Budding Photo Journalists Snap Shots of Dreams

Pictures of Hope!

On Friday the children of Hillside House were selected to participate in Pictures of Hope.  As some of you already know, award-winning photojournalist and author, Linda Solomon, brought her nationally acclaimed program “Pictures of Hope” to Queens to empower the homeless children at Met Council’s Hillside House to use photography to reach for their dreams and expand their hopes for the future.  In time for the holidays, the photos will be used on greeting cards sold to benefit our programs.  

It was a great day for the children and wonderful example of collaboration within Met Council.  Friday’s event was promoted on NY1. Please find the link below (you need a Time Warner account to sign in).  Producers for the upcoming nationwide Meredith Vieria Show were there too. The segment will air in the fall.

http://www.ny1.com/content/211327/budding-photojournalists-snap-shots-of-dreams/

Pictures of Hope

Met Council is proud to be participating this year in the program Pictures of Hope, a life changing event for children that allows the participants to capture their hopes and dreams through the art of photography. Pictures of Hope is a special opportunity for children living in homeless shelters that will build self-esteem and show the children the importance of "HOPE".  The way it works is the selected participants are given an orientation by world renowned photographer, Linda Solomon that teaches them the basics of using a professional camera. After the orientation is complete, the children are paired off with volunteer mentors to think of what visuals could represent their hopes and dreams.

The pairs then go out into the field and try to find the perfect setting to capture each of the children’s respective life goals. Mentors are needed for children to provide them with ideas and also to remind them about the parameters of the project (pictures of other people’s faces are not allowed). Once the event is over all pictures are submitted back to Linda Solomon. This is done because the pictures from each child are turned into a holiday greeting card that will be revealed at an unveiling party in October. Mentors will be invited back to this party though it’s not mandatory for you to come.

In order to ensure that all of the children will be able to participate in the program, Walgreens has donated a camera for each of the children to keep. They will be surprised with this gift at the end of the orientation.

Pictures of Hope is a life changing experience that impacts the lives of all the participants. If you would like to be involved please contact Joey at 212-453-9675 or you can e-mail him at jcanor@metcouncil.org. 

Fancy Food Show!

Met Council is offering volunteers an opportunity to be a part of the Summer Fancy Food Show!

The Fancy Food Show is North America’s largest Specialty Food & Beverage Event with over 180,000 products including confections, cheese, coffee, snacks, spices, ethnic, natural, organic and more. Over 2,400 exhibitors from 80 countries & regions will be present throughout the three day event to display their specialties.

Met Council is providing an opportunity for volunteers to partner with City Harvest on July 1st at the Javits Center to assist with the food show. Volunteers will report to their respective team leaders at 2:30 PM and help sort perishable and non-perishable food items that will be donated to Met Council’s Food Warehouse in Canarsie, Brooklyn.  All of the food donated from the Fancy Food Show will be distributed to needy New Yorkers through Met Council’s Kosher Food Pantry Network.

Due to the unique factor of all the food Met Council distributes is Kosher, an existing knowledge of Kosher Food Items is helpful for this volunteer project but not necessary. Volunteers will be expected to arrive in sneakers and comfortable clothing as you will be on your feet for most of the day. A kosher lunch will be provided to all volunteers that sign up through Met Council so please arrive promptly at 2:30 PM for lunch and expect to be assisting until 7:00 PM.  

Come be a part of this event where you’ll get to witness firsthand cuisines from around the world while helping the hungry in the process! For more information please contact the Volunteer Department at volunteer@metcouncil.org or call us at 212-453-9508.

Deloitte Impact Day!

This past Friday, volunteers from Deloitte Consulting Services came to Met Council to volunteer their time and lend us their expertise. The 18 volunteers split up into two groups of 9 which saw one group reach out to clients who Met Council has helped enroll in SNAP or Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and the others participating in a Financial Services Workshop.

Upon arriving, the Deloitte volunteers learned first hand about all of Met Council's services, and most importantly the task they would be doing that day. The group performing the Financial Services Workshop collaborated together and came up with revisions to how Met Council can better their enrollment process. After breaking down into groups, the volunteers came together to share ideas on what the best template was to present to Met Council staff. Upon agreement, the Deloitte team of consults presented their version of the client intake form that would be the most conducive to Met Council.

