Fall Volunteer Service at Henry Street
By Astrid Corvin-Brittin
In the wake of Hurricane Sandy, which left many in our community without lights, heat and hot water for a week or more, there was an incredible outpouring of volunteer support. Hundreds of volunteers — including local residents, Henry Street board members, non-profits including the Good Old Lower East Side and New York Cares, and corporate partners such as Fir Tree Partners — helped distribute water, 20,000 emergency meals and 10,000 blankets to those stranded in cold, dark apartments. Volunteers carted supplies in backpacks and on bicycles to reach remote buildings hit hard by the storm. They tirelessly climbed many flights of stairs to bring the supplies to those in need, including seniors and families with small children.
Helping in a crisis, or to enhance programs and benefit clients throughout the year, volunteers continue to help us provide support to families in need. And in the months of October and November, countless individuals, and over 250 volunteers from 10 corporations gave back to Henry Street, helping out in our after-school, workforce and seniors programs.
Credit Suisse
Students from Henry Street’s after-school programs at PS 134 and PS 20 were in for a treat this fall as two groups of enthusiastic Credit Suisse volunteers brought fun Halloween and Thanksgiving-themed crafts to complete with the students.
After helping students with their homework, the Credit Suisse volunteers helped the youth at PS 134 create Halloween necklaces and cards. Proudly showing off their creations and clutching special goodie bags donated by Credit Suisse, the youth boasted to their parents about their fun-filled afternoon.
In November volunteers from Credit Suisse returned to provide exciting craft activities for students in Henry Street’s PS 20 after-school program. The volunteers helped the children tackle a challenging scarecrow project, providing them with invaluable direction and encouragement.
JP Morgan Chase
Volunteers from JP Morgan Chase brought their own talents to a wide range of Henry Street clients, including youth in day care, young adults from Project RISE, job-seekers and seniors.
At the Day Care Center, volunteers supported in-class activities such as reading and helped decorate the center to celebrate the fall. Job-seekers from Henry Street’s Workforce Development Center and Project RISE received one-on-one help with their resumes and interviewing skills. The Resume and Interview Workshop conducted with volunteer support was the first of is kind for Project Rise, Henry Street’s program for young adults who are working towards completing their GED and attaining employment.
At the Good Companions Senior Center, the JP Morgan Chase volunteers brought festive decorations and dynamic kitchen skills to help enliven the dining area and provide the day’s lunch service for the more than 100 elderly that access the Center weekly for nutritious meals, activities and social services. Meanwhile, another group of JP Morgan Chase volunteers helped serve the Henry Street community at large with gardening and a project to decorate pumpkins to adorn Henry Street program sites.
Allen & Overy
In its continued commitment to the wellbeing of youth at Henry Street’s Boys and Girls Republic (BGR), Allen & Overy pulled out all the stops to make sure all of the center’s youth were able to celebrate Halloween in style.
In an incredible display of dedication to BGR clients, many of whom live in Henry Street shelters or nearby public housing, Allen & Overy donated costumes and accessories to outfit the center’s 130 kindergarten through eighth grade after-school clients.
Superheroes and princesses crowded in BGR’s Council Chamber, showing off their Halloween finery to their friends as they enjoyed a magnificent spread of dinner goodies also donated by the law firm. In the words of one young Wolverine, it was “the best day ever.”
Microsoft
Clients of Henry Street’s Young Adult Internship Program (YAIP) received some job readiness training from Microsoft volunteers. YAIP serves 17- to 24- year olds who are not currently in school or working to help them enter productive careers.
Reviewing commonly asked interview questions, the Microsoft volunteers worked closely with the YAIP youth sharing tips based on their real world experience, and providing the YAIP youth with the critical feedback to help them answer interview questions with confidence and clarity.
UPS
United Parcel Service’s Global Volunteer Month brought 11 dedicated men and women from the local UPS office to Henry Street’s youth and seniors this October.
In its second annual Global Volunteer Month at Henry Street, the UPS volunteers continued the tradition, of not only helping provide quality lunch service, but also a special treat of pastries for the Center’s elderly.
Another group of UPS volunteers painted program space for Henry Street’s After-School and Camp Services, helping make the classroom bright and inviting for Henry Street youth.
American Express
With two events this October, American Express volunteers helped support the quality of Henry Street’s programming, maintain its facilities and advocate for its clients.
Reaching a vast array of Henry Street clients, the American Express volunteers supported activities at day care, conducted resume and interview workshops at Workforce Development Center and helped prepare and serve meals at Good Companions Senior Center.
At Martin Luther King Jr. Park, adjacent to the Settlement’s headquarters, American Express volunteers helped the grounds transition from summer to fall with careful weeding, pruning and planting of mums.
American Express volunteers helped set up for two events: Lights On After-School, an event to raise awareness about the importance of after-school services; and Henry Street’s annual Domestic Violence Awareness Conference, which featured a panel of police officers, elected officials, district attorneys, advocates and survivors.
Charles Oakley and Jayson Williams
In November, former professional basketball players Charles Oakley and Jayson Williams brought their culinary skills to Henry Street’s Good Companions Senior Center, where they prepared and served a delicious pre-Thanksgiving meal. The two not only planned the menu of turkey, collard greens, mac and cheese, and sweet potatoes, but they also donated the day’s supplies. The seniors were thrilled by the scrumptious meal and charmed by the hardworking chefs.
Moody’s
Program space for Henry Street’s Young Adult Internship Program and Summer Youth Employment Program got a makeover this month as two dynamic teams from Moody’s Financial Services painted offices serving the programs’ clients.
Thrive Capital
In its first volunteer event at Henry Street, volunteers from Thrive Capital served meals and smiles to the elderly at Henry Street’s Good Companions Senior Center. In addition to the meal service, they helped the celebrate October and November birthdays.
