need public schools across the five boroughs to brighten classrooms, hallways, and futures. Cares Day Teams pledge to revitalize a NYC school from the inside out, all while raising funds to power year-round education programming. Ages: Youth ages 14 and up are welcome to participate in New York Cares Day for Schools. Click here for the New York Cares Day for Schools Youth Volunteer Policy.  All volunteers must complete an online volunteer application. Have children under 14? NY Cares offers family-friendly opportunities all year round. Time Commitment: Four hours Contact: 212.228.5000, info@newyorkcares.org  https://www.newyorkcares.org/new-york-cares-day  Making Strides of Central Park American Cancer Society   Date/Time: Sunday, October 14: Check-in: 7:30am Rolling Start: 8 - 11:15am Location: Central Park 72nd Street Bandshell, East 72nd St and 5th Ave, Manhattan October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Every family has been touched by cancer in some way, and many have been touched by breast cancer. Teach your kids about the importance of fundraising for cures and to support programs, and enjoy a fun day of walking in the park. We all walk together, but the event is not a race. Stop whenever you want or need to. You absolutely do not need to complete the entire walk if you are unable. The walk concludes when the final walker crosses the finish line. Our walk is 4 miles and it starts at the 72nd Street Bandshell area. The walk will head up East Drive within Central Park until 102nd Street. We head back down to 72nd Street on West Drive. The walk takes place within Central Park and the route is friendly for strollers, walkers, canes, etc. Ages: The walk is family-friendly   Time Commitment: Varies   Contact: Emily Bottie, CentralParkNYStrides@cancer.org, 212.237.3810. Registration is available online. MakingStridesWalk.org/CentralPark Donate Used Halloween Costumes Halloween Helpers   Date/Time: Collections should take place in October. Contact Halloween Helpers for further details.   Location: Check their website for collection sites Halloween can be one of the most important events in a young child's life. It provides lifelong memories, develops self-worth, and allows kids to play an active role in their community. Unfortunately, many children are unable to participate in this fun, annual experience because they do not have a costume. Developed in 2008 by then 11-year-old Emma Rose Shapiro, the mission of The Halloween Helpers is to collect previously enjoyed, gently-used Halloween costumes and donate them to children in need. Visit the Halloween Helpers website for downloadable forms, handouts, and signage to begin your collection drive.  Ages: Everyone can participate   Time Commitment: Varies   Contact: Info@TheHalloweenHelpers.com, 610.642.7427 www.thehalloweenhelpers.com/index.html   Decorate Lunch Bags for Meals on Wheels Doing Good Together   Date/Time: Anytime   Location: Check the national Meals on Wheels site to find your local program Meals on Wheels operates in virtually every community in America through a network of more than 5,000 independently-run local programs. With the help of Meals on Wheels programs, seniors and people with disabilities get the nourishment and human connection needed to support daily activities, while reducing the need for medical support. For some recipients, these daily meals are the difference between living in their own homes and moving to a nursing home. Think of how fun it would be for Meals on Wheels recipients in your community to receive their meals in brightly decorated lunch bags! Visit Doing Good Together's Decorate Lunch Bags Project page for more ideas and resources. Ages: Everyone can participate   Time Commitment: Varies   Contact: mail@doinggoodtogether.org www.doinggoodtogether.org   Let's raise big-hearted Upstanders!    When it comes to bullying, we can make a difference with a creative approach that helps parents discuss the issue and helps kids strategize ways to deal with sticky situations. DGT's newest offering of Big-Hearted EBooks includes an Anti-Bullying Ebook which helps parents raise Upstanders who not only resist the urge to bully others, they also speak up for themselves and others. Each downloadable ebook includes conversation starters, an Upstander Family Plan, and a unique 12-week kindness challenge. Just $4.99 or free for families in our Membership Circle.            If you received this email from someone else and would like to subscribe, please click here. This list was compiled by Doing Good Together™ (www.doinggoodtogether.org)  When calling to volunteer for any of the opportunities listed above, please let the coordinator know you found it through this listing. You are encouraged to ask any questions you may have of the sponsoring organization before committing to a project. Disclaimer: This list is provided as a service to families. Inclusion of organizations in this listing does not imply affiliation, endorsement or quality assurance on the part of Doing Good Together.™ Doing Good Together™ bears no responsibility whatsoever for the activities and actions of the listed organizations.                                                                                                                                                                                    © 2018 Doing Good Together™

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September 2018 - NYC Family Volunteer Opportunities

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September 2018 - New York City It's Our Anniversary!   This month marks five years since we sent out our first New York DGT family-friendly volunteer opportunities listing and we'd like to hear from you, our subscribers. How have you and your family used this information? Please send us your photos, stories and feedback. And please "like" us on Facebook at Doing Good Together - New York City. We'd love to hear from you!  Meal Delivery to Homebound Citymeals on Wheels   Date/Time: Saturdays, 10am - noon   Location: Mullaly Recreation Center, 1020 Jerome Avenue, Bronx Deliver meals to elderly Bronx neighbors, on foot, within walking distance of the center. Up to 15 volunteers can be accommodated at a time. Ages: Youth volunteers, 16 years old and younger require adult supervision   Time Commitment: Two hours   Contact: Sheila Clay, sheila@citymeals.org, www.citymeals.org  It's My Park at Fort Independence Playground NYC Parks   Date/Time: Sunday, September 9, 9am - noon   Location: Fort Independence Park House, 3799-3403 Sedgwick Avenue, Bronx Volunteer with Jerome Park Friends and Neighbors for their weekly cleanup day in Fort Independence Park and along Sedgwick Avenue. No previous experience necessary.   Ages: Volunteers under 18 years must be accompanied by an adult or present a parental/guardian consent form   Time Commitment: Three hours   Contact: jeromeparkfans@gmail.com, 917.841.6032 https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/fort-independence-playground/ Rosh Hashanah Package Delivery Dorot   Date/Time: Sunday, September 16, 10am - noon   Location:  West Side: DOROT, 171 West 85th Street off Amsterdam Avenue Brighten the Jewish New Year for a senior! Deliver a package of treats and visit for about an hour. There will be an orientation upon arrival. To visit the same senior that you have visited in the past, request a PRE-MATCH. PLEASE NOTE: ALL volunteers must bring photo ID to participate. Your ID number will be recorded.     Ages: Families with children ages five and up are welcome to participate   Time Commitment: Two hours   Contact: Quinn Lockwood, 917.441.3714. You must pre-register for this event. Registration is available online. www.dorotusa.org  Soup Kitchen - Food Preparation and Service Manhattan Church of Christ   Date/Time: Saturdays, September 8, 15, 22 and 29, from 10am - 2pm   Location: Manhattan Church of Christ, 48 East 80th Street between Park and Madison The Saturday Lunch Program provides hot meals with dignity and compassion to the homeless or those who live marginally. Volunteers are needed to help set up, prepare and serve meals.   Ages: Families with children of all ages are welcome to participate   Time Commitment: Full service is five hours, but volunteers are welcome any time during the day.   Contact: Carl Garrison, carl@manhattanchurch.org. Please contact Carl to register and for additional questions. www.manhattanchurch.org Intergenerational Chess Dorot   Date/Time: Ten Mondays, October 1 - December 17, from 4 - 5:30 pm. Volunteers must be able to commit to all sessions. October 1st - orientation for youth, no seniors attend October 8, 15, 29 November 5, 12, 19, 26 December 3, 10, 17   Location: Dorot, 171 West 85th Street, NYC Student volunteers and DOROT Seniors will get to know each other and play chess together. Chess Masters will demonstrate different strategies at each session. Share your love of the game and bring a smile to a senior! Refreshments will be served. Students must be in 6th-12th grade and understand the game of chess, the different chess pieces and how to move them. Ages: Volunteers must be in 6th-12th grade.   Time Commitment: Ten Mondays, one and one-half hour sessions   Contact: Coordinator of Youth and Family Volunteers, 917.441.5051. Applications are available online. www.dorotusa.org/ Dorot School Year Teen Internship DOROT   Date/Time: One afternoon per week from 4 - 6pm, October - January   Location: Dorot, 171 West 85th Street, NYC Teens can help alleviate loneliness and social isolation of DOROT's seniors through a variety of hands-on experiences in the community and onsite at DOROT. Volunteers help improve the lives of seniors through friendly visits, birthday deliveries, computer tutoring and much more. Ages: Students in grades 9 - 12   Time Commitment: Two hours, one afternoon per week. Minimum of ten visits.   Contact: The Coordinator of Youth and Family Volunteers at 917.441.5051. Teens must apply to be considered. Applications are available online. www.dorotusa.org Make a Difference during Childhood Cancer Awareness Month! Join Alex's Lemonade Stand on the Journey to a Million   Date/Time: During the month of September   Location: Your community   Turn awareness into action by joining The Million Mile, the largest childhood cancer awareness challenge that funds researchers so they can find better treatments and more cures for kids battling cancer. Whether you are a casual walker or jogger, an avid cyclist or marathoner, YOU can make a difference in the lives of children fighting cancer. To show support for and bring awareness to Childhood Cancer Month, participants of all ages will walk, run or cycle as many miles as possible all month long while raising money to help kids with cancer. Our goal is to collectively walk, run or ride a million miles during the month of September. Anyone can join and there are no minimum mileage or fundraising requirements. Every mile and dollar helps! How to Get Started: Register - you can choose to start a team, join one or participate on your own. Spread the word - tell your family and friends! Get them to join you, support you or donate! Fundraise for the cause - you can accept online donations or hold a fundraising event. We have lots of ideas to help you. Each day in September (Childhood Cancer Awareness Month), walk, run or bike at your own pace, on your own schedule, logging your miles manually or using MapMyFitness, Fitbit, or Strava. Your miles get added to the grand total, bringing us toward one million miles. The money you raise funds research toward finding cures. Ages: Everyone can participate   Time Commitment: Varies   Contact: FundraisingTeam@AlexsLemonade.org, 866.333.1213 www.alexslemonade.org/ September 11th National Day of Service and Remembrance Tuesday, September 11th marks the 17th Anniversary of the terror attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon. Americans everywhere are encouraged to engage in service with their families. Visit https://www.nationalservice.gov/special-initiatives/days-service/september-11th-national-day-service-and-remembrance for more information and to search a database of volunteer opportunities in your community. Creating a Giving Box Doing Good Together   Date/Time: Flexible   Location: Your home and community Teach your children the importance of sharing money as well as time. Work together as a family to research causes and issues you care about, and then collect coins for the causes that matter the most to you. Create your own Giving Box to collect your family's charitable donations. When your box is full, decide together where the money will go. Visit Doing Good Together's Create your own Giving Box page for more ideas and resources.   Ages: Everyone can participate   Time Commitment: Varies   Contact: mail@doinggoodtogether.org www.doinggoodtogether.org   To make your donation, click on the graphic, or visit https://www.doinggoodtogether.org/donate       If you received this email from someone else and would like to subscribe, please click here. This list was compiled by Doing Good Together™ (www.doinggoodtogether.org)  When calling to volunteer for any of the opportunities listed above, please let the coordinator know you found it through this listing. You are encouraged to ask any questions you may have of the sponsoring organization before committing to a project. Disclaimer: This list is provided as a service to families. Inclusion of organizations in this listing does not imply affiliation, endorsement or quality assurance on the part of Doing Good Together.™ Doing Good Together™ bears no responsibility whatsoever for the activities and actions of the listed organizations.                                                                                                                                                                                    © 2018 Doing Good Together™

