Holiday Service at Henry Street
By Astrid Corvin-Brittin
After an outpouring of volunteer support immediately following Hurricane Sandy, volunteers continued to respond to the needs of Henry Street clients, helping make the holidays special for them and their loved ones. From hosting holiday parties to conducting gift drives, over 200 volunteers from nine different corporations and organizations helped make December bright for hundreds of children, seniors and families.
Credit Suisse
In addition to hosting the highly anticipated, annual Home for the Holidays event at the Urban Family Center, Credit Suisse volunteers pulled out all the stops for clients of Henry Street’s Workforce Development Center, hosting an Alumni Night at Credit Suisse’s offices and supporting in-class activities at Henry Street’s Day Care Center.
For over six years, Alumni Night at Credit Suisse has helped Henry Street clients who have become gainfully employed after participating in the WDC program to continue to excel professionally. This winter’s Alumni Night at Credit Suisse was no exception, with clients benefiting from professional advice on their resumes, practicing their interview skills, and identifying and discussing transferable skills.
In a wonderful close to our season of holiday volunteering, volunteers from Credit Suisse helped children in Henry Street’s Day Care Center prepare to celebrate the holidays and worked with students on their reading skills.
Fir Tree Partners
In their second annual holiday volunteer event at Henry Street, volunteers from Fir Tree Partners’ New York and Miami offices helped make December truly special for the elderly at Henry Street’s Good Companions Senior Center and children in Henry Street’s After-School program.
The Fir Tree Partners volunteers — one of whom dressed as Frosty the Snowman and posed for pictures with the seniors — made the dinner service extraordinary with a flurry of activities and special gifts. Decorating the Center, donating a brand new pool table and gifts, preparing and serving a special dinner, and dancing the evening away with seniors, the volunteers made the holiday party the highlight of the season for the Senior Center.
Spreading more holiday cheer at Henry Street’s After-School program, the Fir Tree volunteers ran exciting holiday arts and crafts activities for students from the Settlement’s PS 134 school-based program and the after-school program at 301 Henry Street. The volunteers helped over 100 children, in kindergarten through fifth grade, decorate holiday cookies, holiday gift bags and frames, and one volunteer dressed up as Santa Claus to pose for Christmas photos. Our young participants ran happily from activity to activity, having a merry time and proudly showing off their creations.
CME Group
After conducting a successful holiday gift drive for children in kindergarten through fifth grade at Henry Street’s Boys & Girls Republic, volunteers from CME Group hosted a special holiday party at their offices for BGR kindergartners and first graders. Converting their office space into a festive winter holiday environment, the CME volunteers treated the BGR youth to a clown, arts and crafts activities, presents and a special dinner.
American Express
Giving back to clients across Henry Street, volunteers from American Express helped kick start the holiday volunteer season at the Settlement.
Helping prepare and serve meals to seniors, reviewing resumes and basic interviewing questions with job seekers, and working with children in Henry Street’s Day Care Center to decorate Santa hats, American Express continued to provide steadfast support of the Settlement’s clients.
Morgan Stanley
Morgan Stanley’s partnership and dedication to Henry Street youth continued in December with a heartwarming project to assemble over 200 holiday goody bags for children participating in Henry Street’s Day Care, After-School and Neighborhood Resource Center programs.
Putting together the holiday gift bags with presents like puzzles and stuffed animals, the Morgan Stanley volunteers also added a personal touch with handmade holiday cards to Henry Street youth.
Hill + Knowlton Strategies
On their annual December “give back day” at Henry Street, when they spread joy to both children and seniors throughout the Lower East Side, Hill + Knowlton Strategies turned their attention to the Settlement’s Senior Center, distributing holiday goodies, and helping prepare and serve lunch to seniors.
Macy’s
Handing out gifts and goodies, volunteers from Macy’s (including Santa and Mrs. Claus) not only brought holiday excitement to the children of Day Care, but participated in their signature “Read to Me” volunteer project.
Project Sunshine
Thanks to volunteers from Henry Street’s corporate partners, clients throughout the Settlement enjoyed special holiday gifts, parties and program services enhanced by one-on-one attention from volunteers. And this year, thanks to funding and volunteer help from members of Henry Street’s Board of Directors, as well as volunteers from Project Sunshine, families served by Henry Street’s Helen’s House residence and the Community Consultation Center (CCC) experienced a fun-filled holiday party of their own.
The party, held at the CCC, was abuzz with activity as clients enjoyed a delicious buffet, face painting and temporary tattoos, holiday stocking and ornament decorating, holiday card making, pictures with Santa and Mrs. Claus, and donated holiday treat bags and gifts.