The other group strayed away from the staff and instead outreached to Met Council clients; learning first hand about the people helped by Met Council services. The volunteers participated in an ongoing project where individuals and groups call clients to gauge the services Met Council has provided for them. Through this program volunteers speak with clients directly, going through a survey of questions to expose problem areas that are still present.

The group from Deloitte were amazed and humbled when learning the stories of clients, with one saying how much it put their lives into perspective. It was an extremely successful day with both Met Council and volunteers learning together on how we can further enhance the lives of the population.

USCJ Celebrates its Day of Chesed with Met Council

Volunteers from United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism spent the day volunteering with Met Council with 2 different projects that provided insight to the struggles faced everyday by members of the community that receive SNAP benefits. 

The first group of volunteers arrived at Met Council and participated in a program called Project Reach Out. Volunteers made follow up phone calls to clients that have received SNAP benefits from Met Council in the past in order to gauge client response of the services that have been provided. The USCJ reached out to over 80 clients resulting in a successful event that identified what needs are being met as well as the needs that members of the community are still struggling with. The volunteers gave positive feedback from the event, stating the phone calls provided a sense of realism to the ongoing struggles of people who receive SNAP benefits.

The second volunteer activity of the day was an event called SNAP Cooking. A different group of volunteers arrived at Met Council's Food Rescue Site; a place where food is distributed to members of the low-income community within the Lower East Site. From there, volunteers were given a budget to go grocery shopping with - except with a twist. The purpose of the budget is to simulate a scenario that teaches the volunteers the challenges of only having a certain amount of money to spend on food for an entire month. After the food was purchased, USCJ prepared the food, measuring out servings that indicated how many meals their budget provided to a family of four. All the food prepared was donated to Met Council Clients living on the Lower East Side.

Both were extremely successful events!

If any of these volunteer opportunities sound appealing or you'd like to be apart of Met Council's mission to ending poverty, please be in contact with the Volunteer Department. They can be reached at volunteer@metcouncil.org or 212-453-9508.  

Appointment Buddies!

Appointment Buddies is a direct way to help a home bound senior in need. Volunteers partner with senior clients to help them get to and from medical appointments. This program aims to offer assistance and support to our senior clients as well as to provide them with an important social network.

It is often a challenge for seniors to travel to and from appointments, and they are often forced to rely on inconsistent services that may get them to their appointments either late or hours before they begin. By participating in Appointment Buddies, the client will have a Met Council volunteer to travel with and get them to their appointment safely and at an appropriate time while also decreasing the feeling of loneliness.

If you would like more information about this amazing program that really reaches out to the community please e-mail us at volunteer@metcouncil.org or call Joey directly at 212-453-9675.

MVP Happy Hour

MVP Happy Hour at Ainsworth Park

MVP is a young professionals (20’s and 30’s) group who are looking for philanthropic and social opportunities. MVP brings a new voice to Met Council and engages young people in Met Council’s fundraising campaigns, volunteer opportunities, and advocacy efforts. MVP gives young professionals a role at Met Council and the opportunity to grow within the organization and the philanthropic community. MVP members bring value to Met Council through their planning and participation in volunteer activities and benefits. We aspire to see MVP members stay involved with Met Council for many years, eventually becoming long term donors, volunteers and board members. Get involved now!

If you cannot attend, you can still help by donating online.

Questions? Contact Stefanie Greenberg: Sgreenberg@metcouncil.org or 212-453-9619.

Open Bar: 7pm-9pm 

Date: Tuesday, May 20, 2014 

Time: 7:00 PM - 10:00 PM 

Address:

111 E.18th Street

New York City, NY 10003 

United States

If you'd like to attend this event you can purchase tickets online.

Buy Tickets

Top Nine Benefits of Volunteering

Recently Yahoo posted a blog entry going over the Top 9 Benefits people encounter who step into the realm of volunteering. Check out the list below!

While the purpose of volunteering is to help others, volunteering can be as rewarding for you as it is to those you help. This list covers some of the most rewarding aspects of volunteering. 

