Community Service Database: Environment
GroGreen Tech
What is GroGreen Tech?
GroGreen Tech is a company to “Turn Wasted Food into Wanted Food.” Using a custom app, GroGreen Tech connects local farms looking to sell their “ugly produce” to restaurants and juice bars in New York City that can use this produce to minimize the amount of “ugly produce” wasted each year
How can I get involved?
Reach out to founder Priya Mittal to get involved.
Contact information:
www.grogreen.co
Priya Mittal: 646-825-0746, priya.grogreen@gmail.com
Harlem Grown
What is Harlem Grown?
Harlem Grown is an independent, non-profit organization whose mission is to inspire youth to lead healthy and ambitious lives through mentorship and hands-on education in urban farming, sustainability, and nutrition. Founded in 2011, we operate local urban farms, increase access to and knowledge of healthy food for Harlem residents, and provide garden-based development programs to Harlem youth.
How can I get involved?
Volunteer: Each growing season (April-October), we love to welcome volunteers from our community to help with tasks on our farms. No farming skills are necessary! All you need is to bring yourself and a positive, can-do attitude.
Community Service: Give back to the Harlem community and grow your skillset in urban farming, all while fulfilling your community service requirements.
Internships: Develop professional skills and learn about the inner workings of a community nonprofit organization. Internships are available in Agriculture, Programming, Operations, Development, and Social Media.
Learn more: https://www.harlemgrown.org/getinvolved.
Contact information:
INFO@HARLEMGROWN.ORG
(212) 870 0113
Extra information/video (from YouthServe NYC speaker series, 2021): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GreYw7H-Lfw&feature=youtu.be
Rescuing Leftover Cuisine
What is Rescuing Leftover Cuisine?
Rescuing Leftover Cuisine is a national 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that brings excess food from food establishments to the hungry at homeless shelters, soup kitchens, and food pantries.
How can I get involved?
Volunteer in the fight against wasted food and hunger by making food deliveries!
All you have to do is bring excess food from our food donors to our nonprofit partners in your community. Food rescues typically take less than an hour of your time and can be done by public transportation, car, on foot, or bike. With just an hour of your time, you can help reduce wasted food and provide meals to those in need in your community!
Contact information:
www.rescuingleftovercuisine.org
Robert Lee: 646-592-2229, info@rescuingleftovercuisine.org
Central Park Conservancy
What is Central Park Conservancy?
The Central Park Conservancy's mission is to preserve and celebrate Central Park as a sanctuary from the pace and pressures of city life, enhancing the enjoyment and wellbeing of all. The Conservancy's staff care for the Park's trees, gardens, water bodies, and woodlands year-round, depending on thousands of volunteers to help the organization maintain a welcoming space for visitors and wildlife alike.
How can I get involved?
The Conservancy's flexibly scheduled volunteer opportunities allow you to sign up for volunteer projects as you are available. These projects happen on a variety of days and times throughout the year, flexing with the seasons and needs of the Park.
Teen Volunteer Days (ages 13-18, April-June and September-December, Saturdays from 1pm-2:30pm): Students are invited to give back to the City by volunteering in Central Park. Help maintain and beautify the grounds through a variety of Park projects, including raking, weeding, or mulching depending on the season. (More information here)
Family Volunteer Days (ages 4+, April-June and September-December, Saturdays from 10am-11:30am): A special opportunity just for families, these volunteer days are a great way for parents and kids to spend quality time together while outdoors. Give back to the Park by helping with tasks like raking or spreading mulch, depending on the season. (More information here)
Contact information:
Bekah Russell, Manager - Visitor Services Volunteers: brussell@centralparknyc.org | 917-551-6736
NYC Parks
What is NYC Parks?
Volunteer at NYC Parks events such as restoration, landscaping, and clean-up.
How can I get involved?
Do you want to give back to your parks? NYC Parks and our hundreds of partners hold organized events throughout the year asking New Yorkers to pitch in and paint, clean, rake, and generally take care of our city's great and vast park system. Groups and individuals are welcome at volunteer events across the city.
Looking for more volunteer opportunities? Reach out to one of our many partner organizations, or visit Partnerships for Parks , a public-private partnership between NYC Parks and City Parks Foundation that manages our network of volunteers.
Check out the opportunities here.
Contact information:
https://www.nycgovparks.org/contact-parks
Riverside Park Conservancy
What is Riverside Park Conservancy?
The mission of Riverside Park Conservancy is to restore, maintain, and improve Riverside Park in partnership with the City of New York for the enjoyment and benefit of all New Yorkers. Volunteerism is at the heart of the Conservancy's mission to conserve, improve, and beautify Riverside Park.
How can I get involved?
ParkTenders: ParkTenders are dedicated volunteers with horticultural knowledge, making a long-term commitment to maintaining existing green areas, park entrances, steps and walkways.
PlacePartners: PlacePartners are individuals who wish to work in one particular location, but are unable to volunteer on a regular basis. PlacePartners assist existing ParkTenders or Conservancy staff, and/or help a pre-existing volunteer group that tends a specific area.
ParkRovers: ParkRovers volunteers help throughout the park on a sporadic basis as needs emerge and as their schedule allows. Great option for someone who wants to be involved from time to time but cannot make a commitment to regular/frequent volunteer sessions.
Contact information:
Kristen Meade, Director of Volunteer Initiatives: grassroots@riversideparknyc.org
The Randall's Island Park Alliance
What is the Randall's Island Park Alliance?
The Randall's Island Park Alliance works with the City of New York and local communities, sustaining, maintaining, developing, and programming the Park to support the wellbeing of all New Yorkers.
How can I get involved?
Team RIVER Volunteers: Work with rotating teams including the Natural Areas team stewarding and restoring the Park's natural spaces twice per month and the Horticulture team caring for the Island's gardens and meadows every second Wednesday of each month.
The Urban Farm:
The Urban Farm is a 40,000 square foot environmentally sustainable farm and outdoor classroom at Randall's Island Park. The Urban Farm features over 100 raised beds, two greenhouses, four rice paddies, and a small fruit tree orchard. The Urban Farm donates a significant portion of the fresh food grown each year to a local food pantry.
Volunteer with the farmers on the one-acre Urban Farm! Spend time getting your hands dirty, weeding, composting, and assisting with daily tasks and chores. No prior farming experience necessary and no advance registration needed. Just drop in at the farm most Sundays between 10am and 1pm for at least 2 hours (April-October) (More information here)
Contact information:
(Volunteers must be at least 11 years old, more information about requirements here)
Lyall Croft, Volunteer Coordinator: lyall.croft@randallsisland.org
