Food Pantry Volunteers

When: The NCJW NY Food Pantry operates weekly on Mondays. Volunteers come on a rotating schedule, based on their availability, for one of two shifts: 9:30 am-11:00 am or 11:00 am – 1:30 pm.

Where: NCJW NY’s Pantry operates out of our building at 241 W. 72nd St. (btwn. Broadway and West End)

Food Distribution Volunteers
NCJW NY is seeking volunteers for our weekly Food Pantry.  Volunteers work to help clients navigate the Pantry and hand out food. NCJW NY’s Pantry utilizes a “Table-Top Shopping” method, with volunteers stationed throughout the room helping clients to choose food items, and maintaining a smooth flow of service. Volunteers may also be assigned to packaging and organizing canned goods, produce or baked goods. Pantry volunteers will receive on-site training during their first volunteer shift. This is a rewarding hands-on volunteer experience that will allow you to directly serve New Yorkers in need.

Requirements

  • Fully vaccinated
  • Able to stand for entire shift and bend, twist and lift up to 10 pounds
  • Committed to volunteering at least once a month

Check-in and Registration Volunteers
NCJW NY is seeking bilingual volunteers who speak English as well as either Spanish, Mandarin or Cantonese in our Monday Food Pantry to check-in and register clients. Volunteers must be comfortable serving a diverse group of pantry guests with a customer service attitude. We need computer literate individuals who are comfortable using an online database, a mobile printer and a QR code scanner. Volunteers will be trained on all specific software and hardware. This is a rewarding hands-on volunteer experience that will allow you to directly serve New Yorkers in need.

Requirements

  • Fully vaccinated
  • Bi-Lingual (English as well as either Spanish, Mandarin or Cantonese)
  • Committed to volunteering at least once a month
  • Computer Literate (comfortable with a computer database, mobile printer and scanning a QR code

If you’re interested in these volunteer positions, contact:
Aviva Zadoff, Director of Advocacy and Volunteer Engagement
azadoff@ncjwny.org
646-884-9466

Children’s Literacy Program Volunteers

NCJW NY is looking for Reading Tutors for its Children’s Literacy Program!

NCJW NY’s Children’s Literacy Program is unique. Our reading tutors work one-on-one with students in grades Kindergarten through 5, who attend after-school programs of partner organizations.  Tutoring takes place once a week, on a mutually designated day.

During each session, tutors and children choose age- and reading level- appropriate books on topics that spark the individual child’s interest. Reading tutors purchase fiction and non-fiction books for their students, entirely funded by NCJW NY. Tutors work with children not only to sound out words but also to explore a character’s emotions or discuss a story’s meaning. Upon completing a book with their tutors, children take their books home for continued enjoyment, creating their own sizable home library over the course of the year. Tutors build a trusting relationship with their students, magnifying the effects of the work they do together.

Tutor Requirements and Expectations:

  • Must commit to participating in the program for the full school year. Tutoring takes place once a week, after school, generally between the hours of 3 PM and 6 PM (typically 4 PM to 5:30 PM).  Tutors can expect to work with approximately 3 or 4 children, who will remain their students for the duration of the school year.  Each child’s tutoring session will typically last from 20 to 30 minutes, depending on the age and attention span of the child.
  • Be fully vaccinated.
  • Submit required paperwork of tutoring site.
  • Be comfortable working with children.

We are currently looking for tutors for the following sites:

  • Union Settlement Rising Stars (located on East 103rd St. btwn. 2nd and 3rd Avenue)
  • University Settlement Campos Plaza (located on East 13th St btwn. Avenue B and C)
  • Lincoln Square Neighborhood Center (located on West 65th St. btwn, Amsterdam and West End Avenue)

If you’re interested in these volunteer positions, contact:
Aviva Zadoff, Director of Advocacy and Volunteer Engagement
azadoff@ncjwny.org
646-884-9466

Community Kitchen Volunteers

The Community Kitchen is bringing back indoor dining!

For the first time since 2020, we are thrilled to bring back indoor dining to our twice-weekly Community Kitchen. We are so excited to welcome our Community Kitchen clients back inside the Council House café for a full meal service, and we need your help to make it happen.

Volunteers will help set up tables, pack to-go bags, welcome our clients inside, and serve hot meals.

Shifts available:

Sunday Kitchen
9:30 a.m.- 10:30 a.m. Volunteers in this timeslot will pack to-go bags for clients. Children under 16 are allowed to accompany their parents/guardians during this timeslot only.

10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Volunteers in this timeslot will serve meals to Community Kitchen clients. Volunteers must be 16 or older.

Wednesday Kitchen
3 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. Volunteers in this timeslot will pack to-go bags for clients and serve meals to Community Kitchen clients. Volunteers must be 16 or older.

Volunteers must be able to stand on their feet for long periods of time and carry trays of food.

The Community Kitchen will be a mask-optional space for both clients and volunteers.

If you’re interested in joining the Community Kitchen as a volunteer or would like to learn more, contact Aviva Zadoff, Director of Advocacy and Volunteer Engagement
azadoff@ncjwny.org or 646-884-9466.