25 years ago, Discovery Channel made its first broadcast in the United States. In celebration of their 25^th anniversary, Discovery Communications teamed up with New York Cares to find that spark of curiosity and wonder that has driven their company for so long – and to bring that spark into their service to the community.

A massive group of 250 Discovery employees joined us to discover their impact. The volunteers took at-risk children on recreational outings, socialized with animals, served meals to hungry New Yorkers, and revitalized the community. If the looks on these children’s faces are anything to go by, we’d say the day was a success. View more photos here.

Discovery’s “Discover Your Impact” Day extended beyond the city and all across the globe as members of their overseas offices joined in the festivities. We can’t think of a better way to thank the planet for all that it’s given us. Congratulations Discovery!

We can’t believe it’s already our fifth year planning the annual L’Oréal USA Volunteer Day! Yesterday New York Cares had the honor of hosting 18 different projects for the enthusiastic bunch of over 500 L’Oreal volunteers.

The volunteers and New York Cares staff did everything from visiting nursing homes to walking dogs to revitalizing community gardens. We made an impact all across the city, and it was a blast for everyone involved.

On our visit to Kateri Residence, the seniors took a moment to profoundly thank those who had taken time to visit them and take them for outings. For some of the residents, it was the first time they had gone outside in months. It’s days like this where we can clearly see how deep our impact is (and can be) on the community, and it only took a few hours!

Here’s to L’Oréal and their wonderful employees for their contributions! Click here to see more great photos from our various projects!

Earlier this month volunteers from Fidelity Investments led a Community Design Day at M.S. 354 K in Crown Heights. They worked with students and school administrators to identify pressing concerns and brainstorm on how to transform the school to best meet their needs. We can’t wait to see what they come up with!

Ebonie, a New York Cares Junior Committee member, was thrilled to be placed at William Harris Garden today. She grew up just four blocks away and played there as a child, so she’s been looking forward all week to returning to her in her old home turf to volunteer. This is what Hands On New York Day is about: bringing communities together.

With public services that are already strapped for resources facing even more budget cuts this year, the work that volunteers will do on Hands On New York Day is crucial to keeping our city’s public spaces clean and green.

This incredible day of service is also a critical fundraiser that enables New York Cares to put volunteers to work all year long at struggling city agencies, community centers, and public schools.

Take the $150 Challenge and help us reach our goal. If all Hands On New York Day volunteers raise $150 in honor of their service, New York Cares could provide $4.5 million in service to the community. Set your goal even higher and join the Team Green fundraising club.

There’s still time to register for Hands On New York Day, but even if you can’t attend the event, you can make a big impact by fundraising as a Virtual Volunteer or making a donation. Learn more about what we can accomplish with your donations.

Our volunteers tell us that one of the best things about volunteering with New York Cares is the variety of projects we offer. No matter how you’re looking to improve your community, we’ve got a little something for everyone. If you’re looking for more ways to get involved at New York Cares, you can help us launch dozens of new projects like these by becoming a Team Leader:

• Math Games – Review basic math concepts with elementary school students before or after school.
• Homework Help – Tutor students of all ages at one of several partner agencies in Queens, Brooklyn, or Manhattan.
• Yoga – Teach children basic yoga poses and breathing exercises on a daytime project in the Bronx or Manhattan.
• Food Pantry Distribution – Distribute bagged food to those in need in Washington Heights-Inwood.
• Citizenship Through English – Assist immigrants preparing for the U.S. Citizenship Exam through informal conversation.

Contact Takisha.Dozier@newyorkcares.org if you’re interested in any of these projects. View the full list of projects in need of a Team Leader here.

You don’t have to be an expert to paint a beautiful mural at a playground or put a fresh coat of paint in a classroom on New York Cares Day.

Your Site Captain and Team Leader will be there to give painting pointers on the day, but you too will be a near-expert by the time you’re done watching our new “how-to” video series.

Watch the first video now to learn what NOT to wear on New York Cares Day. Come back for more videos with tips on prepping supplies, painting different surfaces, and cleaning up after a long day of painting.

On Saturday mornings at Red Hook Community Farm, New York Cares volunteers work alongside neighborhood volunteers, Red Hook teenagers, and Added Value staff to build planting beds, hand weed tender lettuce, harvest, and turn compost. But like the roots of all of the fantastic produce grown there, the projects always go deeper than that.

Just looking at almost three acres of working farm land, you know Red Hook Community Farm is a unique place. Working with the Department of Parks and Recreation, Added Value transformed a dilapidated playground into a vibrant community resource providing jobs, training, and fresh produce for neighborhood residents.

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Check out our photos from a recent revitalization project at the NYCHA South Jamaica Houses in Queens.

Mayor Bloomberg and our ED, Gary Bagley, put on their gardening gloves to work alongside 1,000 youth who beautified NYCHA sites and city parks in every borough. Read the rest of this entry »

The latest Volunteering in America report shows that as nonprofits are relying on volunteers in increasing numbers, volunteers are stepping up to bat, even through tough economic times.

The national volunteering rate held steady at over 26.4%, and over 61 million Americans volunteers 8 billion hours in 2008. But the report is a wake up call for New Yorkers: in New York City, only 16% of residents volunteer, down 1% from last year (see more NY stats here).

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