YES WE CAN Volunteer Challenge

"…Given the crisis we're in and the hardships so many people are going through, we can't allow any idle hands. Everybody's going to have to be involved. Everybody's going to have to pitch in."
-President Barack Obama

Brooklyn Green Team and GreenEdge Collaborative NYC Presents...
YES WE CAN Volunteer Challenge

FEBRUARY - APRIL 09

We all have a gift. Some can sing and dance; others can garden like a gnome, rake leaves faster than Paul Bunyan can chop down trees, or even recycle with their eyes closed! There are vast and varied opportunities to let loose your talents for the planet. Commit to volunteering at least three hours in the next three months. We know you can do it. Oh, and we'll email you lots of volunteer opportunities.

3 HOURS. THREE MONTHS.

SIGN UP BY EMAILING BROOKLYNGREEN@GMAIL.COM AND WRITE YES WE CAN! INCLUDE YOUR NAME AND ZIP CODE

The List
Solar One
Solar One usually needs volunteers for each of their major events: Citysol, Dance, Film, Sun to Stars and Revelry by the River. Right now they have no major events but keep up to date with their events calendar and contact them if you would like to inquire about volunteering.

Stuyvesant Cove Park
Stuy Cove Park has a dedicated group of volunteers that help take care of the beds and planters, and periodic public volunteer days. Volunteer days will show up on the events calendar. If you would like be a volunteer, go to the contact page.

Brooklyn Greenway Initiative
Sign up now as a volunteer. BGI is always looking for volunteers to help out with upcoming events, so please check out what they have coming up, including a ongoing monthly Greenway clean-ups. Help them build the Brooklyn Waterfront Greenway!

Million Trees NYC
Help Million Trees NYC reach their goal to plant and care for one million trees in New York City, thus increasing the city's urban forest.

Lower East Side Ecology Center
Become part of making NYC water a place to play. Make composting available to more New Yorkers. Help people recycle their electronics.

Take Back the Tap
Food and Water Watch has partnered with Riverkeeper to protect New York water and educate our communities about water issues. We have great plans for the spring, and if you are interested in contributing to our campaigns to protect our food and water and push for more sustainable, just, and healthy policy, sign up to get involved!Volunteer opportunities include:-helping out at fun water and food related events such as film screenings, workshops, and conferences-adopting-a-restaurant for our Take Back the Tap campaign-getting your school workplace, or community to Take Back the Tap by drinking our Wonderful New York City water as opposed to buying yet another imported plastic bottle!FOr more information, please call or email Rachael Barmack Richardson, our volunteer coordinator in NYC: (917) 733-0434 or rrichardson@fwwatch.org

Prospect Park Alliance
Gain experience and spend time doing something you love while making a real difference in the lives of all who benefit from Prospect Park and Park services. Volunteer contributions include:
• Woodland restoration, including cleaning, greening and planting.• Visitor outreach and education, including leading guided tours.• Office help• Special Skills: Carpentry, Photography, Information Technology• Working with children and nature at the Audubon Center.

NYCares
New York Cares' goal is to meet community needs by mobilizing New Yorkers in volunteer service. New York Cares has lists of hundreds of organizations to volunteer for!

One Brick
Join One Brick for a relaxed and social volunteer environmental experience. After each volunteer session, One Brick invites volunteers to gather at a bar or cafe to socialize.

Keep America Beautiful
Keep America Beautiful's volunteer activities included beautifying parks and recreation areas, cleaning seashores and waterways, handling recycling collections, picking up litter, planting trees and flowers, and conducting educational programs and litter-free events.

Brooklyn Bridge Park
Volunteers help weed, mulch, plant and keep Brooklyn Bridge Park clean. Then they kick back and enjoy the view from this fabulous waterfront park. To get involved, e-mail Patricia McDannell, Programming Director at pmcdannell@bbpc.net. Or call Taylor Black 718 802 0603, ext. 18.

New York Restoration Project
New York Restoration Project (NYRP) is dedicated to reclaiming and restoring New York City parks, community gardens and open space. In partnership with the City of New York, NYRP is also leading MillionTreesNYC – an initiative to plant and care for one million new trees throughout New York City’s five boroughs by 2017. Since the organization’s founding by Bette Midler in 1995, NYRP has achieved dramatic results by investing in the greening and beautification of underserved communities throughout New York City. 212-333-2552

Conference House Park
Conference House Park volunteers remove invasive plant species, preventing their spread and encouraging our native plant and animal community to recover. They also prepare for planting, broadcast seeds, or mark plants with flagging.

Audubon Society
Help Audubon Naturalists track North American bird populations February 14 & 15, 12 - 1:30 p.m. at the Prospect Park Audubon Center.

Office of Recycling Outreach and Education (OROE)
Office of Recycling Outreach and Education are currently looking for Outreach Volunteers to assist staff in events and special recycling collections. All volunteers must attend a training on conducting community outreach on environmental issues and on the city's curbside recycling program. Contact Jae Watkins, Recycling Outreach Coordinator at (212) 788-7973.

Council on the Environment of New York City
Council on the Environment of New York City has a variety of volunteer opportunities at their website and you can apply online. Volunteer Coordinator 212-676-2081

The Nature Conservancy
The Nature Conservancy volunteers help build bridges, create trails, monitor properties, count turtles, remove invasive species, stuff envelopes, organize files, lead hikes and much more. Volunteer Opportunities are available in Long Island and New York City. For a list of opportunities, call the New York City offices at (212) 997-1880, or email them at emanley@tnc.org.

New York ReLeaf
New York ReLeaf creates partnerships between forestry professionals and dedicated citizens, harnessing the financial resources of government and the private sector. For more information, contact the New York ReLeaf Coordinator in Albany at 518-402-9425 or e-mail: lflands@gw.dec.state.ny.us.

Let us know what you chose and we'll put you on our blog.
Know of more opportunities? Tell us and we'll post them.
POW. YOU'VE BEEN GREENED!