Thanksgiving Dinner with Low Income Seniors

On Sunday, November 21st, the Met Council Volunteer Department’s annual Thanksgiving extravaganza mobilized over 40 volunteers to feed a traditional turkey dinner to 60 low income senior clients at two Manhattan housing sites. This year we were bigger than ever – doubling our programming to reach more clients at more Met Council community locations.

The day began early on Sunday morning with volunteers from Met Council’s Valuable Players (MVPs), a group of young dedicated leaders in their 20s and 30s. MVP volunteers cooked dinner for 60 in our kosher kitchen and made a traditional Thanksgiving meal that included turkey, string beans, sweet potato and cranberries, parsnip-apple mash, and salad.

After the meal was done, individual volunteers and a UJA-Federation volunteer group served dinner at two of our low income senior housing sites in Manhattan. In the spirit of Thanksgiving, volunteers and clients got together to foster a sense of community and giving.

None of this could have happened without Monita Buchwald, the supervising chef who created the menu, came up with the list of ingredients, executed the cooking, and instructed the volunteers. Monita, a recipe tester for Martha Stewart Living, had been a dedicated volunteer with Met Council and has leaded many cooking classes for our clients.

Click here to see more photos of the event. Our holiday programming is not over yet - to get more involved email volunteer@metcouncil.org. Happy Thanksgiving!

JCCA Volunteers at Senior Lunch Program

On Sunday, November 14th, 10 teenagers from the JCCA Bukharian Teen Lounge volunteered at our Senior Lunch Program. This week, a total of 17 seniors attended the lunch - a group that consisted of our "regulars" and a few new faces! The volunteers and residents were constantly engaged with one other, whether it involved taking a meal order or just having a regular conversation. Every Sunday, our goal is to make sure that all of the residents who attended leave with a full stomach and in great spirits. As per usual, mission accomplished!

Veterans Day Celebration

For Veterans Day, Met Council staff and volunteers held a ceremony for the 22 formerly homeless housing clients at our Abraham I and II Residences in Sea Gate, Brooklyn. All the residents were invited to attend a ceremony that honored the years of services these vets gave to their country.

Each veteran was asked to state when and where they served as well as to speak about their experiences. From Germany, to Korea, to Vietnam, Met Council clients served in the army, air force, navy, and Marine Corps. The diversity of experience was bridged by swapping war stories about trainings in Fort Hamilton or the cold temperatures in Korea. At the end of the day, each veteran was given a Met Council backpack with a Veterans Day t-shirts and a military pin that showed the insignia of each veteran’s regiment.

JCORPS volunteers at the Senior Lunch Program

Met Council teamed up with 15 JCORPS volunteers to serve hot kosher meals to 19 low income seniors at our housing site in Manhattan’s east side, as part of our Senior Lunch Program. The purpose of this program is multi-faceted: one, to ensure that our low income clients receive a hot, nutritious meal; two, to provide a social network for volunteers; and three, to create a sense of community in the housing site so that residents get to know their neighbors. Every resident that attended the program was greeted, seated, served a delicious meal, and interacted with! It was evident that everyone was having a good time, as the room was glowing with smiling faces. We very much look forward to the next Senior Lunch Program!

Want to get involved? Contact Sarah at sleiner@metcouncil.org or check out Met Council's other volunteer projects at www.metcouncil.org/volunteer

Boro Park JCC Front Desk Volunteer Needed!

Weekdays 9AM-5PM

Boro Park, Brooklyn

Met Council is seeking an energetic volunteer to manage the front desk of the Boro Park JCC. Volunteer duties include greeting and referring clients, scheduling appointments, and directing walk-ins. We are looking for a once weekly commitment for 6 months.

If you would like to participate, please contact Kelley Baldwin at 212-453-9675 or kbaldwin@metcouncil.org

Honor Met Council's Veteran Clients!

Wednesday, November 10th, 9:30AM-12PM
Sea Gate, Brooklyn

Help make Veterans Day special for formerly homeless vets at Met Council's housing site located in Sea Gate, Brooklyn. Volunteers are needed to help staff a memorial ceremony by decorating the room, setting up the food, interacting with clients and cleaning up.

If you would like to participate, please contact Kelley Baldwin at 212-453-9675 or kbaldwin@metcouncil.org