Wednesday, August 21, 2013

Volunteer of the Month, August 2013- Camp Tel Yehudah

Congratulations to the staff, counselors, and campers of Camp Tel Yehudah! 

We appreciate their outstanding work with us throughout this summer and applaud their efforts by awarding them as the volunteer group of the month for August 2013 in recognition for the hours of hard work and impact they have made.

Camp Tel Yehudah, is the national teen leadership camp of Young Judaea. They offer a dynamic program to their teens that features experiential education, activism and leadership development, and connects teens to Israel and Judaism. Although their camp is based in beautiful Barryville, New York with endless amounts of fun activities, they traveled to New York City for several days this past summer with their campers to take action against hunger and poverty by volunteering with Met Council.

About 25 campers worked with our community partner Feeding Family in Staten Island to prepare their South Beach lot to become a new garden to benefit the entire community for years to come. They made quick work of clearing out weeds, moving logs to make borders, cleaning out garbage and debris, and most importantly laid down mulch for future plants to flourish in.



But the work didn't end there- they came back for several days more, helping us at our Kosher Food Warehouse and Kosher Community Kitchen in Brooklyn. At Masbia, our Kosher Community Kitchen in Flatbush Brooklyn, by prepping vegetables and food for that day- they helped to feed over 300 individuals in need in Brooklyn and Queens.

At our Kosher Food Warehouse, they put together over 600 packages of items that we are distributing this week for our High Holiday distributions. That's directly aiding over 600 families and ensuring everyone can enjoy Rosh Hashanah traditions this year!


We look forward to hosting Camp Tel Yehudah again next summer. Thank you for your tireless efforts and in continuing to aid, sustain, and empower Met Council's clients!

Monday, August 19, 2013

MET COUNCIL APPOINTS DAVID M. FRANKEL AS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND CEO



Mr. Frankel’s Experience and Integrity Will Bring Strong Leadership at a Time when 
Essential Human Services Have Never Been More Vital 
David M. Frankel
Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty (“Met Council”) announced today that it has appointed David M. Frankel as Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer.  Mr. Frankel, who since 2009 has served under Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg as the Commissioner of the Department of Finance, will officially join Met Council on September 30.
 
“We are proud and delighted to welcome David to Met Council,” said Steven Price, President of Met Council’s Board.  “David brings extensive operational, financial and legal expertise from the public and private sectors and an outstanding record of success in leading complex organizations.  His integrity, passion for public service and understanding of the importance of our work will be extremely valuable resources for Met Council and our employees, volunteers, donors and partners as we work together to address the problem of poverty in New York.” 
 
“Met Council’s work has improved the lives of many thousands of New York’s neediest people for more than 40 years, and I am honored and excited by the opportunity to lead such a respected and vital institution,” Mr. Frankel said.  “I look forward to working with the Board and Met Council’s dedicated management and staff and am committed to making sure that we sustain and build Met Council for the benefit of the increasing number of people who depend upon us.” 
 
As Commissioner of the Department of Finance, which collects more than $30 billion in revenue for New York City, Mr. Frankel has focused the agency on exemplary service, accountability for measurable results and the highest standard of conduct.  Prior to serving in this role, Mr. Frankel was a Managing Director at Morgan Stanley from 2004 to 2009, and he was the head of global operations for the AIG Trading Group from 1992 to 2004.  He also served as Deputy Commissioner of New York City Housing and Preservation (1990-1991) and as Special Counsel to the Commissioner for the Department of Correction (1988-1990).  From 1978 to 1988, he practiced law at two New York firms.  Mr. Frankel holds a J.D. from Columbia Law School and a B.A. in history from Tufts University. 
 
“Met Council has made an outstanding choice in making David Frankel its Executive Director and CEO,” said Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg.  “Always willing to make the tough decisions and never afraid to try innovative new solutions to stubborn old challenges, David is a leader any organization would be lucky to have.”
 
