Things to do this weekend and beyond 12/14....

Well, with Hanukkah in full swing and Christmas around the corner, it can feel like there's not much time on hand to squeeze in community activities, but it seems important to me to keep the needs of others and the challenges in the world all around us present in the midst of our celebrations (without being the dour doomsayer in a room full of carolers).  Going to set an example by not prattling on about that but providing (I hope) some opportunities for this coming week.

• Sunday, we're going to volunteer to help with food preparation at the Masbia Soup Kitchen on Coney Island Ave., in an event organized by the social action committee at the Hannah Senesh Community Day School.  There is still room for more volunteers - if you're interested, send an email here.  I will post about the experience afterwards and get a sense of how well this works with kids.
• As I mentioned last week, Occupy Sandy is organizing a day of action on Saturday, with community rallies in the Rockaways and Staten Island at noon, and a citywide convergence on the Mayor's house on the Upper East Side at 5 (bring flashlights!).  You can get details here.  As with many Occupy events, you have to be a bit tolerant of some vagueness around the edges of the message, but the events themselves seem clearly defined.
• Last week I posted about an effort by queensmamas.com, called Family-to-Family which is looking to connect volunteer families with individual families in need, to provide support, help connect them with resources in the community and generally make the holidays a little easier, with the larger aim of bringing families from different parts of the city closer together.  If this is something you think your family might like to do, check out the information on the website - you can do as much as you're able, and it's a way of volunteering as a family that's very personal (which also may be why it scares some folks off, but different approaches appeal to different folks so....).
• If your time is limited and can't get somewhere to volunteer right now, New York Cares has started a Winter Wishes project which allows you to purchase items from Amazon in answer to wish registries for lots of different social service agencies serving kids, seniors and others.  What I like about this is that the range of options is large and for those of us with kids who still believe in Santa and don't understand why we need to buy gifts for other children ("Doesn't Santa bring them?"), buying lamps and canes and gift cards are easier to explain.  While it's not as active as going and doing something, having the kids help pick out gifts is a nice indoor, cold weather activity.
• On Saturday, there appears to be a work project at Added Value farm in Red Hook from 1 to 4pm.  It's not up on their calendar but there is sign up for it through New York Cares here.

Not a volunteer activity but a different kind of opportunity: Disney Friends for Change Grants are $1000 grants to kids ages 5 to 18 to support youth projects to help meet the needs of others.  Proposals are due February 10th.  If the child applying is under 13, an adult has to submit the application.

 Got any other ideas?  Share 'em!

Things to do, Weekend 12/7 and beyond

Oy, how quickly the weekend roles around again. There are some good opportunities coming up - as always, if you've got something to share, let me know.

For the upcoming holidays:

• Queensmamas.com is organizing a Family-to-Family program, matching a family in need (with a focus on those affected by the Hurricane) with a volunteer family that can help make this holiday season a better one, with the idea, too, that this will forge a more lasting bond between the families.  Queensmamas.com will provide support for the volunteer families in terms of identifying services and resources.  I love this idea, because it's a way to get to volunteer as a family without just sending money or wrapping a present anonymously.  Still, it may feel like a big lift for some.  The registration form, though, allows you indicate what days and how many days you're able to help.

• On Saturday and Sunday (Dec. 8 -9), the New York Food Bank will be in Bushwick (address available when you register) wrapping gifts to be donated.  You do have to register as a volunteer to sign up (but what a good idea), and they indicate that the minimum age is 14, but I expect there is wiggle room there, since kids can be great at helping to wrap gifts.  Check in advance. 

• Where to Turn is organizing a toy 'store' for Sandy victims in Staten Island, and is looking for volunteers to staff the store (and also looking for toys, btw), which will be at 3948 Amboy Rd. in Great Kills.  Where to Turn is an organization formed after the 9/11 attacks to help affected families on Staten Island, and have become a general crisis relief organization.

In addition, Occupy Sandy still needs volunteers for cooking and food distribution.  The kitchen is at 461 99th St. in Bay Ridge, at St. John's Episcopal Church.  They need volunteers from 9 to 5, generally.  The main volunteer clearinghouse and launch site is at 520 Clinton Ave.  There is a great list of locations for donation drop off and volunteering here.

By the way, I'm interested in this organization, Kids Helping Kids, and it's approach to kids and social action.  If anyone has any direct experience with them, can you let me know?  Thanks.

And please, please, please, take a minute to fill out the activity survey here.  You don't have to put your name down, it does not obligate you in any way.  Just trying to find out how this site can be most useful.