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August 2018 - NYC Family Volunteer Opportunities

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August 2018 - New York City Summer Streets 2018 City of New York, Department of Transportation   Date/Time: Saturday, August 4, 11 and 18 from 6am - 1pm. There are two shifts: 6 - 10am 10am - 1pm Location: Summer Streets runs from the Brooklyn Bridge to Central Park. There are five different volunteer locations: Location 1 - Foley Square (Brooklyn Bridge to Canal St. along Lafayette St.) Location 2 - SoHo (Canal St. to Houston St. along Lafayette St.) Location 3 - Astor Place (Houston St. to 14th St. along Lafayette St.) Location 4 - Midtown (15th St. to 42nd St. along Park Ave.) Location 5 - Uptown (43rd St. to 60th St. along Park Ave.) From the Brooklyn Bridge to Central Park, seven miles of streets will be closed to cars for six hours to allow walkers, runners, cyclists and people of all ages to take back the streets and enjoy many free activities along the route. It takes a lot of people to ensure these great events run smoothly. Enjoy Summer Streets from a different perspective as a part of the Summer Streets team and help inspire participants to climb rock walls, fly down zip lines and water slides, enjoy music, games and many other activities and help direct and inform people to ensure they have a great day.   Ages: Volunteers must be 16 years old to participate on their own; children are welcome with parent or guardian   Time Commitment: Four hour shifts   Contact: SummerStreets@dot.nyc.gov. Registration is available online. https://www.nycgo.com/events/summer-streets    Garden Maintenance Concrete Safaris   Date/Time: Saturday, August 11 and Saturday, August 18, 10am - 1pm   Location(s): August 11, Mad Fun Farm within Washington Houses, 1775 Third Avenue, New York August 18, Jefferson Gardens within Jefferson Houses, 300 East 115th Street, New York Volunteers will spend a fun day outside assisting with general garden maintenance. Activities may include raking, planting, spreading topsoil and wood chips, garbage collection and more. Please dress accordingly for the weather.   Ages: Families with children of all ages are welcome to participate   Time Commitment: Three hours   Contact: info@concretesafaris.org. Registration is available online. www.concretesafaris.org/en/ Supplies for Success - Help Pack Backpacks UJA Federation-NY   Date/Time: Wednesday, August 22, 2 - 5 pm   Location: UJA Federation, 130 East 59th Street Join Supplies for Success, UJA-Federation of New York's initiative and help pack backpacks with new school supplies for children in need. Each year, UJA provides brand new filled backpacks to thousands of disadvantaged children through UJA-Federation beneficiary agencies, schools, shelters, and other local organizations. The goal of Supplies for Success is to ensure that all children in need return to school with the tools they need to succeed.    Ages: Everyone is welcome to participate   Time Commitment: Up to three hours. Drop-in, stay for an hour or the whole time.   Contact: Olivia Faden, fadeno@ujafedny.org, 212.836.1845. Registration is available online. https://www.ujafedny.org/ Alternative Summer Break for Teens GOOD+ Foundation   Date/Time: Tuesday - Thursday, August 28 - 30, 10am - 1pm. We ask that the volunteers complete all three days of the Youth Alternative Summer Break Program due to the service learning component. There will be a 30-minute lunch break each day. High school volunteers will receive certificates verifying community service hours upon completion of the program.   Location: 306 W 37th Street, 8th Floor, New York Founded by Jessica Seinfeld, GOOD+ Foundation™ (formerly Baby Buggy) is a nonprofit organization that partners with a national network of leading programs to break the cycle of family poverty through the power of donated child products and life-changing family services. GOOD+ Foundation grants donations of products and services to programs that have demonstrated a capacity to address family poverty in three focus areas: supporting new mothers, investing in early childhood and engaging fathers. Volunteers will be sorting, screening, and processing children's clothing, accessories, books, and toys based on real time needs, in order to prepare clothing to go out to local families in the NYC Metro Area.   Ages: High school students ages 14-18   Time Commitment: Nine hours over three days   Contact: Anastasia Plavnicky, anastasia@goodplusfoundation.org, 212.736.1777. Click here for the GOOD+ Foundation Alternative Summer Break application. www.goodplusfoundation.org   Volunteer with Seniors City Meals of Wheels   Date/Time: Ongoing, all year round   Location: Meal delivery and friendly visiting occurs in seniors' homes throughout New York City; other volunteer opportunities can be done from your home. City Meals funds 31 community-based agencies that bring weekend, holiday and emergency meals to homebound elderly New Yorkers who can no longer shop or cook for themselves. In addition, the Mobile Food Pantry program delivers weekly bags of grocery staples to the most at-risk elderly and our Fresh Produce program enables us to supplement regular meal deliveries with fresh fruit and vegetables from local farmers. Volunteers are needed to help with the following programs: Friendly Visiting: The friendly visiting program brings together our meal recipients with kind-hearted people who want to help homebound seniors stay connected with the outside world. This social visit becomes so important in the lives of our lonely elderly. The time commitment for this program is one hour per week for at least six months. The visiting schedule is arranged between you and the senior. Meal Delivery: The heart of our program is the hand-delivery of nutritious meals to homebound elderly. Meal recipients look forward to these essential meals; the personal visits that come with them help brighten their days. Each weekend, teams and individual volunteers help deliver meals from meal centers across the city. Volunteer opportunities are available throughout Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens on weekends and select locations on weekdays. Senior Chat: This program lets caring volunteers connect with isolated, elderly individuals by phone once a week. A weekly phone call can go a long way to help homebound seniors feel safe and connected to the world. Calls typically last about a half hour and can be made from the volunteer's home or office. The time commitment for this program is six months. Handmade Greeting Cards: Each year, hundreds of students from local public and private schools - ranging from pre-kindergarten to universities - decorate cards for their homebound elderly neighbors to be delivered with either meals or food packages. Last year they created 69,793 cards.  There is a template on the website, along with further information. Kitchen Volunteers: During the weekday, volunteers help package food to be delivered to homebound elderly as well as serve meals to seniors at the meal center. Ages: Families with children of all ages are welcome to participate   Time Commitment: Varies, depending on project   Contact: info@citymeals.org https://www.citymeals.org/ Operation Backpack Volunteers of America   Date/Time: Now through end of August   Location: Click here for official drop-off locations around New York More than 22,000 children live in NYC's homeless and domestic violence shelters. One of the most devastating consequences of homelessness is the impact it has on a child's education. Each year since 2001, Volunteers of America-Greater New York has been distributing new backpacks filled with grade-specific school supplies to homeless children throughout New York City. A filled backpack relieves parents of a financial burden and provides a sense of normalcy to the otherwise chaotic lives of these children, helping them to look and feel more like their classmates. Most importantly, a filled backpack allows these children to start the school year feeling prepared and confident, with the knowledge that their education is important and that someone believes in them. Every backpack given to a child through Operation Backpack is filled with supplies according to the child's grade. All backpack and supplies are new. Consider donating a filled backpack or two. You can start a donation drive in your building, workplace, house of worship or club, or simply fill a few backpacks with your family. The Volunteers of America website provides a list of needed supplies, posters you can download for a donation drive, and other information.    Ages: Everyone is welcome to participate   Time Commitment: Varies   Contact: volunteers@voa-gny.org, 212.496.4307 https://www.voa-gny.org/operation-backpack Intergenerational Chess - Fall Registration Now Open Dorot   Date/Time: Ten Mondays, October 1 - December 17, from 4 - 5:30 pm. Volunteers must be able to commit to all sessions: October 1- orientation for youth, no seniors attend October 8, 15, 29 November 5, 12, 19, 26 December 3, 10, 17   Location: Dorot, 171 West 85th Street, NYC Student volunteers and DOROT Seniors will get to know each other and play chess together. Chess Masters will demonstrate different strategies at each session. Share your love of the game and bring a smile to a senior! Refreshments will be served. Students must be in 6th-12th grade and understand the game of chess, the different chess pieces and how to move them.   Ages: Volunteers must be in 6th-12th grade   Time Commitment: Ten Mondays, one and one-half hour sessions.   Contact: Registration is dependent on a successful phone interview. For more information, please contact Shai Rosenfeld at SRosenfeld@dorotusa.org. Applications are available online. www.dorotusa.org/  Is your teen looking for a school-year internship? Help them apply to Dorot's Teen Internship Program   One afternoon a week from 4 - 6 pm October - January 9th-12th graders   You can help improve the lives of seniors through friendly visits, birthday deliveries, computer tutoring, and much more. Apply at dorotusa.org/teens   Back to School Kindness Challenge Doing Good Together Date/Time: Starting September 1 Location: Your home and community   Take the Back to School Kindness Challenge! The back-to-school season is a great time to re-orient ourselves to our priorities. Let's resolve to make this a big-hearted school year full of compassion, reflection, and thoughtful acts of kindness. These unique ideas help students focus on daily acts of kindness before, during, and after the school day. Choose from the elementary grade and/or upper grade challenge. Starting on September 1 you can follow along with DGT on social media, both on Instagram and in our Big-Hearted Families community on Facebook, for kindness reminders and personal stories. Ages: Everyone can participate Time Commitment: Varies Contact: mail@doinggoodtogether.org  www.doinggoodtogether.org DGT's Big-Hearted E-Books Families who are part of our Membership Circle may already know about our big-hearted e-books which expand on important topics and offer in-depth learning opportunities. We're proud to introduce our newest e-book "Host a Mini Family Service" created just in time for National Night Out™ on August 7th. Choose any of the three e-books (on building community, exploring nature, or becoming an upstander) for just $4.99 each in our online store. Or, become a member (for just $29.99) and receive all three of these e-books for free! As always, your purchase supports DGT and helps us offer free and budget-friendly resources to families nationwide.       If you received this email from someone else and would like to subscribe, please click here. This list was compiled by Doing Good Together™ (www.doinggoodtogether.org)  When calling to volunteer for any of the opportunities listed above, please let the coordinator know you found it through this listing. You are encouraged to ask any questions you may have of the sponsoring organization before committing to a project. Disclaimer: This list is provided as a service to families. Inclusion of organizations in this listing does not imply affiliation, endorsement or quality assurance on the part of Doing Good Together.™ Doing Good Together™ bears no responsibility whatsoever for the activities and actions of the listed organizations.                                                                                                                                                                                    © 2018 Doing Good Together™

