Wednesday, November 28, 2012

November 2012- Met Council Volunteer of the Month


The Jack of All Trades, Geoff Cutler
Congratulations to Geoff Cutler, our November 2012 Volunteer of the Month!
Geoff is originally from Scranton, Pennsylvania and is a part of his family’s business, Race-West Company which distributed potatoes and onions nationwide. He moved to New York City in 2008 and enjoys playing basketball and volunteering during his free time.
Geoff first heard about Met Council through his friend, Stefanie Greenberg who is the manager of our volunteer department. When he went looking for community service opportunities, he knew just who to turn to and the rest is history.
He began his volunteering experience at Met Council at the Sunday Senior Lunch Program. After demonstrating leadership and devotion, he was nominated to become a Volunteer Leader for the program. Ever since becoming a leader, he has engaged countless volunteers and built lasting relationships with Met Council’s low-income seniors.
His time at the Senior Lunch Program has become much more than volunteering. Speaking of his experience, he said, “The most rewarding part of volunteering for me is to see the smiles on the faces of the elderly we are helping. Although it is a small three hour lunch program, once a week, I feel that the program allows for the residents to socialize with each other, socialize with the volunteers, and be reminded of what it means to be part of a community. For residents It can be stressful to live alone and fend for themselves. This program allows the residents to see that the Met Council is there for them and that people care about their well being. “
He is an exemplary leader and has stepped up on several occasions. During our Hurricane Sandy relief efforts, he answered our last minute call for volunteers to head out to Seagate Brooklyn. Geoff has also led the Senior Lunch Program on short notice after cancellations of other leaders. Because of this, we were able to hold the program as usual without cancellation and denying the seniors a much needed hot meal.

For Geoff, it is “important to give back to others that are less fortunate. I am very grateful for everything in my life and I feel that giving back is a great way to show it.” He continues to demonstrate his commitment to Met Council’s mission to fight poverty. Even though he leads the Senior Lunch Program several times a month amongst other volunteering and work commitments, he plans on also getting involved with our new program, “Just the Boys” to mentor at-risk youth. 

Monday, November 26, 2012

Met Council's Volunteers Blog about their Experience!

Up to and during the Thanksgiving holiday, we had a number of volunteer projects. From serving food at a number of our housing sites to, Benefits Outreach as well as cleaning up debris in areas affected by Hurricane Sandy in Staten Island and Kosherfest; there's is indeed much to be grateful for!

We hope that you enjoy reading what Kathy Berry experienced and decided to share with her readers, in turn we look forward to getting more feedback like this from existing as well as new volunteers.

  Gratitude..
                                          Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life.
                                     It turns what we have into enough, and more.
                 It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity.
            It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend.
Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today,and creates a vision for tomorrow.
                                                                - Melody Beatti      

Sunday, I was up and out early, and finally had a nice long walk along the East River.  I had volunteered through Volunteer Match (a great site I found while web-surfing, and they do not require any orientation).  I went to the Linda and Jerome Spitzer Home on 61st Street to help prepare a Thanksgiving Feast for Seniors.  I confused the Doorman and myself upon arrival when asking for the apartment of Mr and Mrs Spitzer.  They do not live there, it’s the building name!  It’s an apartment complex for low-income Seniors.  I always wondered how Seniors could afford Manhattan.  Now I know, the Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty (www.metcouncil.org) is one organization that tries to keep them from being displaced.  They have a few buildings around Manhattan, and its Burroughs.
       I spent a lovely morning preparing vegetables with a varied, and great group of Ladies. Stefanie, a young woman who graduated from UMass Amherst with my Daughter (and remembers Kristi’s roommate from a class taken together as she loved Tamar’s name!), is the Volunteer Department Manager of the Met Council.  Monita, was our chef du jour who just left Martha Stewart’s Magazine as the recipe tester, to be on her own as a Culinary Freelancer!  Monita’s Sister, Niece, and French-born Friend rounded out our group of workers.  I would love, and hope, to meet and work with these Ladies again someday.
To read her entire blog click here - Berrys Wild Travels.
To volunteer with Met Council fill out our - Volunteer Questionnaire.

