Loading summary
Transcript50 lines
- [00:00]
A
Foreign.
- [00:09]
B
This is all of it on wnyc. I'm Alison Stewart. Tomorrow, New York Public Radio will host a Blood Drive in the Green Space. You can sign up by going to nybc.org wnyc I understand the 12 to 1 hour has some slots. Go down there, listen to all of it. And this got us thinking about giving this holiday season and all the ways you can do it. So we reached out to our friends at New York Cares and asked them to put together a list of charity and volunteer opportunities in the city. And we want you to help spread the love. Call in and tell us where you volunteer or where you're planning to volunteer this season. Our Phone number is 2124-3396-9221-2433. WNYC. Or tell us where you're giving, what causes are important to you? Our number is 212433, WNYC21 9692. Joining me now with some suggestions is New York Cares Executive Director Sapreet Saluja. Hi, Sapreet.
- [01:10]
C
Hi, Alison. Thanks so much for having me.
- [01:12]
B
We are so glad to have you on the show today. Your first recommendation is a coat drive, which New York Care has been organizing for almost 40 years. I need to know, where can I go to donate my coat?
- [01:27]
C
Oh, we would love for you to reach into your closet, find that coat that has another life that you are ready to share with another New Yorker. You can go to our website, new yorkharris.org and on the website we have a public collection site. So all the fire battalion houses across the city, as well as some of the transit hubs and a number of other buildings, churches, nonprofit schools where you can drop off your coats. And what happens then is our partners at UPS and piece of cake, moving in storage, go around the city and collect all the coats and get them to our warehouse where volunteers come and sort the coats. They check them for dignity. We have folks who launder the coats if they need a little extra love. And then nonprofits across the city come with their shopping list, if you would, and pick up the appropriate sizes and genders for their community and distribute them across the five boroughs of New York. So head to the website new yorkcares.org and you can see where the closest public collection point is for you to drop off your coat.
- [02:36]
B
So I can, if my fire station.
- [02:40]
A
Is nearby, if I, if they're on the list, I can just go in there and drop off my coat.
- [02:44]
C
That's right. All the fire battalion houses. Yep. So if there's one right near you, they are happy to see you and collect those coats.
- [02:53]
A
All right. And I get to meet a fireman. In the meantime.
- [02:57]
For clothing distribution, you can also recommend the organization rmm. What does RMM stand for?
- [03:05]
C
It's the Rashambosh Metro Ministries. They have a whole bunch of volunteer opportunities that that are now focused on a winter clothing distribution. So volunteers come, they set up, they help the clients that come select the right.
- [03:23]
Outerwear and other clothing that they need for the winter. And it's a really fun project where you get to help people right away and those clients that come leave with things that they need.
- [03:36]
A
And how can someone get involved with rmm?
- [03:39]
C
Well, again, you can go to our website. If you go to newyorkcares.org and click on volunteer, what you'll find is that you can sort by organization. You can put the organization in. You can sort by day of week, borough, time, issue area. You choose the cause and you be the effect. You sort and you sign up right there on the website and everything comes to you. Where to show up, what time, what to bring. It's pretty simple.
- [04:08]
A
I'm speaking to New York Cares executive director Sapreet Salua about ways to give and volunteer this holiday season. And we are taking your calls. Where do you donate? Where do you volunteer? Text or call 212-433-9692. That is 212433, WNYC. And by the way, if you're looking for a way to give this week, wnyc, we're hosting a blood drive tomorrow in the green space. Stop by at 44 Charlton street between 9:30 and 2pm tomorrow. We got a text here that says I volunteer at Fab Scrap the recycled textiles from the fashion interior design industries for three hours of helping sort fabric for recycling. You get five pounds of fabric for free from their store. It' incredible organization, staffed by the nicest people and allows me to give back while feeding my hobby. Thanks for texting in. Next on your list, Supreet is related to food insecurity, a huge issue. Westside Campaign Against Hunger is one of those organizations. What kind of services does Westside Campaign Against Hunger provide?
- [05:18]
C
They're an incredible partner of ours. They provide access to healthy food as well as supportive services. Volunteers show up to sort, pack and distribute food to New Yorkers in need. They also help a number of their clients with their SNAP benefits, with housing, with health care. It's actually very uplifting experience to spend time there and know that you're Helping families put food on the table.