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July 2018 - NYC Family Volunteer Opportunities

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July 2018 - New York City Jungle Gym Summer Series Concrete Safaris   Date/Time(s): Saturdays, July 7, 14, 21, 28. Races run from 11am - 2:30pm and the Active Living Fair runs from 11am - 3pm   Location(s): Saturday, July 7, East 116th Street between Lexington and Second Saturday, July 14, 21, 28 on East 115th Street between Park and Third Avenues Concrete Safaris will host JungleGym 2018, celebrating its 10th birthday anniversary and 6th annual obstacle race and Active Living Fair. The race has a 20-obstacle course and is designed by the 7-12-year-olds in Concrete Safaris' City Surfers after-school program and led by our 14-24-year-old Outdoor Leadership Academy interns. Proceeds will provide hundreds of 7-24-year-olds from East Harlem with 5-day/week, year-round, after-school and summer programming in the next five years. With your support, we can ensure that children living in East Harlem have access to high-quality, outdoor play and education in their neighborhoods and parks. Ages: Children ages five and older and families are welcome to test the race course; everyone can participate in the Active Living Fair.   Time Commitment: Up to four hours   Contact: 646.869.1503. Register online at: http://junglegymrace.com www.concretesafaris.org/en/   Soup Kitchen - Food Preparation and Service Manhattan Church of Christ   Date/Time: Saturdays, July 14, 21 and 28, 10am - 2pm   Location: Manhattan Church of Christ, 48 East 80th Street between Park and Madison The Saturday Lunch Program provides hot meals with dignity and compassion to the homeless or those who live marginally. All shifts are family-friendly and involve a set-up team to set tables and decorate, a service team to run trays of food back and forth to the guests, and a break down & clean up team. Volunteers are needed to help set up, prepare and serve meals to members of the community who are homeless and/or live marginally. Ages: All ages, families welcome   Time Commitment: Four hours   Contact: Carl Garrison, carl@manhattanchurch.org. Please contact Carl to register and for additional questions. www.manhattanchurch.org Intergenerational Chess - Fall Registration Now Open Dorot   Date/Time: Ten Mondays, October 1 - December 17, from 4 - 5:30 pm. Volunteers must be able to commit to all sessions: October 1- orientation for youth, no seniors attend October 8, 15, 29 November 5, 12, 19, 26 December 3, 10, 17   Location: Dorot, 171 West 85th Street, NYC Student volunteers and DOROT Seniors will get to know each other and play chess together. Chess Masters will demonstrate different strategies at each session. Share your love of the game and bring a smile to a senior! Refreshments will be served. Students must be in 6th-12th grade and understand the game of chess, the different chess pieces and how to move them.   Ages: Volunteers must be in 6th-12th grade   Time Commitment: Ten Mondays, one and one-half hour sessions.   Contact: Registration is dependent on a successful phone interview. For more information, please contact Shai Rosenfeld at SRosenfeld@dorotusa.org. Applications are available online. www.dorotusa.org/  Serve Dinner to Seniors UJA Federation - New York: Time For Good   Date/Time: Monday through Friday, 4:30 - 6:15pm   Location: The Sirovich Center, East Village   Help create a welcoming environment and serve dinner to seniors at our Sirovich Center for Balanced Living, an innovative senior center in the East Village. The Sirovich Center is looking for volunteers to serve dinner in our main dining room for approximately 50 members. Volunteers will: Greet seniors and help create a welcoming environment Cooperate with evening kitchen staff Make sure lines are orderly for buffet style service Ensure cleanliness of tables and room both before, during and after meals Have the opportunity to assist evening kitchen staff with meal preparation or clean up Ages: Families with children of all ages are welcome to volunteer   Time Commitment: Come one time or make it an ongoing activity!   Contact: ShaoMei Zhang, Health & Wellness Specialist, Sirovich Center for Balanced Living, szhang@edalliance.org or Rahsheeda McRae, Volunteer Coordinator, Manny Cantor Center, rmcrae@mannycantor.org. Registration is available online. www.timeforgood.org/ Pitch In, Pick Up Central Park Conservancy   Date/Time(s): Charles A. Dana Discovery Center, daily, 10am - 5pm Chess & Checkers House, Tuesday - Sunday, 10am - 5pm North Meadow Recreation Center, daily, 10am - 5pm Location(s):  Charles A. Dana Discovery Center, Inside Central Park at 110th Street between Fifth and Lenox Avenues. Chess & Checkers House, Mid-Park at 64th Street. North Meadow Recreation Center, Mid-Park at 97th Street Want to get outside and get dirty with your kids? Volunteering with Pitch In, Pick Up is a great way to help keep Central Park clean and beautiful. After a brief orientation at a visitor center, you will be given a trash grabber, gloves, and garbage bag for litter. Click here for more information about the Pitch In, Pick Up volunteer program   Ages: Everyone can participate but children under age 18 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. Volunteers must show a valid form of ID when they arrive and fill out a waiver form.   Time Commitment: Varies   Contact: volunteer@centralparknyc.org, or call the Volunteer Hotline at 212.360.2751 www.centralparknyc.org Make "Cool Ties" Operation Gratitude   Date/Time: At your convenience, from home   Location: Ship cool ties to: Operation Gratitude 21100 Lassen Street Chatsworth, CA 91311 Review the shipping page for more information.   Honor our Service Men and Women this July 4th! Make "Cool Ties" to keep our troops cool. Operation Gratitude annually sends 150,000+ care packages filled with snacks, entertainment, hygiene and hand-made items, plus personal letters of appreciation, to Veterans, First Responders, Wounded Warriors, Care Givers, and to individually named U.S. Service Members deployed overseas. Their mission is to lift the spirits and meet the evolving needs of our Active Duty and Veteran communities and provide volunteer opportunities for all Americans to express their appreciation to members of our Military. Operation Gratitude encourages people to knit scarves and hats for donation in winter, but in summer, their focus is on helping troops stay cool. Their website provides step by step instructions on how to make a "cool tie" which is a type of bandana filled with water-absorbent polymers that troops tie around their neck to help keep body temperature down in hot climates. The website also provides details on shipping cool ties and other donations you may want to send for care packages. It's always a nice idea to include some hand-written notes of support and encouragement to show our troops how much their sacrifice means to us.   Ages: Everyone can participate   Time Commitment: Varies   Contact: info@operationgratitude.com www.operationgratitude.com/     Operation Backpack - NYC Volunteers of America   Date/Time: Donate before August 4   Location: The official drop-off locations list will be published on the VOA website www.OperationBackpackNYC.org on July 9, the first day of the backpack drive. Drop-off locations are typically retails stores like Duane Reade all over NYC. Operation Backpack provides backpacks filled with grade-specific supplies to children living in New York City's homeless and domestic violence shelters. Start a donation drive in your building, workplace, house of worship or club, or simply fill a few backpacks with your family. Click here for grade specific supply lists.   Ages: Everyone is welcome to participate   Time Commitment: Varies   Contact: azibell@voa-gny.org www.OperationBackpackNYC.org Take Kindness on the Road!   Will you and your kids be going on any long car or plane rides this summer? Consider bringing paper and crayons/colored pencils and creating cards for local nonprofits!   DOROT's greeting card project helps bring joy and celebration to some of our frailest and most isolated seniors. Each month, DOROT mails over 200 birthday cards to seniors. Every card is designed and created by volunteers. Often, this card is the only recognition a senior receives on his or her birthday. Full directions can be found at on their website. God's Love We Deliver (GLWD) believes that what makes God's Love so special is the personal touch they add to every meal. This includes special meals on holidays and a personalized cake for each client on his or her birthday. To accompany the cake, we include birthday cards and to accompany our holiday meals, we package them in decorated holiday bags, all made by local elementary and high school students.  For full instructions, contact GLWD at volunteer@glwd.org or 212.294.8158. Write Letters to a Soldier Doing Good Together   Date/Time: Flexible, at your convenience   Location: Contact A Million Thanks or Operation Gratitude for information on where to mail your letters Practice gratitude as well as kindness. You and your family can send some appreciation and cheer to men and women who are serving our country far from home. Reach out to a soldier that you know or contact A Million Thanks or Operation Gratitude, two nonprofit organizations that  make it easy to send letters to soldiers eager for mail from home. Visit the Doing Good Together Write a Letter to a Soldier project page for reflection questions and other ways your family can make a positive difference for soldiers. Ages: Everyone is welcome to participate   Time Commitment: Varies   Contact: mail@doinggoodtogether.org. If you have specific letter-writing questions please contact www.amillionthanks.org/contactus.php or info@operationgratitude.com directly. www.doinggoodtogether.org As the crisis at the border floods the news, your children may have questions. You may feel helpless to respond. Our latest blog post can help you navigate this heartbreaking issue with your kids. As our blogger concludes, "Doing Good Together has always relied on two essential truths. In every crisis, there is something you can do to make a difference. And your family's actions, along with your empathy, will help shape the next generation of helpers and heroes."       If you received this email from someone else and would like to subscribe, please click here. This list was compiled by Doing Good Together™ (www.doinggoodtogether.org)  When calling to volunteer for any of the opportunities listed above, please let the coordinator know you found it through this listing. You are encouraged to ask any questions you may have of the sponsoring organization before committing to a project. Disclaimer: This list is provided as a service to families. Inclusion of organizations in this listing does not imply affiliation, endorsement or quality assurance on the part of Doing Good Together.™ Doing Good Together™ bears no responsibility whatsoever for the activities and actions of the listed organizations.                                                                                                                                                                                    © 2018 Doing Good Together™

Doing Good Together, 5141 16th Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55417 SafeUnsubscribe™ Forward this email | Update Profile | About our service provider Sent by mail@doinggoodtogether.org in collaboration with Try it free today