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

HURRICANE SANDY RELIEF EFFORTS


HURRICANE SANDY RELIEF EFFORTS IN Staten Island

If you are in NY this holiday weekend, please consider this opportunity and volunteer with us!!!!



Met Council is organizing another clean up initiative this Sunday, November 25th, 2012.


We will have a bus leaving at 10AM from our offices at 80 Maiden Lane, NY, NY 10038.

However, if you have access to a vehicle you can also meet us at 1045AM outside at 526 Midland Ave SI, NY 10306.

Please register here, by clicking the link below, if you plan to attend –







































Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Hurricane Sandy Volunteer Opportunities and Items Donation Needs (UPDATED: 11/14 at 12PM)


Volunteer Opportunities Suitable for Groups
Emergency Benefits Outreach
Flexible Time/Location – please contact us to set up a time
We need volunteers to help us distribute flyers of information on emergency assistance available to victims of Hurricane Sandy. Volunteers will pick up flyers from Met Council offices and distribute the information to convenience stores, community centers, housing sites, and individuals on the street in target areas. This opportunity will require lots of walking and possible travel by mass transit.
o   Contact metcouncilvolunteer@gmail.com with the subject line: BENEFITS

Needs Assessment
Volunteers will assess the needs of the community in the wake of Hurricane Sandy. Volunteers will go door to door and ask individuals and families what their greatest need is. The information will then be used to provide better and more impactful services.
·         Date: Thursday, November 15th
·         Location: Abraham Residence II 3915 Neptune Avenue. (Brooklyn)
·         Time: 11:30am (ending around 12pm)
·         Contact: metcouncilvolunteer@gmail.com with subject line “NEEDS ASSESSMENT”



Volunteer Opportunities Suitable for Individuals

Senior Socialization
Many of our seniors have been dislocated from their homes because of the storm and are feeling down because they are in a different less comfortable place. Volunteers will socialize and play games with senior residents to cheer them up. This is a good opportunity for groups. Please bring games or cards!

·         Date: Sunday 11am to 2:30pm
·         Location: Council Towers III Low-income Senior Housing, 1170 Pennsylvania Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11239.
·         Time: 11am-2:30pm
·         Contact: metcouncilvolunteer@gmail.com with subject line “HELP SENIORS”


Thanksgiving Lunch
We will have a Thanksgiving dinner catered and volunteers will help to set up, clean up, and serve the meal to our senior residence affected by Hurricane Sandy.
·         Date: Wednesday, 11/21/2012
·         Time: 12:30PM to 3:30PM
·         Location: 3811 Surf Avenue (Brooklyn)
·         Contact MetCouncilVolunteer@Gmail.com with subject line “THANKSGIVING”

Door to Door Community Clean Up
Volunteers are needed for heavy-duty cleaning of homes which were badly flooded. Note: this is not LIGHT cleaning. It includes but is not limited to: removing furniture, mucking out mud, et cetera.
·         Date: Sunday November 18
·         Time: 10:30AM
·         Meeting Place: meet outside the entrance of Biltmore General Contracting building:
526 Midland Avenue
Staten Island, NY 10306
·         Contact MetCouncilVolunteer@Gmail.com with subject line “STATEN ISLAND CLEAN UP”







In Kind Items Donation information:

Please read, items for collection have changed.

We are collecting the following items for the victims of Hurricane Sandy:
-       Cleaning Supplies (URGENT!)
o   Garbage bags
o   Gloves
o   Goggles
o   Bleach
o   Sponges
o   Cleaning Solution
o   Other supplies for cleaning
-       Paper Goods (ie. toilet paper, napkins, paper towels)
-       Toiletries, including:
o   Soap
o   Toothpaste
o   Toilet paper
-       NEW Blankets
-       School Supplies

Please no food or clothing.

Drop off or Mail to:
171 Lexington Avenue (by 31st St), New York, NY 10016
·         Items can be delivered at any time with the security guard

If you have a large amount of items to donate (more than 4 boxes) please contact us at metcouncilvolunteer@gmail.com