Mayor Bloomberg added, “Being Finance Commissioner is a tough job – one that isn't going to win you any popularity contests.  But David commanded the respect of anyone who worked with him because of his commitment to fairness.  Over the past four years, he has been dedicated to leveling the playing field for all New Yorkers by going after individuals and businesses that don’t play by the rules and protecting the ones that do.  At the same time, he has embodied this Administration’s mission to make government work better for New Yorkers by streamlining contracts, making data-based decisions and using technology to improve customer service.  His departure is a real loss for city government, but his talents and leadership will be put to outstanding use at Met Council, an organization that every year makes such a difference in our city.”
 
"Met Council's Board acted quickly to address the agency’s immediate and critical needs, securing the services of David M. Frankel, a respected and experienced leader,” said UJA-Federation of New York Executive Vice President & CEO John S. Ruskay.  “UJA-Federation of New York looks forward to continuing to work with Met Council to provide the safety-net services which are so essential for the poorest in our city."
Met Council is one of New York’s largest human services agencies, providing critical services to 100,000 New Yorkers each year who are struggling to overcome poverty.  As a Jewish organization that serves everyone regardless of race, ethnicity or religion, Met Council has been a defender and advocate for New Yorkers in need since 1972 and has raised awareness around the growing problem of Jewish poverty. 
 
“We’ve seen a dramatic rise in the number of Jewish people who live in poverty or near poverty, and they need our services now more than ever,” said Mr. Price.  “Whether we’re providing food for the hungry, health services and home care to the elderly and others in need, or career counseling that empowers people to defeat poverty, Met Council makes a real difference in the lives of individuals and families all over New York.   Under David’s experienced leadership, and with the support of so many others, the Board is confident that Met Council will continue to be there for the New Yorkers who count on us each and every day.”

Thursday, August 15, 2013

Thanks to our 1,000 Sandy volunteers!

We're excited to announce that over 1,000 Met Council volunteers have helped with Sandy recovery projects since February 2013! We'd like to extend an enormous thank you to everyone who has pitched in to clean up, canvass, assess needs, distribute food, muck out, remove mold, garden, paint, rebuild, and reach out to recovering communities across NYC.

Volunteers from Hugo Boss lay ground cover
to prepare for raised garden beds
We passed the 1,000 mark yesterday with the help of a fantastic group from Nordstrom/Hugo Boss. Many thanks to these enthusiastic volunteers for cheerfully cleaning up sand and debris, mowing/removing weeds, and preparing raised beds for a community garden in Far Rockaway, Queens.

Another team unrolls fabric to line the new garden beds
To find out more about our Sandy volunteer projects, please email Alex at metcouncilvolunteer@gmail.com. Thanks again to all of our dedicated volunteers!

Help Others Learn About SNAP Eligibility at Your Local Farmer's Market



Up to 600,000 New Yorkers are eligible, but do not participate in the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program or SNAP (formerly known as Food Stamps). This summer and fall, you can help us engage customers at farmer’s markets across the city and inform the general public about SNAP eligibility and Met Council services.

Volunteer roles will include tabling with flyers, canvassing throughout the market, and pre-screening potential clients using our new web app!

Through printed materials and oral presentations Met Council’s volunteers and enrollment specialists make eligibility rules easier to understand, clear up myths that surround the program, and encourage those eligible for benefits to submit an application.

If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Anna McKinnon at amckinnon@metcouncil.org or call 212-453-9574.
  


Friday, August 9, 2013

Help spread the word about Summer Meals!

Help Outreach for Summer Meals!

 


21 million children across the United States receive free and reduced-price meals during the school year.
The Summer Food Service Program (Summer Meals) is a federal nutrition assistance program designed to help feed hungry kids during summer break. Tragically, only one in seven eligible NYC children takes advantage of these meals over the summer.

Our mission is to raise awareness in Harlem about the existence of these free healthy and nutritious meals. This volunteer site is seeing low-participation, and volunteer teams will help spread the word of this great program by outreaching in this district.

If you are interested, please contact Jared Kunze at jkunze@metcouncil.org or call 212-453-9668. This is a great opportunity for both individuals and groups!