Here at the Mission Society, we have incredible opportunities to partner with organizations and individuals who help our community thrive. Volunteers dedicate invaluable time and resources to enrich our programs and ensure that we can continue to make education accessible to all New Yorkers. Our students also remind us of the importance of service, leading community-based volunteer efforts that inspire change and shape the future of our city. With the help of many, we’ve been able to contribute to students’ home libraries, keep our green spaces clean, support food pantries, expand the horizons of young people entering the workforce, and so much more.
In honor of this National Day of Service, and every individual that has partnered with the Mission Society, we wanted to take a moment to highlight some of the community projects that have taken place in collaboration with our team. You can read about these experiences below, and find more on the Mission Society blog.
Supporting young people as they create change in the community is a cornerstone of the Mission Society's work. It's through our volunteer opportunities that students connect more deeply with the world beyond our classrooms, and cultivate valuable skills for the future. Year-round, we're inspired by our participants as they lead service projects with creativity, dedication, and compassion.
Over 20 professionals volunteered their time for a month-long effort to highlight career opportunities for students. Working across various fields, these individuals provided valuable information and advice for joining the workforce, and helped us celebrate the variety of career pathways that are available to students when they graduate school. We’ve also had volunteers help students’ hone their job hunting skills through setting up mock interviews and providing assistance with resumes.
Citibank has partnered with us to provide numerous opportunities for the Mission Society staff and students to build their financial literacy. They have opened their offices to students and introduced a variety of new career possibilities for their journeys ahead. For our staff, Citbank provides quarterly virtual financial education seminars that cover topics like personal finance, home buying, affordable housing, and strategic investing.
A generous, across-the-country book donation, a thriving partnership with Scholastic, and summer reading lists curated by volunteer educators - so many partners have helped give the gift of imagination to our students, and encourage their literacy learning journeys.
In addition to gathering for holiday celebrations, each year, our staff and volunteers distribute over 100 turkeys to families throughout Harlem.
Nate Heffron and the American Planning Association have collaborated with Mission Society students to introduce them to the world of urban planning. What started as a coincidental meeting has grown into a flourishing partnership, where our young people have led projects that have the potential to profoundly impact our city. The goal of the program is to show students that they have the power to shape their surroundings – including making important services more accessible to all New Yorkers.
Thank you to all of the people who have contributed so much to our programs and the many service projects happening around the city. We are honored to work alongside you, and cannot wait to see what we accomplish well into the future.
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