Help People in Need
The number one benefit of volunteering is helping someone in need. A little volunteer work can make an immeasurable difference to those in need and knowing that you've truly made a difference in the life of a child or a family in need is something that you can't get anywhere else.

Make New Friends
Working with others on a group volunteer project is a great way to meet new people with a shared interest in helping others. If you've recently relocated and you're looking to meet people in the area, or you're interested in meeting people abroad, volunteering can connect you with a diverse body of caring and passionate people.

Explore Career Opportunities
Volunteering gives you the opportunity to explore a variety of careers with very little background or expertise required. This can help you to learn and gain experience in fields you might have otherwise never considered. Volunteer work also presents opportunities to connect with institutions and leaders that support your causes.

Gain New Experiences
In addition to the potential career experience, volunteering offers countless life experiences as well. Whether traveling abroad, or working in your home town, the experiences you gain while volunteering can be among the most enriching aspects of your life.

Travel the World
Volunteers are in demand throughout the world. There are many programs that need people to travel to exotic - though rarely luxurious - locations, for weeks, months or even years at a time. There's no shortage of adventure in the world of volunteering.

Become More Active
Volunteer work is an excellent reason to get outside and be more active. Working with parks, children, or environmental causes can keep you on your feet and give you more time with nature.

Learn New Skills
Many volunteer programs provide extensive training in a wide variety of disciplines. The skills you learn through your volunteer work can be applied to benefit your personal or professional life.

Gain a Sense of Fulfillment
Volunteering for a cause that you find meaningful and engaging can provide you with a fresh perspective and a sense of fulfillment. There are few things in life that are more rewarding than helping others and having a positive impact on the world around you.

Have Fun
Doing volunteer work that you enjoy can be as fun for you as it is beneficial to your cause. There are many ways to volunteer that allow you to do the things that you both enjoy and are passionate about. 

Volunteer Coordinator Internship

Want to get some professional experience this summer or know someone who does? Met Council is reaching out to college students who are interested in pursing a career in the nonprofit sector where the intern would learn first hand how to balance office responsibilities while assisting the coordination of volunteers events. Details below if interested:

Location:  Met Council Main Office, 120 Broadway 

Salary: Unpaid

Term: June 2nd to August 8th

Hours: Monday- Thursday 10am-5pm Friday 10am-3pm

Primary Purpose: 

Internship will assist the volunteer department in inspiring people to give of their time and talents to create a positive impact in the community. Met Council's volunteer department works with 2,000 volunteers a year in meaningful service opportunities. Being an intern in this department within Met Council will provide the intern the opportunity to enhance communication skills, written and oral as well as understand what it takes to put on an event. This internship provides a chance to have direct contact with our volunteers and to see a project through from start to finish. 

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

1. Coordinate weekly senior lunch- including outreach to volunteers and phone calls to clients 

2. Research and write two blog entries per week 

3. Data clean up, input and organize information for our volunteer database of Raiser's Edge 

4. Return phone calls to clients inquiring about career workshops 

5. Brainstorm ideas and assist with Volunteer Services Outreach Expo 

6. Additional duties based on skills of the intern

Qualifications:

* Very strong communication skills 

*Comfortable with phone work 

* Interested and able to work with a variety of people from all different backgrounds 

* Willingness to pitch in when needed 

* Proficient in Microsoft outlook and Excel 

* Great with people 

* Ability to manage own schedule

* Must be a student

To apply: 

Email resume to Stefanie Greenberg at sgreenberg@metcouncil.org

No phone calls please.

Include “Volunteer Coordinator Intern” in the subject line.

Met Council's own featured in Huff Post

Check out this article written by Met Council's own Director of Volunteer Services! 

April 2014 Volunteer of the Month - Claudine Brown

Congratulations to April’s volunteer of the month, Claudine Brown!

Claudine is not unfamiliar with partaking in work that is dedicated towards helping those in need. She is a team member of the Legal Department at the New York City Housing Development Corporation where she aids in their mission of providing New York City residents with affordable housing all over the five boroughs.  