June 2018 - NYC Family Volunteer Opportunities

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June 2018 - New York City Go Green! Brooklyn Festival NYC Department of Parks and Recreation Date/Time: Sunday, June 2, noon - 5 pm Location: McCarren Park, 900 Lorimer Street, Brooklyn Go Green! Brooklyn Festival is the place to discover and learn about the many sustainability initiatives in North Brooklyn. Come and figure out how you can become an active participant of this thriving community while enjoying local food, arts and crafts. Festival features include: Live music performances Educational and scientific displays that will enhance our appreciation and understanding of the environment A Greencycle Swap which will take bicycles, electronic equipment, clothing, books, and toys Repair Café Volunteer park cleans with other community groups Yoga and wellness classes Live art projects and galleries, that are also part of Greenpoint Open Studios Now in its 11th year, Go Green participants include local organizations, artists, artisans, musicians, chefs, community groups, educators, politicians, and companies. Tables will be organized by categories like Transportation, Energy, Food and Open Spaces so that people can learn about each issue from multiple perspectives. Go Green is a fun and informative day of exhibits and activities promoting Earth Day values for the thousands of park-goers who traditionally enjoy McCarren Park on a nice summer day. Ages: Everyone is welcome to participate Time Commitment: Drop in anytime during the afternoon Contact: info@townsquareinc.com, 347.987.2765 www.nycgovparks.org/events/2018/06/02/go-green-brooklyn-festival Met Council - Bagels and Schmooze with Seniors UJA Federation - New York: Time For Good   Date/Time: Sunday, June 3 or Sunday, June 10; noon - 2pm   Location(s): June 3, Murray Hill June 10, Upper East Side Join Met Council in serving brunch to seniors at one of their low-income senior residences. Volunteers will help set up, serve bagels to seniors, and join them for a morning of socializing.   Ages: Everyone is welcome to participaate   Time Commitment: Two hours   Contact: timeforgood@ujafedny.org. Registration is available online. www.timeforgood.org  Garden Volunteers Concrete Safaris   Date/Time(s): Saturday, June 9, 10am - 1pm Saturday, June 23, 10am - 1pm Location(s):  June 9: Mad Fun Farm, (98th Street & Third Avenue outside 1775 Third Avenue) June 23: Jefferson Gardens, (300 East 115th Street at Second Avenue outside Jefferson Houses Management Office) Join Concrete Safaris for our Garden Volunteer Sessions to spruce up these gardens! Tasks may include: shoveling topsoil and wood chips, composting, creating paths, planting, raking, weeding, and more. Dress in layers and bring a water bottle.   Ages: All ages; children must be accompanied by an adult   Time Commitment: Three hours   Contact: Nia@concretesafaris.org. Registration is available online at the following links: Mad Fun Farms Jefferson Gardens www.concretesafaris.org/en/volunteer/group-volunteering Soup Kitchen - Food Preparation and Service Manhattan Church of Christ   Date/Time: Saturdays, June 9, 16, 23 and 30; 10:30am - 1:30pm   Location: Manhattan Church of Christ, 48 East 80th Street between Park and Madison The Saturday Lunch Program provides hot meals with dignity and compassion to the homeless or those who live marginally. All shifts are family-friendly and involve a set-up team to set tables and decorate, a service team to run trays of food back and forth to the guests, and a break down & clean up team. Volunteers are needed to help set up, prepare and serve meals to members of the community who are homeless and/or live marginally.   Ages: All ages, families welcome   Time Commitment: Volunteers are welcome any time during the day.   Contact: Carl Garrison, carl@manhattanchurch.org www.manhattanchurch.org  Roger Morris Park Garden Volunteer Day NYC Department of Parks and Recreation   Date/Time: Sunday, June 10, 10am - 1pm   Location: Morris-Jumel Mansion in Roger Morris Park, 65 Jumel Terrace, Manhattan Whether you have a green thumb or just a curiosity for what makes the garden grow, all are welcome to volunteer in Roger Morris Park, the grounds of the Morris-Jumel Mansion, under the supervision of NYC Parks. All tools and instructions are provided, just bring a willingness to get a little dirty as we beautify our special garden. Closed-toed shoes are required. Ages: Volunteers under age 18 must be accompanied by an adult.   Time Commitment: Three hours   Contact: RSVP by emailing John.Kelly@parks.nyc.gov  and write "Volunteer" in the subject line, 212.923.8008 www.nycgovparks.org/events/2018/06/10/roger-morris-park-garden-volunteer-day Daily Lunch Service for the Homeless Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen   Date/Time: Daily, 9:45am - 12:45pm   Location: 296 Ninth Avenue Each weekday, an average of 1,000 hungry and homeless New Yorkers receive a freshly cooked meal at the city's largest soup kitchen. Between 50-60 volunteers gather for a day of service to feed, provide social services and live music to food insecure adults and families who need a helping hand. In addition to serving daily hot meals in the dining room, Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen Daily Free Meal Program also prepares and distributes bag lunches for community members who may not be able to make it to our meal times. Volunteers will help assemble sandwiches and bag them up with other goodies like fruit, vegetables and snacks. Ages: Fifth grade and older. Elementary school age children should be accompanied by a parent and have the stamina to stand for two hours.   Time Commitment: Three hours   Contact: Revere Joyce, Volunteer Manager, 646.998.6118 or rjoyce@holyapostlesnyc.org. Registration is available online. www.holyapostlessoupkitchen.org/ Feed Our Kids Food Drive City Harvest   Date/Time: Now through June 17   Location(s): Donation drop-off sites (click links below): Apple Bank Locations  Goodwill Locations  City Harvest Office - 6 East 32nd Street  NYPD Locations  FDNY Locations  City Harvest's annual Feed Our Kids food drive runs from Mother's Day to Father's Day and helps provide much-needed food for New York City's children throughout the summer when access to school meals may become limited. Schools, organizations, companies, and New York City's Fire and Police Departments come together to collect non-perishable food donations for City Harvest to pick-up and distribute to our network of 500 soup kitchens, food pantries and other community food programs serving hungry children and their families across the five boroughs. Last year, the Feed Our Kids food drive collected more than 260,000 pounds of food-enough to feed more than 2,800 kids and their families in New York City for an entire summer. Click for the most needed food items and more ideas for your food drive. Ages: Everyone is welcome to participate   Time Commitment: Varies   Contact: fooddrives@cityharvest.org www.cityharvest.org Make this a Summer of Kindness with DGT's Summer Bucket List Doing Good Together   Date/Time: All summer long   Location: Your home or community   Print and post one or both of DGT's two innovative Summer of Kindness bucket lists. These creative kindness projects will keep your family making big-hearted memories all summer long.  Ages: Preschool to teen   Time Commitment: 15 minutes to 1 hour per week depending upon the activities you choose to complete.   Contact: mail@doinggoodtogether.org www.doinggoodtogether.org Make this a summer of new experiences! Whether you're staying close to home or traveling to faraway places, there's opportunity for big-hearted family discussions wherever you go. Download DGT's popular Road Trip Conversation Starters and other road trip resources today: https://www.doinggoodtogether.org/bhf/blog/road-trip-kindness         If you received this email from someone else and would like to subscribe, please click here. This list was compiled by Doing Good Together™ (www.doinggoodtogether.org)  When calling to volunteer for any of the opportunities listed above, please let the coordinator know you found it through this listing. You are encouraged to ask any questions you may have of the sponsoring organization before committing to a project. Disclaimer: This list is provided as a service to families. Inclusion of organizations in this listing does not imply affiliation, endorsement or quality assurance on the part of Doing Good Together.™ Doing Good Together™ bears no responsibility whatsoever for the activities and actions of the listed organizations.                                                                                                                                                                                    © 2018 Doing Good Together™

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May 2018 - NYC Family Volunteer Opportunities

