One of the best parts of New York Cares Day is seeing people from all walks of life in the New York community come together to make a difference in our schools. This year we’re excited to welcome actress Yaya DaCosta to be part of this special day. Will you be there?

In her own words: “I am volunteering on New York Cares Day as a native New Yorker and as an artist whose inspiration to become an actor came from my 7th grade drama teacher in a New York City Public School (Manhattan East, JHS 99). Having had an arts program in my school, having a warm coat in the winter, and having a community garden in my neighborhood are not things I take for granted, and I appreciate New York Cares for keeping alive the spirit of justice and generosity that defines my ideal New York.”

Congratulations to the winner of our first ever Students Give Back Mural Contest! Vincent Panepinto (Port Richmond High School, 11th Grade) designed this gorgeous mural for volunteers to paint at P.S. 171 M on New York Cares Day next Saturday, October 23. We can’t wait to see the completed mural!

2nd Prize: Jamie Sterner, Port Richmond High School, 12th Grade

3rd Prize: Steven Edwards, Brooklyn Theatre Arts High School, 11th Grade

We know you guys care about New York Cares; now here’s our way to show us how much we care about your work!

We’re offering prizes to the top fundraisers on two day days leading up to New York Cares Day, and today is the first Super Fundraising Day. Raise the most money before midnight, and you might win a Nintendo Wii!

Ask your family, friends, coworkers, friendly neighborhood bodega – anyone – to donate on Super Fundraising Days for your chance to win. The next one is October 21.

The clock is ticking; get fundraising now!

On some days in the New York Cares office, a very familiar face can be seen floating through the hallways, saying hello to everyone he meets and bringing smiles to all our faces. No, he’s not an employee – that familiar face is Arthur Fisher, one of New York Cares’ most involved and dedicated volunteers ever.

Arthur began his career in volunteerism with us on New York Cares Day in 1995.  For fifteen years, he has oriented thousands of new volunteers, completed over 400 projects, and served a countless number of New Yorkers.  His passion to meet basic needs not only inspires others to serve their community, but affects lives daily. This year will be Arthur’s final year participating in New York Cares Day. Please join us in saluting Arthur for his amazing character and all his hard work! We’re sending him off with our deepest gratitude.

To make this year’s New York Cares Day your first or continue making an impact, register here. We’re looking for volunteers, site captains (Diane.Conroy@newyorkcares.org), registration leaders (Madeleine.Gordon@newyorkcares.org), mural artists (Stephanie.Chin@newyorkcares.org) – anyone with a passion for helping others. Get started on what could be the beginning of your legacy.

Now is a great time to get a team together for New York Cares Day.  We still need 2,000 more volunteers to sign-up so we can help every school accepted into this year’s program.

New York Cares Day is Saturday, October 23.

So if you still haven’t registered your team, what are you waiting for? The clock is ticking – go to our official registration page and sign up now.

Are fame and fortune calling your name? Well, they are now.

We’re scouring the city’s high schools for the next great Picasso in our Students Give Back! Mural Contest. We’ll pick one budding artist to design the signature mural to be painted on New York Cares Day at one lucky NYC public school.

We’ll also feature the top three designs on newyorkcares.org and award the 2nd and 3rd place winners with some special prizes of their own. If you think you can handle all the attention your art will get, apply now. Do you have what it takes?

Preparation for New York Cares Day 2010 is officially underway. Beyond the good it will do for schools on October 23, it’s also an excellent opportunity to gain leadership experience.

We need Site Captains, Team Leaders, and Registration Leaders to be the face of New York Cares out in the field. You don’t need to be an experienced Team Leader, or even attend orientation – we’ll make sure you feel confident in your role.

We also need artists to design amazing murals for volunteers to paint in classrooms, hallways, and playgrounds. Your art will be seen by thousands of community members, and teachers tell us the best part of New York Cares Day is seeing students’ faces when they walk in the door and see how beautiful their school looks.

Whatever your talents, help us make this amazing day of service happen! Learn more about these roles, or contact nycd@newyorkcares.org.

Do your classrooms need a new coat of paint? Could your hallways use some colorful murals? Does your library desperately need to be reorganized? Does your playground need livening up?

Complete the New York Cares Day School Application by Friday, May 14, and your school could be one of the 100+ schools that we’ll send thousands of volunteers to revitalize on our fall day of service.

New York Cares Day takes place on Saturday, October 23, 2010. The event is free for participating schools. Apply now!

Thanks to the teams from JPMorgan Chase, MS&L, and International Baccalaureate for inspiring young learners at P.S. 362 K – Hellenic Classical Charter School.

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Volunteers are having a great time at Fannie Lou Hamer Middle School in the Bronx. The school’s Site Captain is thrilled with the fabulous work her ten teams of volunteers are doing all over the school. “Wish we were here to see the student’s reactions on Monday!” Takisha says.

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