Not leaving it at just that, Claudine also has volunteered with other organizations during her 13 years here in New York City. It was only recently did Claudine find out about Met Council and the volunteer opportunities offered within the organization. After reaching out to the volunteer department with the intentions of volunteering for a food program, Claudine learned about Met Council’s annual Family Violence Passover Distribution; an annual event where clients that are victims of domestic violence receive boxes of food in preparation for the Passover Holiday. 

When asked about what she thought about her time at the distribution, Claudine said “I loved it. I missed my Sunday bootcamp class but instead I got the workout of my life.”

Claudine was one of amongst many volunteers that day but she played a pivotal role in ensure that all of the clients received their food boxes while also mitigating the level of chaos within the distribution. 

“At first…I really wanted to start helping package [food] in the boxes, but my duties shifted throughout the event.” 

After packaging food for a bit, Claudine was assigned as the go-to person that communicated between the packagers and distributers of what boxes were present, which were finished and what still needed to get done. 

“It was really an eye-opening experience. I was part of the center of the wheel that kept that whole event moving.” 

Its experiences like this that makes volunteers so engaged in volunteer activities. Claudine feels like it’s also the amount of diversity coming together within a group that’s really eye opening. 

“That’s one thing I love about New York. People of all different backgrounds coming together for this common cause . We’ve never met before and here we are [working together] and making a difference. It’s awesome.”

It is awesome. 

March 2014 Volunteer of the Month - Ellen Nedell

 

Congratulations to Ellen Nedell our March 2014 volunteer of the month!

A native New Yorker, Ellen grew up around the hustle and bustle of New York City. After retiring from her position as a broker on Wall Street, Ellen decided she was going to spend some of her free time volunteering for various agencies in New York that fight for causes she believes in. Ellen’s lively activity as a volunteer throughout different organizations in Manhattan such as JASA, UJA and Goddard is what led her to finding out about the opportunities here at Met Council. 

While her time with Met Council has been short thus far, Ellen took it upon herself to frequently volunteer onsite after receiving notice of an opportunity she felt compelled to be a part of. On a consecutive basis, Ellen would perform outreach tasks for Met Council’s Family Violence Passover Distribution coming up on April 6th. Ellen has called over 75 participants in the program to go over opportunities available to them as well as details for the distribution. She has written down food orders and provided reassurance to clients that Met Council’s services would be there to aid them during the expensive time of Passover. 

Ellen has enjoyed her time as a volunteer, commenting that she volunteers “Just to help other people. People who can help other people….one is so fortunate who can do just that.” Her compelling statement echoes the same notion of many Met Council volunteers. It just so happens that Ellen went above and beyond; primarily taking charge of ensuring the outreach project was done in the most efficient way possible.

It’s that selfless attitude that has provided her with such a pleasant experience volunteering. Ellen stated she has felt nothing but gratitude from the clients she’s been in contact with. “I can hear them smile over the phone,” she states. Wonderful words to hear that reinforce the work Ellen is doing is not only appreciated by clients but also by everyone here at Met Council. 

The most rewarding part for Ellen has been realizing how her contributions have reached out to those who need it. Ellen says “You can’t measure it in quantitative terms it’s more about qualitative,” she continues with “Some small joy has now crept into someone’s life.”

5 Unexpected Career Benefits of Volunteering

While on some down time at the desk, I came across this interesting article that posed a somewhat contradictory notion (at least at first). It proposed what volunteers gain from volunteering, instead of what the community receives from volunteerism. When I read the title I winced a bit; whenever I encounter volunteers they're usually volunteering because they want to make an impact in their community - not because they want to spruce up their resume. This article highlights though some pretty interesting points about how volunteering also affects the volunteer - in this case from a career standpoint. Take a read, if anything it offers all the more reason to get involved.  

What comes to mind when you think about volunteering?

Does the thought of spending your free time away from work doing even more work without pay turn you off? Do you feel like there are too many problems in the world and your limited participation won’t move the needle substantially? Or perhaps you don’t feel strongly enough about any cause to be interested in volunteering?

If any of these hold true for you or someone you know, you are likely underestimating the potential benefits of volunteering. There are a myriad of reasons why volunteering could be worth your time, but here are 5 practical reasons why you should be open to volunteering:

1. It Helps Build Your Resume: Volunteering can strengthen your resume in meaningful ways, including:

Building Tangible Skills: Your experiences as a volunteer can help fill gaps in your skill set. For example, if you want a chance to lead a team to show that you are ready for increased responsibility at work, volunteering could be a medium (and a safe environment) through which to do so.