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May 2018 - New York City Hippo Playground Spring Fair Hippo Playground Project   Date/Time: Sunday May 6, 10am - 4pm (Rain date May 20). Choose from the following shifts: 9:45am - 1pm 12:45pm - 4pm Location: Hippo Playground in Riverside Park at 91st Street The Hippo Playground Project is an all-volunteer, community-based affiliate of the Riverside Park Conservancy that works in conjunction with the Parks Department to maintain the playground and provide free activities for the community. For 35 years, the Spring Fair has been the primary fundraiser to support The Hippo Playground. The Hippo Playground Project funds and runs free programming: Art in the Park, our Free Summer Concert Series, and the Halloween Parade, etc. Volunteers are needed to assist children enjoying Hippo Playground Spring Fair activities. Activities include helping children with cupcake decorating, ball tosses, bowling, serving burgers, face painting, and much more!   Ages: Ages 9 through 13 accompanied by an adult, or 14 and up can volunteer without an adult.   Time Commitment: Three hour shifts   Contact: Nicole Moore, 917.414.3145, hippoplaygrounduws@gmail.com. Registration is available online. https://riversideparknyc.org/groups/hippo-playground/ Hungry to Help UJA Federation of New York - Time for Good   Date/Time: Sunday, May 6. Times vary by project.   Location: There are locations in Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn and Westchester (round trip transportation from Manhattan provided in some cases). Join hundreds of New Yorkers for a community-wide day of service addressing hunger and poverty. Projects include packing and delivering food to homebound seniors, Sort and Pack at the Food Bank for New York City, brightening an outdoor space at a low-income senior residence, and packing meals for families in need.  Ages: Families are welcome at several of the projects. Check individual project descriptions for details.   Time Commitment: Varies, depending on the project.   Contact: timeforgood@ujafedny.org. Registration is available online. www.timeforgood.org/ Month of Charity and Compassion Muslim Volunteers for New York (MV4NY)   Date/Time: Saturday, May 5 - Thursday, May 17.   Location: Volunteers can shop and donate via our Amazon wishlist. Select the MV4NY gift registry address at checkout. Please check the list starting May 5 as items are still being added. The mission of Muslim Volunteers for New York is to engage Muslim-Americans along with the community at-large in a variety of grass-root efforts to give back to our City and its residents. Our key areas of focus are: Health & Wellness, Education, the Environment, and Hunger & Poverty Elimination. Muslim Volunteers for New York has organized its 3rd Annual Ramadan Food Drive to benefit the New York Common Pantry and their commitment to alleviating hunger and poverty. Ramadan is a special month for Muslims throughout the world. It is a time for self-reflection, fasting, spirituality and charity. We invite you to join us in this effort and illuminate NYC with our collective charity and compassion. Ages: Everyone can participate   Time Commitment: Varies   Contact: Homera Zaman, homera@gmail.com https://www.facebook.com/mv4ny/ Soup Kitchen - Food Preparation and Service Manhattan Church of Christ   Date/Time: Saturdays: May 12, 19, and 26, 9am - 2pm   Location: Manhattan Church of Christ, 48 East 80th Street between Park and Madison The Saturday Lunch Program provides hot meals to the homeless with dignity and compassion. Volunteers are needed to help set up, prepare, and serve meals to members of the community who are homeless and/or live marginally.  Ages: Families with children of all ages are welcome to participate   Time Commitment: Full service is five hours, but volunteers are welcome any time during the day.   Contact: Carl Garrison, carl@manhattanchurch.org www.manhattanchurch.org SandSational Riverside Park Conservancy   Date/Time: Saturday, May 19, 10am - 1pm   Location(s):   Neufeld 'Elephant' Playground, 76th Street River Run Playground, 83rd Street Hippo Playground, 91st Street Dinosaur Playground, 97th Street 105th Street Tot Lot 110th Street Tot Lot 117th St Tot Lot Sakura Playground, 122nd Street Claremont 'Dolphin' Playground, 124th St behind Grant's Tomb Riverbank 'Camel' Playground, 143rd Street Fresh sand means one thing in Riverside Park: Spring! Help start the season off right by volunteering to help move new sand into your playground's sandbox. SandSational begins with a family bucket brigade, followed by parents and adults completing the job. Pails and shovels for kids will be provided by Riverside Park Conservancy. Community volunteer events are rain or shine. Please check the website two weeks prior to the 19th as project details and meeting sites will be determined two weeks before the project based on the weather and the needs of the park.   Ages: Everyone is welcome to participate   Time Commitment: Three hours   Contact: Kristin Meade, grassroots@riversideparknyc.org, 212.870.3073 https://riversideparknyc.org/event/sandsational-2018/ We Care Cards for Mother's Day Catholic Charities   Date/Time: At your convenience, from home   Location: Mail completed cards to: Catholic Charities 1011 First Avenue, 11th Floor NY, NY 10022 Throughout the year, volunteers are needed to help provide dignity to New Yorkers in need. Last year alone, Catholic Charities served over 356,000 individuals. Cards are a simple way of communicating with someone in need. When direct service is not possible, these cards let the people we serve know that they are loved and not forgotten. Your family can send cards around significant dates such as: Mother's Day, Father's Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Cards can also be made around significant events, such as "Welcome to New York!" or "Good Luck on Your Interview!" Add a personal touch by including your own personal message of hope and cheer. The cards express love, support, and encouragement for those who are struggling. This is a great volunteer opportunity for young children. After expressing interest, the volunteer coordinator will contact you to confirm participation and provide directions for this project.   Ages: Families with children ages five and older.   Time Commitment: Varies   Contact: Staci-Jo Bruce, Director of Volunteer Services, ccvolunteer@archny.org or 212.371.1000 www.catholiccharitiesny.org Pitch In, Pick Up Central Park Conservancy   Date/Time(s): Charles A. Dana Discovery Center, daily, 10am - 5pm Chess & Checkers House, Tuesday - Sunday, 10am - 5pm North Meadow Recreation Center, daily, 10am - 5pm Location(s): Charles A. Dana Discovery Center, Inside Central Park at 110th Street between Fifth and Lenox Avenues. Chess & Checkers House, Mid-Park at 64th Street. North Meadow Recreation Center, Mid-Park at 97th Street Want to get outside and get dirty with your kids this Spring? Volunteering with Pitch In, Pick Up is a great way to help keep Central Park clean and beautiful. After a brief orientation at a visitor center, you will be given a trash grabber, gloves, and garbage bag for litter. Click here for more information about the Pitch In, Pick Up volunteer program.   Ages: Everyone can participate but children under age 18 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. Volunteers must show a valid form of ID when they arrive and fill out a waiver form   Time Commitment: Flexible   Contact(s): Charles A. Dana Discovery Center, 212.860.1374; Chess & Checkers House, 212.794.4064; North Meadow Recreation Center, 212.348.4867 www.centralparknyc.org Explore Nature with a Scavenger Hunt Doing Good Together   Date/Time: Anytime you can get outdoors with your family!   Location: Your local park or nature center When children learn to appreciate and enjoy nature, they are more likely to grow into adults who value and protect our environment. You and your family can use Doing Good Together's printable Nature Scavenger Hunt checklist to liven up your next walk in the woods. Enjoy exploring nature as a family, invite friends along, or bring this activity to your scouts meeting, classroom, or community gathering. Check out Doing Good Together's Nature Scavenger Hunt project page for more ideas and reflection questions. Ages: The whole family is welcome to participate   Time Commitment: Varies   Contact: mail@doinggoodtogether.org www.doinggoodtogether.org   Celebrate Milestones This May! Whether you are celebrating the graduation of a preschooler or college student - or any big moment in between - these milestone moments offer opportunities for sharing gifts that encourage kindness and giving. Visit our Shop Kind Vendor Page for our favorite gift-giving books. And for advice on tackling transitions (by kids and parents), revisit this post from our Blogger: www.doinggoodtogether.org/bhf/blog/masterful-transitions.       If you received this email from someone else and would like to subscribe, please click here. This list was compiled by Doing Good Together™ (www.doinggoodtogether.org)  When calling to volunteer for any of the opportunities listed above, please let the coordinator know you found it through this listing. You are encouraged to ask any questions you may have of the sponsoring organization before committing to a project. Disclaimer: This list is provided as a service to families. Inclusion of organizations in this listing does not imply affiliation, endorsement or quality assurance on the part of Doing Good Together.™ Doing Good Together™ bears no responsibility whatsoever for the activities and actions of the listed organizations.                                                                                                                                                                                    © 2018 Doing Good Together™

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March 2018 - NYC Family Volunteer Opportunities

