Want to do more for school children in your area? Members Project from American Express is teaming up with New York Cares to bring School Day projects to local schools on November 13. We’re looking for 400 volunteers to paint murals, classrooms, and line games; reorganize closets; and plant at schools in Harlem and Queens.

As a special bonus, volunteers will receive a Members Project gift and could also earn 500 Membership Rewards bonus points for every approved volunteer hour.

You don’t have to be a New York Cares volunteer to participate, so this is a great way to introduce your friends and colleagues to our work. Find out more and sign up here.

The Mission Continues team, an organization honoring veterans, spruced up the grounds around the World War I Memorial in Astoria Park to round off their public service activities for National Volunteer Week.

It’s 8:30 a.m., and Site Captain Linda Blacken has her work cut out for her setting up rakes, paint, gloves, and other supplies for a dozen projects scheduled throughout Astoria Park today. Over 250 Hands On New York Day volunteers are expected at the park within the hour!

As summer approaches and outdoor distractions abound, NYC students can often use a little extra help making sure they stay focused on their school work and end the year with great grades.

We have several new after school Homework Help programs ready to go in Queens, but our partners at I.S. 5 Q in Elmhurst, Elmcor Youth and Adult Activities in Corona, and St. Michael’s School in Flushing have been waiting months on Team Leaders to launch these projects!

Help us get them off the ground – contact Priscilla.Lam@newyorkcares.org about becoming a Homework Help Team Leader. You can choose to work with students from kindergarten to middle school age, reviewing assignments and providing academic support through the end of the school year.

Volunteers have been working since January to brighten up I.S. 119 in Glendale, Queens, by painting murals centering around diversity, patriotism, and school spirit.

The murals were completed this weekend after several Saturdays of hard work and many pieces of pizza. Principal Fagan thinks the murals are “absolutely beautiful,” and we do too. Thanks to everyone who pitched in! Check out more photos on Facebook.

Volunteers from PriceWaterhouseCoopers, ABC, and Kramer Levin made good progress on their murals at P.S. 84 Q before breaking for lunch.

Volunteers painting a mural

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Many of our children’s education projects are on break for the summer, but we have plenty of projects that need volunteers and Team Leaders.

• We need a Team Leader to get a new GED Prep project at Sunnyside Community Center in Queens off the ground.  If you’re available Monday – Thursday from 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m., please contact Sokin.Won@newyorkcares.org or call 212-402-1149 for more information.

• We also need Team Leaders to run sports programs for summer camps at Highland Park and Forest Park. Help get kids moving and active.  If you can help, please contact Whitney.Hampton@newyorkcares.org or call 212-402-1138.

For more opportunities, please search our projects or call Volunteer Relations on 212-402-1156.

It’s hot outside, but not hot enough to stop volunteers from working!  After getting their assignments from Site Captain Linda Blacken, teams got started at Forest Park in Queens.

Project assignments

Team ITOCHU International

Volunteer from The Art Institute's team

Art Institute volunteers

Astoria Park in Queens is now much cleaner thanks to our Hands On New York Day volunteers!

Volunteers cleaning up the shoreline

Under the Triborough Bridge

Team Random Claw and other teams are halfway through getting new murals painted at P.S. 17 Q in Queens!

Getting started

Happy volunteers

Volunteers painting Greece

Team Random Claw