Long Term Opportunities & Special Service Projects & Programs
We regularly promote and create new service projects, but there are some projects that are ongoing, or look for volunteers at certain times each year. Below are some great ways to get involved with an ongoing, sustainable service efforts!
Open Door Exchange is an outreach program of the Setauket Presbyterian Church that seeks to redistribute good quality furniture to those in need. They accept donations of essential household furnishings and offer them free of charge to individuals who need assistance turning their living space into a comfortable home. We partner with other Long Island nonprofits, who refer recipients to us. Rather than being unnecessarily discarded, good furniture is given new life, benefiting both our neighbors and our environment. Their warehouse is located in Port Jefferson Station. Individuals and families referred to Open Door Exchange can make an appointment to come to the warehouse and choose the furniture that they need. We offer the dignity of selecting one’s own furnishings.
Ways that you can volunteer include:
• Go on a pick-up run. At least twice a month, we send a group of volunteers out into the community to pick-up donated furniture from homes. We handle all the scheduling and will provide you with a volunteer coordinator for the day. You provide a group of energetic volunteers! It's a great time, great exercise, and a great team-building opportunity!
• Work in the warehouse. Furniture moves in and out of our warehouse very quickly. We need lots of help receiving donations, cleaning furniture, deciding how to organize it, and greeting clients. Our warehouse offers hands-on service experience with or without heavy lifting!
• Administrative assistance. Can you type information into a simple database? Do you enjoy writing thank you letters, designing promotional materials, or making phone calls? We’d love your help!
• Grant writing. We do not charge for any of our services, so we rely entirely on grants and contributions to support our work. If you have strong writing skills or experience in grant writing, you can help us keep our doors open!
Audubon has built a legacy of conservation success by mobilizing the strength of its network of members, chapters, Audubon centers, state offices, and dedicated professional staff to connect people with nature and the power to protect it.
A powerful combination of science, education, and policy expertise combine in efforts ranging from protection and restoration of local habitats to the implementation of policies that safeguard birds, other wildlife, and the resources that sustain us all—in the U.S. and across the Americas.
Sunrise on Wheels is a truly heartwarming and exciting year-round project to have come out of our Sunrise Day Camp summer program, bringing the day camp experience right into the Pediatric Hematology/Oncology departments of many of our affiliated hospitals.
Throughout the year, so many of our Sunrise campers spend countless hours sitting in the waiting rooms of their outpatient clinics, or even longer days and weeks as an inpatient, anticipating lab work, checkups, chemotherapy and medical treatment. This experience can be long, monotonous, and even frightening; a powerful counterpoint to the laughter and joy of a Sunrise program.
In February 2009, the Friedberg JCC piloted this innovative program at Cohen Children’s Medical Center. We now have expanded to twelve hospital outreach programs, servicing hundreds upon hundreds of children each week.
Sunrise on Wheels’ trained volunteers and staff are now rolling our signature rainbow camp trunk filled with toys, puzzles, games, arts and crafts, and special surprises into inpatient and outpatient units. We bring to these children classic games such as Uno, Spot It and Let's Go Fishing. As the children dig deeper into the magical trunk, they find board games such as Candy Land, Chutes and Ladders, Head Banz, Othello, Connect 4 and Trouble. Reach into the trunk even further, and arts and crafts supplies like coloring books, stickers, Rainbow Loom, duct tape, markers, and paints will burst through to the surface. There are quiet games for individual children and daily group activities so everyone can play together. Sunrise on Wheels also offers an extra special themed art project each week for the children, coinciding with holidays and special events. Our magical trunk is constantly changing, and our children and families continue to be surprised at every new Sunrise on Wheels session.
Sunrise on Wheels has been tremendously received by hospital staff, families and children. We hope to expand the program to many more of our affiliated hospitals, taking the anticipation and anxiousness of a long clinic day and magically changing it into a day of games, fun and smiles for as many children as possible.
If you would like to learn more about Sunrise on Wheels, please contact:
Bonnie Flatow, Senior Vice President for Hospital and Community Services, Sunrise Association
516-634-4158 or bonnie.flatow@sunriseassociation.org
Sunrise on Wheels hospital outreach programs are currently being offered at the following affiliated hospitals:
*****Stony Brook University Hospital*****
Cohen Children’s Medical Center
Hackensack University Medical Center
Kravis Children’s Hospital at Mount Sinai Medical Center
Maimonides Medical Center
Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital at Westchester Medical Center Health Network
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
New York-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital
NYU/Langone Medical Center
Rambam Medical Center-Israel
Soroka Medical Center-Israel
Stephen D. Hassenfeld Children’s Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders at NYU Langone
Island Harvest Food Bank is a leading hunger-relief organization that provides food and other resources to people in need.
Island Harvest has a variety of positions available, click here for more information and to apply!
Social Media-- Work with Development Director on social media strategies and implementation. Help maintain FSL’s presence on social media networking sites. Research current & trending topics. Create & design compelling social media posts. Five to 8 hours per week in Huntington. Courses in Marketing/Social Media preferred. Send resume to mwinterle@fsl-li.org.
Film Student to produce videos of our programs for use on FSL’s website and at FSL events.
Travel to our various offices to see programs in action. Set up conversations with clients and their case managers. Be creative. Flexible.
