City Description
The Big Apple boasts of cultural and recreational experiences that are not to be missed! Our NYC Mercy Volunteers enjoy outdoor festivals and movie nights in the city’s many parks during the warmer months and museums, cultural events, and the spectacular Christmas and New Year activities during the colder months. Volunteers live in an apartment in Astoria, with several parks within walking distance! The commute is 45-60 minutes by subway.
Housing: apartment
Transportation: public
Number of Volunteers: 4
Service Site Descriptions
Catholic Migration Services
Mission: To empower underserved immigrant communities and to provide comprehensive advocacy and legal services to advance equality and social justice in a changing and diverse population.
Catholic Migration Services (CMS) engages in the provision of direct legal services to immigrants in need. CMS provides a broad range of immigration legal services, including preparation of applications for political asylum, family-based immigration, and deportation defense as well as housing and labor-related legal services. Two volunteers are needed as legal assistants to conduct client intakes in Spanish and English to assess client’s eligibility for legal relief under the supervision of legal staff. Fluency in spoken and written Spanish would be helpful, but not required for this position.
Site Details
Website: www.catholicmigration.org
Skills: Social Work, Spanish, Immigration Outreach, Legal Services
Covenant House
Mission: For 50 years, CHNY has worked to holistically address all factors that contribute to homelessness among youth and young adults, age 16-24, and their dependent children. Our mission has always been to serve young people in need with absolute respect and unconditional love, and in this regard, our work adheres to the following five guiding principles of immediacy, sanctuary, value communications, structure, and choice.
The crisis shelter located in downtown Manhattan serves 120 young people daily and operates with a team of approximately 150 employees. The brand new facility opened in November 2021 and offers staff and clients purpose built spaces including congregate settings, meeting spaces, cafeteria, gymnasium, music room, outdoor rooftops, and 5 floors of youth residential space. Services provided on site include supportive housing, medical and mental health services, workforce development, youth development, parent/child supports, benefits assistance and legal support. A volunteer is needed to serve as a residential assistant, accompanying youth by floating among spaces as needed. Examples include covering the front desk, residential floors, meal service, assisting with laundry and clothing room duties, and covering common spaces for activities. Through these activities the volunteer will build relationships with the youth and serve as an additional layer of support.
Website: www.ny.covenanthouse.org
Skills: Social Services, Youth Development, Homeless Outreach
Mercy Center Bronx
Mission: To empower women and their families in the South Bronx to liberate themselves from economic poverty and to promote their right to an improved quality of life by addressing the needs of the whole person, developing skills for healthy family living and the economic advancement, and building a community of respect, honesty, and non-violence.
Mercy Center is a neighborhood center for women and families in the Mott Haven section of the South Bronx. It offers a variety of programs to a primarily immigrant population (mostly Spanish speaking): Youth Programs, Family Alternatives to Violence, Employment Training, ESL/Immigrant Services, Social Services/Case Management, and Personal Development. A volunteer is needed to serve as a youth associate, leading activities for the after-school program, coordinating youth camps along with holiday food and gift programs and assisting with special workshops and various outreach programs. Conversational Spanish is helpful but not required.
Website: www.mercycenterbronx.org
Skills: Social Services, Education, Activities Coordination, Spanish (not required)
MercyFirst
Mission: To inspire hope and promote healing for children and families by providing quality human services and educational opportunities while advocating for social change.
MercyFirst is a child welfare agency that offers family support, youth development programs, foster/adoption services, and medical and mental health services designed to help children, youth and families succeed. A volunteer is needed to serve as a youth development associate for the foster boarding home program, assisting young people (ages 14-21) in developing life skills, leadership skills and obtaining vital documents and ID.
Website: www.mercyfirst.org
Skills: Social Services, Youth Development, Foster Care
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