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March 2018 - New York City Soup Kitchen for the Homeless & Impoverished The Manhattan Church of Christ   Date/Time: Saturdays  ---   March 10, 17, 24 and 31, 10am - 2pm   Location: Manhattan Church of Christ, 48 East 80th Street, NY   The Saturday Lunch Program provides hot meals with dignity and compassion to the homeless or those who live marginally. All shifts are family-friendly and involve a set-up team to set tables and decorate, a service team to run trays of food back and forth to the guests, and a break down & clean up team. Volunteers help set up, prepare and serve meals, then break down and clean up.   Ages: Families with children of all ages are welcome to participate   Time Commitment: Varies, come for a few hours or stay for the entire shift!   Contact: To register, please contact Reverend Carl Garrison at carl@manhattanchurch.org www.manhattanchurch.org/ Spring Into Action! Brooklyn Community Services   Date/Time: Various dates from March 20 - April 4.   Location: Various locations throughout Brooklyn BCS was founded by volunteers in 1866 in response to the plight of Civil War veterans and homeless children who lost their fathers in the war. Volunteerism remains at the heart of what they do. Spring into Action is the signature volunteer initiative of Brooklyn Community Services (BCS). Now in its 6th year, Spring into Action has galvanized thousands of volunteers. This year, they are proud to offer more than 20 service opportunities that impact Brooklyn's low-income neighborhoods. Ages: Families with children ten and older are welcome to volunteer   Time Commitment: Varies   Contact: volunteer@wearebcs.org, 718.310.5823. Visit the Spring Into Action webpage for more information and to register. http://wearebcs.org/springintoaction/ Passover Package Delivery DOROT   Date/Time: Sunday, March 18, between 10am and 2pm   Location: Westside and Eastside Manhattan locations, as well as Westchester Brighten the day of a senior! Celebrate the Jewish holiday of Passover by delivering a package of Passover food to our elderly neighbors and sharing a wonderful gift - the gift of friendship. Ages: Families with children ages 4-12 years are welcome to participate   Time Commitment: One hour   Contact: Shai Rosenfeld, srosenfeld@dorotusa.org, 917-441-5051. Registration is available online. www.dorotusa.org Pack Easter Blessing Bags in Queens HOPE for New York   Date/Time: Saturday, March 24, 9am - 4:30pm. Four shifts are available:   9 - 10:30am 11am -12:30pm 1 - 2:30pm 3 - 4:30pm Location: CRU Inner City Training and Distribution Center, 9 - 11 44th Drive, Queens Each year, Cru Inner City packs thousands of Easter "Blessing Bags" to serve children in need throughout NYC. Volunteers will fill paper bags with Easter treats, crayons, Bible stories, as well as a gospel bead bracelet to share the message of Easter. Ages: All ages can participate   Time Commitment: One and one-half hours   Contact: 917.206.1440. Registration is available online. IMPORTANT: Once you request information for this event through the web page, you will receive a separate email with a registration link from Cru Inner City to complete your sign up. Your volunteer spot is NOT reserved until you complete the registration process through the second link. www.cru.org/us/en/communities/innercity/newyorkcity.html  Summer Teen Internship Program DOROT   Date/Time: The internship is 4 days a week, Mondays-Thursdays, 10:30am - 5pm. On the last day of the internship, the day ends at 6:30pm. Session 1: June 25 - July 19 (exceptions made for Regents exams) Session 2: July 23 - August 16 Location: Two locations are available ---   Manhattan and Riverdale   Do you have a teen looking for a summer internship program? This internship inspires high school students to develop leadership skills and give back to the community. Interns volunteer with a diverse group of socially-conscious teens to connect with older adults and provide assistance. Teen Interns may: Visit seniors in their home for companionship Teach seniors how to use a computer, iPad, iShuffle, and other types of technology Celebrate seniors' birthdays Deliver meals to seniors Send birthday cards out to seniors Read to visually impaired seniors Shop and deliver groceries to seniors Play chess, cards, scrabble, and other games with seniors Assist with office work at DOROT Have the opportunity to plan, run and implement an intergenerational game day or museum trip Visit DOROT's Homelessness Prevention Program and take part in cooking a meal for the seniors who live in our transitional housing facility Ages: DOROT's Summer Teen Internship Program is for rising sophomores through rising seniors.   Time Commitment: The internship is unpaid and designed to provide students with a minimum of 92 hours of community service.   Contact: Shai Rosenfeld at srosenfeld@dorotusa.org or 917.441.5051. Complete the online application, which will be accepted on a rolling basis until May 14th.  Apply early as spots will likely fill prior to May 14th. www.dorotusa.org Annual Book Drive Project Cicero   Date/Time: Sorting and distribution event is March 8 - 11, from 10 am - 6 pm. Book donations will also be accepted at the event. Most New York City independent schools are doing book collections, and if you have an independent school in your neighborhood, you should check with them. Donation drives end on March 6.   Location: The sorting and distribution event will take place in the Gold Ballroom at The Hotel Pennsylvania, at the corner of 33rd & 7th Ave. There is a side door entrance on 33rd. Book drive donations should be delivered to: Project Cicero, 53 East 79th Street. Books can also be donated to Project Cicero through their Amazon wishlist page. Project Cicero is a partnership of independent, public, and parochial schools, private and public organizations, and corporations whose primary goal is to create and supplement classroom and school libraries for children in under-resourced New York City public schools through an annual citywide book drive. Project Cicero also puts books into homeless shelters, juvenile detention facilities, community centers, before and after school programs, and wherever else there is a need. To date, Project Cicero has placed 3,250,000 new and gently used books into more than 20,000 classrooms and school libraries reaching over 700,000 children in under-resourced schools in New York City. Donated books must be in excellent condition, and only children's book (through Young Adult/high school level) will be accepted. Please consult the website for more information. Ages: Sorting and distribution volunteers must be in 6th grade or older. If you are bringing 6th-8th graders, we ask for one adult per 12 kids. Everyone can participate in book drives.   Time Commitment: Varies   Contact: info@projectcicero.org or 212.288.6900 x 511. Volunteers MUST register through the Project Cicero event registration page. www.projectcicero.org/ Become a Senior Angel Doing Good Together   Date/Time: Once a week   Location: A  senior in your community You can help create a more age-integrated society and instill positive attitudes toward aging by providing your child with positive contacts with seniors. By becoming a Senior Angel your family will let a senior know they are remembered and loved through an ongoing weekly correspondence. Seniors who may be home-bound, confined to nursing homes, or in convalescent hospitals will look forward to your weekly greetings! You can reach out to a relative, neighbor or senior you know in your community. What you'll need: Stationery, greeting cards, pens, drawing or art supplies Occasional small, inexpensive, gifts ($2-$5), such as a box of tea or bar of scented soap Postage Once-a-week send your older friend chatty letters, friendly cards, uplifting notes, children's drawings and perhaps an occasional small gift. Learn more by visiting the Doing Good Together Become a Senior Angel page.   Ages: Your whole family can participate!   Time Commitment: Varies, but please plan on making an ongoing, long-term commitment to your senior.   Contact: mail@doinggoodtogether.org www.doinggoodtogether.org Reading together is a research-proven, amazingly simple way to practice empathy and support your child's learning on every level. But that isn't why we love it. Story time is the most intimate, thoughtful, tender way to connect with a child. Check out Doing Good Together's awesome collection of favorite picture and chapter books focused on a variety of critical topics, including Kindness, Creativity, Gratitude, Mindfulness, Bullying, Death & Grief, and more       If you received this email from someone else and would like to subscribe, please click here. This list was compiled by Doing Good Together™ (www.doinggoodtogether.org)  When calling to volunteer for any of the opportunities listed above, please let the coordinator know you found it through this listing. You are encouraged to ask any questions you may have of the sponsoring organization before committing to a project. Disclaimer: This list is provided as a service to families. Inclusion of organizations in this listing does not imply affiliation, endorsement or quality assurance on the part of Doing Good Together.™ Doing Good Together™ bears no responsibility whatsoever for the activities and actions of the listed organizations.                                                                                                                                                                                    © 2018 Doing Good Together™

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February 2018 - NYC Family Volunteer Opportunities

