In a city as large as New York, it’s difficult to know where to start with volunteering. This post will highlight some of NYC’s best charities and volunteer resources so that you can spend less time searching for the right organization and more time on what matters—giving back.
Websites
- Give & Get NYC is a helpful website to start with. While the site is no longer regularly updated, it provides a number of useful links to explore. Some of the links are for general volunteer organizations, but most of them are specific to NYC organizations. The site is also organized by the type of volunteer work—for example, environmental or youth opportunities.
- Great Nonprofits was endorsed by Bill Gates and received press from numerous publications, including CNN and the Wall Street Journal. It claims to be the “leading platform for community-sourced stories about Nonprofits.” It’s also a valuable resource for finding an organization to volunteer at. Users can submit reviews about nonprofits. The reviews are a handy resource for learning more about a particular organization. You can also filter organizations by city and issue.
Organizations
- The Children’s Aid Society has existed for over 160 years. If you are interested in helping children in poverty, this is one of the best organizations you can volunteer at. Their programs include after school events, health services, and family support among many others. The Children’s Aid Society lists its volunteer opportunities on VolunteerMatch—another useful tool you can use in your search for opportunities.
- The All Stars Project (ASP) is a great group for people who enjoy the creative arts. One of the organization’s programs is called the All Stars Talent Show Network. It focuses on hip-hop performance for young people. Everyone who auditions is welcome to participate. The audience is comprised of friends, family, and community members. You can help out by attending an event or volunteering to assist the program in some way. After you submit your name and email address, the organization will send you more information about their available opportunities.
- The Hope Program has been around since 1984. The organization provides job-readiness training to adults who live on public assistance. Many of the program’s participants are single mothers and adults who lack high school diplomas. Volunteers can help out by assisting with GED studying or teaching a class on a particular work skill. You can also get your company involved by hosting an Interview Project. An organization can participate in an Interview Project by providing space and volunteer interviewers for mock interviews. The Hope Program takes care of volunteer orientation and provides any necessary materials.
Hopefully, the above sites and organizations will help you decide where you want to volunteer. Where you volunteer isn’t as important as the volunteer work itself. No matter where you dedicate your time, the organization will be glad to have your assistance, and the people you help will appreciate your effort.