Developing Subject Matter Expertise: In addition to getting experience you don’t have, you can create opportunities to apply your current skills in a different environment. If you’re an accountant at a firm, volunteering to manage the books at a non-profit could show versatility and subject matter expertise as well as further establish your credibility and ability to tackle new accounting challenges.

Gaining Practical Experience: If you are a job seeker with limited opportunities due to your lack of experience, volunteering not only showcases your work ethic but also allows you to build a portfolio of demonstrable results that you can highlight during an interview.

2. It Enhances your Personal Development

Volunteering offers opportunities to stretch yourself and step outside of your familiar and comfortable routine. A lot of non-profit organizations are less structured as their corporate counterparts, leaving you ample opportunities to build on your leadership qualities, hone your ability to work in a team and enhance your self-awareness. These experiences can contribute greatly to your personal development and uncover capabilities you may not have known you had.

3. It Exposes You to Great People Outside Your Network

One simple but very valuable benefit of volunteering is that you get to meet other volunteers. Often times, these are people who have taken vastly different paths to converge at the same organization you are volunteering in, which could be a refreshing break from your existing network of people who may have backgrounds similar to yours. You not only get to work alongside them, you get to learn from them, and them from you. These relationships could result in career and mentorship opportunities, or even friendships!

4. It Allows You To Practice Creativity

Do you have an idea that no one is listening to? Do you want experience doing something your current job doesn’t allow you to do? Stop stifling your creativity. Volunteering can provide an avenue for you to expend this energy and try to solve problems in ingenious ways.

 5. It Enables You To Make an Impact

Undoubtedly one of the greatest benefits of volunteering is the impact that you can make. You would be simply amazed at how much of a difference a couple hours a week of tutoring, mentoring or other volunteering opportunities can make in someone’s life. A lot of jobs don’t give you the opportunity to make significant, lasting, game-changing impact that volunteering at a cause-based organization can.

Are you ready to get started? There are hundreds of great organizations who could use your help. If what you most passionately want to spend your time on doesn’t exist, start it! Your efforts could make a significant difference in the life of others, and in yours. Don’t focus on the fact that you are not getting paid. The experience, if you are deliberate about how you approach it, is worth its weight in gold.

Credit: Utibe Bassey at TRN Magazine

http://www.trnmagazine.com/5-unexpected-career-benefits-of-volunteering/

Just a quick reminder, Met Council is holding our annual Family Violence Passover Distribution on April 6th from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM. If you're interested in getting involved with this wonderful event please contact us at 212-453-9508 or e-mail us at volunteer@metcouncil.org.

-Joey

Volunteer and Aid Victims of Domestic Violence!

Met Council is proud to be holding their annual Passover Distribution at the Boro Park Y this year on Sunday April 6th. After the huge success of last year's distribution, we're excited to make this year's event even better.

  On Sunday, April 6th, volunteers will be distributing food packages to families that are victims of domestic violence onsite. Met Council established the Family Violence Program in 1995 to address the increasing awareness of the problem of domestic violence in the metropolitan area. Through our services, clients receive immediate assistance during the acute crisis and ongoing assistance as they move toward family stability. The Family Violence Program is able to provide culturally specialized services in addition to services catering to the family violence population.

The event will ensure that all families, no matter what background, have the ability to celebrate Passover.

If you'd like to volunteer for this event please e-mail us at volunteer@metcouncil.org or call 212-453-9508.

Date: April 6th, 2014
Time: 9:00 - 12:30 and then 1:00 - 3:00 (There are two separate shifts for volunteers. The first shift entails packaging the food items into boxes and the second involves the distribution of food items as clients arrive in the afternoon.)
Location: Boro Park Y - 4912 14th Ave Brooklyn, NY 11219

We'd love to hear from you!

We Made The News! Purim Food Packaging Article

The Purim holiday which took place this past weekend was a lot more festive for hundreds of people in Brooklyn, thanks to the Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty, which distributed food packages to families in Flatbush, Midwood, Marine Park and Borough Park as part of its Kosher Food Network.