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February 2018 - New York City Host a Birthday Party for Kids CelebrateU   Date/Time: Thursday, February 1, 5 - 7pm   Location: Huntington House, 347 East 10th Street, New York The Celebrate U Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization founded in 2014 by two 15-year-old girls. The mission of Celebrate U is to spread happiness by throwing birthday parties for disadvantaged children, living in underserved communities. The effect of these celebrations goes way beyond cake and party favors. Celebrate U believes that by showing children that their community truly cares about them, it can raise self-esteem, provide hope for a brighter future and empower children. A short training session will take place for new volunteers one week prior to each event. Ages: 5th grade and up   Time Commitment: Two hours   Contact: Alisonkauder@gmail.com www.celebrateu.org  Tween Operation Chicken Soup at the JCC UJA-Federation of New York Time for Good   Date/Time: Tuesday, February 6, 5 - 7 pm   Location: JCC of Manhattan, 334 Amsterdam Ave at 76th St, New York Join with other tweens to prepare hot meals for those in need throughout our community. We'll make delicious recipes as well as explore Jewish values connected to hunger and homelessness. Ages: Tweens   Time Commitment: Two hours   Contact: Michelle Wexler at mwexler@jccmanhattan.org. Registration is available online. www.jccmanhattan.org/ Make Valentine's and "Care Kits" for Women & Children Sanctuary for Families   Date/Time: Valentine packages should be delivered by Friday, February 9; Care Kits may be delivered any time.   Location: Valentines and Care Kits should be dropped off or sent to Sanctuary's lower Manhattan location. Please contact Emily Lo Bue, elobue@sffny.org, for location details. Sanctuary for Families is the leading nonprofit agency in New York State dedicated exclusively to serving the needed of domestic violence victims, sex trafficking victims, and their children. Sanctuary envisions a world in which freedom from gender violence is a basic human right. Valentine's Day can be a difficult time for victims of gender-based violence who are living in shelters. It is often a reminder of the violence that brought them to Sanctuary. Write an inspirational message, make cards, or include wrapped candy - whatever your heart desires! Also, February is National Children's Dental Health Month. In addition to a Valentine's greeting, consider including a child's toothbrush, toothpaste and floss for the recipient to share with her children.   Sanctuary for Families is also in need of "Care Kits" for both adults and children. Care Kits consist of ziplock bags filled with basic travel-sized toiletry essentials (toothbrush, toothpaste, soap, deodorant, hand sanitizer, etc). Please also add a note of encouragement and friendship to each bag! This is a great project to do with kids on a rainy day.  Contact Emily LoBue for delivery information. Ages: All ages can participate   Time Commitment: Varies   Contact: Emily LoBue, elobue@sffny.org, 212-349-6009, ext317 www.sanctuaryforfamilies.org     Serve a Hot Meal to the Homeless Manhattan Church of Christ   Date/Time: Saturdays, February 10, 17 and 24, 10am - 2pm   Location: Manhattan Church of Christ, 48 East 80th St The Saturday Lunch Program provides hot meals to the homeless with dignity and compassion. All shifts are family-friendly, and involve a set-up team to set tables and decorate, a service team to run trays of food back and forth to the guests, and a break down and clean up team. Volunteers help set up, prepare and serve meals, then break down and clean up.   Ages: Families with children of all ages are welcome to participate   Time Commitment: Varies, come for a few hours or stay for the entire shift!   Contact: carl@manhattanchurch.org www.manhattanchurch.org  Share the Love! Valentine's Day Pajama and Stuffed Animal Drive Family-to-Family   Date/Time: All deliveries should be made by February 13   Location: Check the Family-to-Family website for a list of locations where you can send your gift.   New pajamas and a snuggly stuffed animal can make a child living in poverty feel special and secure. Consider sending one new pair of pajamas, any size, along with a new stuffed animal and a Valentine's Day card, to an American child living in poverty in one of the communities Family-to-Family serves. When purchasing pajamas, please buy those that meet federal safety regulations. Ages: All ages can participate   Time Commitment: Varies   Contact: moreinfo@family-to-family.org www.family-to-family.org Annual Toiletry Drive for Homeless Women (to support Valentine's Day Party gift bags) Brooklyn Community Services   Date/Time: All donations must be made by Thursday, February 15. Drop off donations weekdays between 9 am - 5 pm   Location: BCS Headquarters, Downtown Brooklyn location, 285 Schermerhorn Street Now until Thursday, February 15th, please drop off new, unopened toiletries at the front desk of BCS Headquarters. Items to donate can include: Body Wash Loofahs  Combs/Brushes Shampoo  Conditioner  Toothpaste Mouth Wash  Head Scarfs  Socks  Stockings  Deodorants Perfume Lotions Please do not include any glass items or shaving razors. Items collected make a real difference to the homeless women served by BCS, who come into the shelter with very few personal possessions. All donated items will be included in gift bags distributed at the annual Valentine's Day Party. Ages: Everyone can participate   Time Commitment: Varies   Contact: Alesha Smith, asmith@wearebcs.org, 718.310.5646, Ext. 5823 wearebcs.org/about/bcs-150/ Help Chaperone an Ice Skating Trip for Operation Exodus Operation Exodus through HOPE for New York   Date/Time: Saturday, February 17, 10 am - 3 pm   Location: From Washington Heights to Wollman Rink and back home Operation Exodus, 21 Wadsworth Avenue, NYC Operation Exodus is a Christian mentoring program for students (K-12) and their families in Washington Heights, Inwood, and the Bronx. Exodus' mission is to launch NYC Latino youth to college and lives of excellence by loving and challenging them through educational opportunities and transformational relationships. Volunteers are needed to help Operation Exodus on their annual ice skating trip in Central Park. Children from kindergarten through middle school will be in attendance, and we need help escorting them down to Wollman Rink from Washington Heights, skating with the kids, and/or escorting them back home. Ages: Families are welcome to participate   Time Commitment: Five hours   Contact: Registration is available online www.operationexodus.org/   Purim Package Delivery DOROT Date/Time: Either Sunday, February 25, between 1 - 3pm, or Thursday, March 1, Purim, between 4 - 6pm. New families will need to attend an orientation at DOROT on Wednesday, February 21, 6pm. Returning families will need to coordinate a time to pick up the mishloach manot package from DOROT during business hours.   