- [05:49]
B
Where are they based?
- [05:51]
C
They're on the Upper west side.
- [05:53]
B
And what kind of volunteer opportunities are there for people?
- [05:56]
C
Oh, there's so many different things to do and incredible shifts that you can do that fit into your schedule, whether that's during the week or on the weekend. Again, you can go to our website and you can either search in your neighborhood for partners that are in food insecurity or you can even put in Westside Campaign Against Hunger and you'll see all the volunteer slots that are available. You can choose the one that works best for you, even maybe grab a friend to go with you.
- [06:23]
B
Another hunger related charity on your list is New York Common Pantry, which is described as using holistic whole person approach. What does that mean?
- [06:35]
C
Well, it means that they distribute pantry packages and hot meals, but they also support their clients in financial and wellness education. They help them enroll in benefits, and they do some case management work. And so if you are a New Yorker who's food insecure, there are chances that you have some other support that you need as well. And they try to round that out, really looking at the individual holistically, as they say, to make sure that they're getting the wraparound support that they need. In addition to pantry packages and hot meals, another great organization, we got another.
- [07:13]
A
Text in that says I volunteer at Newark Associated Humane Society. I pet the adorable cats for a few hours each week. You can also walk really sweet dogs. Animals need the human love until they find their forever home. Thank you for the work you do. This text says Secret Snowflake is a citywide program that connects people with in need youth organizations to fulfill children's holiday wishes. You receive a letter with a child's name, age, sizes, along with their hobbies, holiday wishes and future goals. Listeners, we love hearing these stories. We want to know are volunteering this season or where you want to give? Our Phone number is 2124-3396-9221-2433. WNYC. I'm speaking to New York Care's Executive Director Supreet Saluja about where to give and volunteer this holiday season. Let's talk about youth programming since someone mentioned it. Keen. It stands for Kids enjoy exercise Now. All right, what does kids offer? Keen offer?
- [08:20]
C
Yeah. Well, so Keen is a really fantastic partner. We hear such positive feedback from our volunteers over the years about how much they enjoy it. They provide free, non competitive one on one physical activity and recreational programs for youth with disabilities. So you get to hang out with these fabulous Kids and just have a blast. Everyone who goes and works with the youth at this particular nonprofit is smiling and laughing, having a great time, and ready to come back for more.
- [08:57]
A
Do you need to have experience with young people to do it?
- [09:02]
C
You do not necessarily have to have experience with young people. The team leader on the project will sort of guide you, give you some information up front. And there are others usually on the project who aren't first timers. And so there are lots of folks to wrap you around and support. And in fact, I would say that about all of the projects we've been talking about today, you might wonder, like, what could I do for a couple of hours that would actually make a difference in this city? And I'm telling you, there is so much you can do. You should just take the plunge. Go to the website new yorkcharis.org find a project that speaks to you, and go for it.
- [09:44]
B
And it also helps that there's a team leader who knows what's going on, because I think some people are probably a little. Honestly, a little shy or a little scared.
- [09:52]
C
Yeah. And you might not know anyone. So you're like, I'm going to go to this nonprofit and I've never been here before and I don't know anyone. But there is a New York Cares team leader there, warm and welcoming, and they know exactly how it should run. What I hear from our volunteers over and over again is that they're surprised that they actually get to make a difference and experience so much joy at the same time. They get to feel connected to clients, to other volunteers, to the beating heart of the city.
- [10:23]
Benefits all around.
- [10:24]
B
Let's talk to Margit from Manhattan. Hi, Margot. Thanks for calling all of it.
- [10:30]
D
Hi, thanks for taking my call. I volunteer with Lilly, which is life force in later years. It's on the Upper west side and it helps the elderly stay in their homes. And it is fantastic. And they don't have enough volunteers. They have seniors waiting for volunteers right now, so Google it, please. It's fantastic. I've helped people with their phones. I've taken people to medical appointments. You can just sit with someone that's lonely. You can walk their dog. It's amazing.
- [11:06]
B
Thank you so much for what you do, Margit. Let's talk to Zoe in Long Island. Hi, Zoe, thanks for calling all of it.
- [11:13]
D
Hi, I'm in Long Island City and my favorite group here is Culture Lab Lic, and they have loads of free programming and all of the arts, performing and visual. They love having volunteers. It's a great place to volunteer. And so I always sculpt something major for their gala every year. And I am actually the sculptor who made the homeless Statue of Liberty for the New York Harris Coat drive back in 1991.