Volunteers from the Council of Jewish Organizations of Flatbush and the Jewish Community Council of Far Rockaway delivered 500 two-person meals to homes on Friday, March 14, in time for the Jewish festival.

The food giveaway allowed residents to partake in holiday festivities despite the often prohibitive costs of kosher food, organizers said. The meal included traditional staples such as challah, stuffed cabbage, vegetable soup, chicken, and potato kugel.

“Purim is a time for celebration and thanks to a generous Met Council supporter, 1,000 food insecure New Yorkers will be able to join the Jewish community in marking the occasion with joy and dignity,” Metropolitan Council CEO and Executive Director David M. Frankel said prior to the food distribution.

“There are a half a million poor and near poor Jewish New Yorkers who struggle to feed their family every day. These 1,000 meals will allow our clients to observe the holiday with a traditional and nutritious meal that otherwise would have been price prohibitive. Many of our clients are in a unique need because of the additional expense of kosher food: on average a kosher meal is 30 percent more expensive,” Frankel said.

Purim is one of the most joyous holidays on the Jewish calendar. It commemorates a time when the Jewish people living in Persia were saved from extermination. On Purim it is customary to give charity to those in need and to deliver gifts of food to neighbors.

The Purim meal packages were part of Metropolitan Council’s year-round Kosher Food Network, a project that provides a holistic care program of food packages, emergency food vouchers and prepared meals to supplement food to low-income households throughout New York. 

The Metropolitan Council also fights poverty throughout the year by providing $460,975 in Food Gift Cards to needy families and by delivering 9,360 meals to home-bound seniors.

In anticipation of Jewish holidays, the council increases the amount of food distributed and food cards delivered, officials said.

By Paula Katinas

Brooklyn Daily Eagle

News Article Here

Purim Food Packaging 2014

This Thursday, at Met Council’s Food Pantry Warehouse in Canarsie, Brooklyn, volunteers came together and packaged over 500 meals that will be delivered on Friday, March 14th to Jewish families all over Brooklyn. An anonymous contributor donated the food to Met Council in order to ensure everyone celebrated the holiday Purim.

News reporters arrived to document the amazing effort being put forth by all those onsite in order to make this event a memorable one. Met Council Executive Director, David Frankel, was present to interact with volunteers and also speak on behalf of why it’s so important Met Council continues its fight against poverty.

Check out the link below in order to read more about the story and to watch our volunteers talk about how rewarding the experience was!

Volunteers prepare food donations for Purim at Met Council Food Pantry in Canarsie

February 2014 Volunteer of the Month- Scott Rader!

Congratulations to Scott Rader, our February 2014 Volunteer of the Month!

Over the past year and a half, Scott Rader has become an active MVP member and volunteer with Met Council and continues to impress our staff with his dedication. We’ve nominated Scott because of his commitment to our mission, his active participation and enthusiasm for our MVP group, and the positive energy he shares with his fellow MVPs and in giving back to our low-income seniors.

Scott is a young, distinguished lawyer at Mintz Levin where he practices white collar defense and commercial  litigation. With his little free time he plays tennis, trains for his upcoming sprint triathlon, and volunteers. He first came to Met Council a little over a year and a half ago with the introduction of a coworker and joined our group of motivated young professionals, called MVP. Scott has really enjoyed the opportunity to build relationships with like minded individuals and has described MVP as “a great group of generous and selfless people with great potential for growth.” He also receives great support from colleagues and has generously arranged the use of his workplace on several occasions to host MVP meetings.

For Scott, the most rewarding aspect of volunteering and MVP has been the opportunity to meet new people and enhance someone’s day. He has spearheaded the initiative to create an ongoing volunteer “Friendly Visiting” event at our low-income senior housing site to develop lasting relationships with residents. It is a valuable program that can “span the gap between generations and alleviate isolation.” He firmly believes in the importance of raising awareness on the growing issue of poverty and the value in meeting and working with Met Council clients.

For all this, we would like to showcase our appreciation for Scott and his passion to share and grow our base of supporters and volunteers. Thank you!

Get Involved- Take Action- Become a Volunteer Leader!

