Thanksgiving volunteering

Photograph: Caroline Voagen Nelson

Date: October 14, 2009 9:36:57 PM
To: inyc@timeoutny.com
Subject: Being a good Thanks-giver

How can I volunteer on Thanksgiving at a soup kitchen?

Thanks, A good Samaritan

For beneficent bakers
Bowery Mission, which just celebrated its 130th anniversary last month, serves Thanksgiving meals from Monday 23 to November 27. Volunteer slots for Thanksgiving (7am–7pm) are filling up, but operations director Matt Krivich urges walk-ins to drop by anyway. If you really want to lend a hand, he says, bring fresh-baked pies, of which “there are never enough.” Ain’t that the truth. 227 Bowery between Rivington and Stanton Sts (bowery.org, 212-674-3456)
Volunteer contact: Stacy Landau (volunteer@chaonline.org)

For gabby givers
Volunteers act as waiters in the restaurant-style dinner program at Jan Hus Presbyterian Church, schlepping plates for a two-hour shift every Tuesday, including a Thanksgiving meal on Tuesday 24. Between dinner and cleanup, volunteer coordinator Marissa Arterberry encourages people to grab a plate, sit down and chat with visitors: “It’s a party atmosphere!” That’s exactly what the pilgrims were going for. 351 E 74th St at First Ave (212-288-6743, janhus.org)
Volunteer contact: Marissa Arterberry (marissa@janhus.org)

For multitasking do-gooders
Thanksgiving at Bed-Stuy’s St. John’s Bread and Life falls on Wednesday 25, and the all-day affair promises a visit from some of St. John’s University’s Red Storm basketball stars. While hot chocolate and donuts are available outside, the kitchen serves from 9:30am until everyone’s fed, and volunteer spots are filling up—they use helpers to clean, unpack food, and greet visitors. Hope you’re organized. 795 Lexington Ave between Malcolm X Blvd and Patchen Ave, Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn (718-574-0058, breadandlife.org)
Volunteer contact: LaVerne Spencer (spencerl@breadandlife.org)

For the street savvy
More than 1,500 homebound New Yorkers will receive special hand-decorated bags and Thanksgiving baskets in addition to their usual three-course meal from God’s Love We Deliver. And while GLWD is fully staffed with food-prep volunteers for Thanksgiving, extra help is still needed on the delivery end. You can read a map, right? 166 Sixth Ave at Spring St (212-294-8100, godslovewedeliver.org)
Volunteer contact: Susan Oher (volunteer@glwd.org)

For hungry helpers
Since 1982, Neighbors Together has been serving the neighborhoods of Ocean Hill, Brownsville and Bed-Stuy. On November 26, newcomer volunteers can show up for a holiday meal hosted by community members from noon to 3pm. Yep, you’ll get to chow down; the open house will show off the retro-blue kitchen and orient new volunteers on how best to contribute. 2094 Fulton St at Thomas Boyland St, Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn (718-498-7256, neighborstogether.org)
Volunteer contact: Denny Marsh (denny@neighborstogether.org)

For sweet types
On average, 900 hungry New Yorkers come to the Welcome Table at St. Francis Xavier’s Church every Sunday (1–3pm), when the cafeteria in Hurtado Hall becomes an aid center. Says one volunteer, “The most coveted service position is sugar girl, because everyone comes up to you with their coffee and goes, ‘Gimme some sugar!’” For a special Thanksgiving Day meal, workers can sign up to serve (8:30am–2pm) or clean up (2–3pm); if you have your own wheels, you can deliver food baskets (10:45am–1pm). 55 W 15th St between Fifth and Sixth Aves (212-627-2100, sfxavier.org)
Volunteer contact: Christine Raglan (sfxwelcometable@gmail.com)

See the complete Thanksgiving guide

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