- [11:42]
B
Holy cow, Zoe, what's your last name? Amazing.
- [11:46]
D
Morissette.
- [11:47]
B
Zoe Morissette. Thank you for the work you do. We really, really appreciate it. Wow, that was kind of an interesting call. Yeah, amazing. This says Toy Box NYC just launched. The owner of a beloved Upper west side store called Westside Kids has started this organ pair local toy stores with local toy drives. We've already gone on a few selected toys to donate to local toy drives. Awesome concept. This says I volunteer with Broadway Cares Equity Fights aids. They have various fundraising initiatives throughout the entertainment community to support various health and hunger related causes. Let's go to another one on your list. You have student success. Who do they serve and how?
- [12:31]
C
Well this program works with kids in the third through eighth grades across different low income neighborhoods in the city. And it's really about supporting educational and emotional development. So volunteers come in and they work in small groups, they work through lesson plans, they coach kids through problem solving, really helping kids build that resilience. And what we find is that in addition to the academic support, this really prepares students to meet the challenges academically and succeed again. So much fun to spend time with kids in the classroom. And you might wonder, well, I'm not a teacher or can I really do that math? And what I'm here to share with you is it really is that simple. You know, for so many kids, just knowing that there is an adult who wants to work with them, who sees them, who values them, who thinks that they matter, it can make a huge difference in a student. Building academic confidence and having another caring adult to learn alongside with great, great offerings, including student success. But many different programs across the city working with kids from literacy to math to the arts, it's time really well spent.
- [13:51]
A
This says, this is Nikki from Montclair.
- [13:53]
B
I volunteer year round at our local.
- [13:55]
A
Soup kitchen and thrift store called Tony's Kitchen and Tony's CL it there are often local organizations that need people to sort items. So if you're ever so you're not particularly social, you can do that task. It really benefits other people. This says out on Long Island, Island Harvest is a large food pantry and they are great.
- [14:15]
You also have on here. I want to get this in Music for autism. It offers concerts for people with autism. Tell us a little bit more.
- [14:24]
C
Really cool program. So they are fully subsidized autism friendly interactive concerts for people who have autism across the spectrum and their families. And when you look at their website, Music for Autism and you see all of these people really connecting with the music and having a great time. It's magical. And there are lots of different ways to volunteer with them. It's again, a really joyful experience.
- [14:56]
A
It says, I want to send a shout out to St. Luke's on 46th street between 8th and 9th Avenue. They have a soup kitchen that feeds anywhere from 125 to 300 people every Tuesday and Thursday. And they've been doing it for 20 years. I volunteer on Thursdays. It's a great group of people. They also have a coat drive for the homeless on the 16th. It's a great place to volunteer as well. In our final moments, you want to shout out New York Care's financial aid assistance program. This is a donation opportunity or is this a volunteer opportunity or both?
- [15:31]
C
Well, you can always volunteer to New York cares through newyorkhairs.org but our financial aid assistance volunteer project is really about helping high schoolers and their families fill out the FAFSA form to get financial aid to attend college. And what we find is that kids sometimes then cross over the hurdle of academic success, cross over the hurdle of SATs, cross over the hurdle of applying to college. And then it's how is the family going to afford to do this? And there's so many pathways through the CUNY and SUNY systems here in New York that the first and most important step is filling out the fafsa. It's really important to be one of those volunteers that really makes a difference in a family's trajectory that is huge.
- [16:16]
B
We've been speaking to New York Care's Executive Director, Sapreet Saluja. Sapreet, thank you so much for joining us this holiday season. Happy holidays to you.
- [16:24]
C
Thank you. Happy holidays to you and all the listeners too.
- [16:28]
B
And that is all of it for today.
- [16:30]
C
I'm Alison Stewart.
- [16:31]
B
I appreciate you listening and I appreciate you. I will meet you back here next time.
- [16:45]
E
NYC now delivers the most up to date local news from WNYC and Gothamist every morning, midday and evening with three updates a day. Listeners get breaking news, top headlines and in depth coverage from across New York City by sponsoring programming like NYC now, you'll reach our community of dedicated listeners with premium messaging and an uncluttered audio experience. Visit sponsorship.wnyc.org to get in touch and find out more.