Do you find yourself taking the lead with your coworkers and classmates on projects? 
Are you looking for a consistent Sunday volunteer opportunity? 
Do you have contagious positive energy?
Are you very responsible but easy going and personable?

If you said yes to these questions, you could be our next Volunteer Leader!

Demonstrate your commitment and dedication to fighting poverty in NYC with Met Council by taking the step to become one of our select Volunteer Leaders. 

Leaders help us to expand capacity by running our weekly Sunday Senior Lunch Program at the Spitzer Residence.  They are role models and change-makers, spreading the word and enthusiasm for volunteerism and commitment to the community. 

A leader's responsibilities include leading up to two Sunday programs each month at our senior residence. They give the volunteer orientation, receive the catering order, direct volunteers' activities, socialize, and act as a representative for Met Council.

Volunteer Leaders are valuable to us and each year, they receive special awards at our annual Volunteer Recognition event and often show up on our Volunteer of the Month page too!

If you are interested in this opportunity, please contact volunteer@metcouncil.org with the subject line: VOLUNTEER LEADER

SOAP Up New York 2014 Success!

 Last week, 38 volunteers joined Met Council and SOAP (Save Our Adolescents from Prostitution) to raise awareness of human trafficking, the second fastest growing criminal industry in the U.S. Over 27 million people worldwide, including 2 million children are victims of human trafficking or modern-day slavery.

On Wednesday, volunteers sat for hours helping us label over 10,000 bars of soap with the National Human Trafficking Hotline and made over 50 folders of educational materials for distribution to hotels in Manhattan. The work was tedious, but they were committed to the cause.

Then on Thursday evening, over 30 volunteers joined us for an orientation led by Family Violence staff, Micol Rieger who works directly with victims of sex trafficking at Met Council. Volunteers were trained and prepared with materials and maps to head to hotels around Manhattan and spread the word on the issue and give out the free soaps.

Such an effort will increase our chances of reaching a victim who may come through the area with the thousands of other tourists pouring in for the Super Bowl. That cold evening, volunteers were successful in delivering 56 packets of Missing Children posters and info on "red flags" and well over 11,000 bars of soap. 11,000 more opportunities to reach someone in need and give them the resources they need.

We would like to share our thanks and appreciation to our staff and volunteers with which this campaign was possible. We look forward to hosting this event again in the spring as well so stay tuned for more information!

SOAP Up New York 2014

TAKE ACTION!

Protect human rights and provide support to victims of sex trafficking with Met Council and S.O.A.P. (Protect Our Children from Prostitution) this coming week!

Over 400 volunteers in New York and New Jersey will come together to distribute tens of thousands of soap bars labeled with the National Human Trafficking Hotline and posters of missing children to hotels ahead of the Super Bowl. Large sporting events like the Super Bowl attracts thousands of tourists each year and is linked to higher incidents of sex trafficking.

By providing these outreach materials to hotels and making the hotline more readily available, we will increase the likelihood of reaching a missing child or sex trafficking victim. You can be a part of our campaign! We can only reach these victims with your help- luckily, there are different options for you to participate during the day or after work:

URGENT NEED- SOAP Up New York– ReWrap
Midtown Manhattan
Wednesday, January 29th- 10am to 1pm
Before we head out to canvass hotels, we need your help to rewrap bars of soap with the vital information and National Human Trafficking Hotline. This is a great opportunity for shy or young volunteers who still want to make an impact on this growing issue.
- Individuals and groups welcome.
- Volunteers must be 14+. 
- You MUST register to attend this event. Please click here to register.
 


URGENT NEED- SOAP Up New York– Canvassing
Midtown Manhattan
Thursday, January 30^th, 2014- 6:30pm
Volunteers will be thoroughly trained on this issue, how to approach hotel managers, and then supplied with the tools, maps, and materials necessary to canvass hotels in midtown Manhattan.
- Individuals and groups welcome though we suggest signing up as a pair or small group, otherwise we will assign you a partner.
- Volunteers must be 18+.
- You MUST register to attend this training. Please click here to register.

For more information on either of these opportunities, please contact Simone Carvalho at scarva@metcouncil.org or 212-453-9675.