Volunteer Vacations on NPR

Volunteering is a great way to give back around the holidays, but those of us who take our two weeks' paid vacation around this time often don't get the chance. Because of this, more and more people are taking their vacations and turning them into opportunities for service.

Just yesterday, NPR's Weekend Edition sat down with Shannon O'Donnell, the founder of the website GrassrootsVolunteering.org. This website acts as a resource for those who wish to travel ethically throughout the world, whether by volunteering for local organizations or by supporting small businesses. In this interview, O'Donnell points out some common mistakes that people make when looking to make a difference in communities they are visiting. You can read the transcript or listen to the interview by following the link above.

Met Council offers many volunteer opportunities for groups and individuals of all ages. If you are looking to plan a volunteering vacation in New York City, get involved with us! Met Council is one of New York's largest social services agencies, serving over 100,000 people each year.

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!

Happy (Belated) Veteran's Day!

Each year on November 11th, the anniversary of the armistice that ended World War I, we have the opportunity to reflect on the service of Americans who risk it all for their country. Veterans of the United States Armed Services not only protect US interests at home and abroad. They also perform missions of good will and disaster relief efforts in needy communities all over the world.

In honor of Veteran's Day (albeit a little bit late), Met Council would like to thank the men and women who have served in the Armed Services of the United States of America. Their commitment is an inspiration to all who aim to better their communities.

Volunteer Today, Health Benefits Tomorrow

A new study shows that volunteering within your community can be beneficial for your health!

The study, entitled "Doing Good is Good for You", was sponsored by United Health Group and conducted among those who have volunteered at some point within the past twelve months, shows that becoming involved in your community can have tangible health benefits.

Our of more than 3,000 survey respondents, 76% said volunteering made them feel healthier, and 78% said that volunteering lessens feelings of stress. My personal favorite statistic is that 96% of people who gave back to their communities at some point in the past year felt an enriched sense of purpose in life, and just as many truly felt they were making a difference.

The study goes even further, pointing out that employers who instill a sense of volunteerism in their employees tend to see their efforts returned in the workplace, as volunteering can improve upon time management skills, communication, and interpersonal relationships. Many volunteers use professional skills in their volunteer positions, and about three quarters of respondents said that volunteering improved their competitiveness in the workplace in some way.

Met Council offers many opportunities to reap some of these benefits, so what are you waiting for? Or, share your volunteer success story in the comments!

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!

Volunteer Opportunities for Teens

Yesterday, Met Council participated in the TeenLife Live 2012 Expo. Together with about 40 other local non-profit organizations, we exposed and engaged teens to volunteer opportunities available to them.

According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics teens are the least likely to volunteer out of any demographic. It was therefore exciting to see so many middle and high school aged students so ready to invest in their community, and rewarding to be able to provide ways for them to do so.

People often assume that teens lack the passion and resources to really be able to take ownership of their community. In New York, there is also the assumption that opportunities are hard to get to. At Met Council, we know that this is not true – there are many opportunities that young people can engage in and they are in all five boroughs. Here are just a few:

Senior Lunch Program: Serve hot kosher meals every Sunday to 20-25 low-income seniors at one of our housing sites in Kips Bay, Manhattan. Some volunteer duties include setting up, waiting on the clients, serving lunch, and – most importantly – socializing and promoting community building.

Masbia: Help out at our kosher soup kitchen to provide nutritious meals through serving or food preparation. The soup kitchen operates from Sunday to Thursday.

Benefits Outreach (great for school groups!): Spend a day or an hour in your neighborhood with your friends to spread awareness about public benefits that low-income individuals can receive from the government by putting up flyers in local restaurants and other public places.

Are you a teen? Would you like to get involved with and give back to your community? Where there is a will there is a way and Met Council is there to help you find it. Contact volunteer@metcouncil.org to get started!