Location: Various Upper East Side and Upper West Side locations Celebrate Purim by delivering gifts of food to our older friends and sharing a wonderful gift - the gift of friendship. You and your family can fulfill the mitzvah of giving mishloach manot, a traditional Purim food package filled with goodies, especially hamantaschen.   Ages: For families with children ages 5 to 12.   Time Commitment: Visits should be approximately 30-45 minutes   Contact: Shai Rosenfeld, srosenfeld@dorotusa.org, 917.441.5051. Registration is available online. Space is limited. The deadline to register is February 14.  Please note that registration may close early if all spots are filled.  www.dorotusa.org  It's My Park! Days Partnership for Parks   Date/Time: Every weekend in February   Location: Various locations including: Henry Hudson Park Leif Erickson Park North Shore Esplanade Lt. Lia Playground Skyline Playground This "It's My Park" season, join thousands of New Yorkers who come together each year to volunteer and celebrate their neighborhood parks and public spaces. "It's My Park" projects are open to the public and walk-ins are welcome. Rain or shine, there will be something for everyone to do! Ages: All ages can participate. Volunteers under age 18 are required to present a signed guardian's consent to participate or have a chaperone present.   Time Commitment: Varies, depending on project.   Contact: Please register for projects by emailing dp.reynolds@verizon.net www.nycgovparks.org/events/its_my_park_day Create a Card for a Senior DOROT   Date/Time: Any time, at your convenience   Location: Mail your cards and a Volunteer Return form to: DOROT Attn: Card Making Project 171 West 85th Street New York, NY 10024 DOROT's greeting card project helps bring joy and celebration to some of our frailest and most isolated seniors. Each month, DOROT mails over 200 birthday cards to seniors. Every card is designed and created by you, our volunteers. Often, this card is the only recognition a senior receives on his or her birthday. Making a card is easy and fun! Whether you're looking for something to do on a rainy day, or planning an activity for a 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 use white for the inside to make it easier to read. Tips: 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. After you finish your cards, our office volunteers will address and mail them to seniors.   Ages: Everyone is welcome to participate   Time Commitment: Varies   Contact: 212.769.2850, info@dorotusa.org www.dorotusa.org Create Valentines for our Veterans SoldiersAngels.org!   Date/Time: Anytime   Location: Mail your cards and $1 per card to: Soldiers' Angels 2700 NE Loop 410, Suite 310 San Antonio, Texas 78217 Holidays like Valentine's Day are fun to celebrate when you have loved ones or friends to share the day with. Unfortunately, our military heroes often find themselves alone or feeling homesick during holidays. The mission of Soldiers' Angels is to make sure no one who serves this country feels unloved - and that's especially true on Valentine's Day! You and your family can help by making or purchasing Valentines cards for our military and veteran heroes. Why do we ask for the $1 per card? The $1 helps cover the cost to distribute the thousands of cards we receive. Have questions? Check out our FAQ's here. Feel free to purchase or make your Valentines. Our heroes love hearing from children. Making Valentines is a good activity to do with the kids one afternoon. It's also a fun activity for your office, club, or civic group. Be sure to write a note of encouragement or thanks on your cards. Don't be afraid to sign your name! Ages: Everyone is welcome to participate   Time Commitment: Varies   Contact: info@soldiersangels.org www.soldiersangels.org/ Words Matter: Harness the Power of Poetry Doing Good Together   Date/Time: Anytime   Location: Your home and community At Doing Good Together, we know how the right turn of phrase can encourage more kindness. We know how a great book can cultivate empathy, opening a child up to the feelings and experiences of a stranger. The instructions for this project are as simple as its name. Create short, heart-warming poems, jokes, or artwork. You may want to use the free Car Window Poetry cards available here. Place your poems on car windows outside your school, playground, library, a busy grocery store, or wherever you happen to be. Note: if it's raining or remarkably windy, postpone this step a bit. Post your poems on Instagram with the #CarWindowPoetry. While you're at it, kindly add #DoingGoodTogether as well! Learn more by visiting the Doing Good Together Words Matter: Harness the Power of Poetry project page.   Ages: Everyone can participate   Time Commitment: Varies   Contact: mail@doinggoodtogether.org www.doinggoodtogether.org   Let's take the lovely day called Valentine's Day and make it a month-long kindness endeavor! Prepare now by printing and posting our 28-Day Valentine Kindness Challenge. Pick and choose your favorite days for doing something extra good for others or challenge yourselves for the entire month of February. This is a great project for families, community or faith groups, or even classrooms. And if you participate in this challenge, kindly let us know how it goes! Share your stories here: www.doinggoodtogether.org/good-stories/       If you received this email from someone else and would like to subscribe, please click here. This list was compiled by Doing Good Together™ (www.doinggoodtogether.org)  When calling to volunteer for any of the opportunities listed above, please let the coordinator know you found it through this listing. You are encouraged to ask any questions you may have of the sponsoring organization before committing to a project. Disclaimer: This list is provided as a service to families. Inclusion of organizations in this listing does not imply affiliation, endorsement or quality assurance on the part of Doing Good Together.™ Doing Good Together™ bears no responsibility whatsoever for the activities and actions of the listed organizations.                                                                                                                                                                                    © 2018 Doing Good Together™

Doing Good Together, 5141 16th Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55417 SafeUnsubscribe™ Forward this email | Update Profile | About our service provider Sent by mail@doinggoodtogether.org in collaboration with Try it free today