December 2013 Volunteer of the Month - Ginghamsburg Church Youth Ministry

Congratulations to Ginghamsburg Church Youth Ministry, our Volunteer of the Month for December 2013!

This group of enthusiastic teens from Tipp City, Ohio brought their energy to several of our projects earlier this month during an annual service trip to NYC. They travel regularly to several locations every year to participate in community service projects in the U.S. and abroad.

The teens split into smaller groups between several activities on Thursday, December 5th: canvassing in the Bronx to inform people about public benefits; canvassing in the Rockaways with information about disaster case management; and joining seniors at our residence in Sea Gate, Brooklyn to celebrate Hanukkah with coffee, jelly doughnuts, dreidels, and conversation. All told, they disseminated nearly a thousand fliers and entertained over a dozen clients at our residence for low-income seniors. Each of these communities was impacted by the group's invaluable help.

Thank you all once again for your help and great work!

Helpful Hands - Support Disaster Clients

A year after Sandy, our clients are still rebuilding their lives. For many, grants from FEMA or Build It Back don’t cover all of their continuing needs. Sign up to be contacted about opportunities to assist individuals with tasks like assembling furniture, organizing, packing/moving, helping to find new housing, or accompanying elderly or disabled individuals to important appointments.

Tasks may vary widely, so we need volunteers with all different skills & backgrounds. Ages 18 & up. Contact Alex at ashwarz@metcouncil.org or 212-453-9526 for more info.

A Year After Sandy

On October 29, 2012, residents of Met Council's low-income senior housing in Sea Gate, Brooklyn - just a few blocks from the beach - evacuated their homes as Hurricane Sandy arrived. It was over two months by the time all the residents had returned, and repairs are still ongoing.

Yesterday, volunteers from investorsBank joined our Sea Gate clients to mark the one-year anniversary in a unique way. To celebrate how far they've come in the past year, residents and volunteers threw a lively luau dance party.

Clients, volunteers & staff joined in a lively conga line

The party gave everyone a much-needed dose of positive energy, and clients, staff, and volunteers alike had lots of fun. Our thanks to investorsBank for making this important event possible!