Operation Success – Assist in FSL’s Homework Help and Tutoring after-school program at our Family Centers in Huntington Station, Bay Shore, and Riverhead, September through May.
ESL Tutoring Program- – Help teach English to adult immigrants at our Bay Shore Family Center. Tutors range from 20 year old college students to business professionals to retired teachers. Two-hour classes, mornings or evenings, once a week after completing 4-hour training program.
Recess - This is a recreational program for children from ages 7 to 13 who are coping with mental illness. Sessions are scheduled for Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. to 12:30 a.m. in
Bay Shore, Bellport, Blue Point, and Riverhead. Volunteers assist with activities such as arts and crafts, games, and outings.
Computer Literacy - Do you have great computer skills? Why not help others learn or upgrade their PC skills by assisting our instructors in coaching adult students using web-based teaching programs? Classes are held weekdays in Bay Shore (using Microsoft Office 2010) and in Huntington (using Microsoft Office 2003). Bilingual English/Spanish is highly desirable in Huntington. Programs are ongoing and volunteer schedules are flexible.
Preschool Aides – Do you love interacting with preschool children? Volunteer to assist teachers who are helping to mold young minds through our Universal Pre-K programs in Bay Shore, Bellport, Huntington, Laurel, and Mineola. Morning and afternoon programs begin the first week of September and continue throughout the school year. Scheduling is flexible.
Lead- Assist in promoting skill-building and group interaction with teens 14 to 18 with mental and behavioral health issues. The objective is to develop their leadership and mentoring skills to help younger children with mental health diagnosis.
Translators – Do you speak Spanish, European Portuguese, Croatian, Haitian Creole or Afghanistan Pashto? Volunteer to help interpret the needs of families that speak other languages but little English. Days and times are flexible at our Family Centers in Bay Shore and Huntington.
Kidnastics—Help youngsters 6—13 who are on the autism spectrum engage in a wide array of physical activities including trampoline and balance beam and make friends through games and crafts. Center Moriches
Ombudservice (Services and Advocacy for Seniors) - Make a difference in the lives of your neighbors who live in Suffolk County’s long-term care homes. Volunteers are trained as advocates for residents living in nursing homes, adult care homes, and family-type homes. Volunteer ombudspersons visit an assigned home once a week to help residents and their families understand and exercise their rights to quality care and quality of life. Watch for upcoming training dates. Call 631-470-6755 for more information about becoming an ombudsperson volunteer.
Thrift Shop – Help price, sort, display, and sell donated clothing and household goods in Huntington.
Family Centers – Volunteers engage and instruct children — in preschools, with homework help programs, and as tutors/mentors.
Children and Parents Together (CAPT) – Volunteers assist with infants and preschool children while parents with mental health issues learn better parenting skills.
Operations—Use your strong analytical and writing skills to help with special projects in our Operations and office management departments.
Special Events – Volunteers work on one or more of FSL’s exciting fundraising event committees.
Clerical – Volunteers with office and computer skills can help out for a few hours a week at one of our 21 offices doing general clerical work.
Project T.O.Y. (Treasure Our Youth) – Join us in bringing holiday happiness to more than 2000 children this December. Beginning in October, help us collect donations of toys and gifts from various businesses, banks and corporations. You also can help by coordinating your own toy collections in your neighborhood or at your business, club or other group. Gift cards and financial donations are needed as well as toys. In December, lend a hand picking up donated toys and bringing them to our distribution centers. Volunteers also help set up “shopping” areas, assist parents in choosing age-appropriate gifts and wrap gifts before parents take them home.
Contact Mary Winterle, Coordinator of Volunteer Services, at mwinterle@fsl-li.org. or 631-470-6773
“I will just say that this camp was one of my single greatest growing experiences as a young adult.“ - CKSB Counselor
“Camp means everything to me. I can be with my friends and not have to worry and I love being with the counselors. It is an escape from pain. I can be myself for a while and just feel free. I get so scared for my mum, but at Camp Kesem I can just be me.” - CKSB Camper
“Being able to see the impact our counselors make in the lives of our campers and their families makes doing what I do for Camp Kesem worth every moment.” - CKSB Counselor
SBU Hospital is always seeking volunteers to assist with various tasks in different departments! No matter what your major or future career goals are volunteers can volunteer in the SBU hospital! Volunteer positions can vary from administrative type work to interacting with patients.
Volunteers who can commit to a minimum of three hours a week for at least eight months or a total of 100 hours are encouraged to apply!
No car required! SBU Hospital is within walking distance! Interested? Visit Stony Brook University Hospital Volunteers for more information!Ongoing and one-time opportunities available!
Student groups and individuals welcome! No car required!
Help the Therapeutic Recreation Department to implement the philosophy of “Food and Fun!” They believe that enjoying life and being engaged are very important and that you are never too old to learn new things. You can assist by helping residents stay active in the community, and engaged in life. There are a wide variety of recreation programs offered, you can help by encouraging and motivating residents to attend and participate. You may also provide residents with assistance to and from programs. Opportunities range from games, crafts, exercising, walking, entertainment, community day trips, and more. Projects can include one on one projects or group projects. One example of a one on one project is creating small wood projects which may include assisting with assembling, sanding, and or painting. Fine motor skills and good vision is a must for a project like this.
There are many different ways to volunteer at the LI State Veteran’s Home! Student groups can sign up to volunteer as a student group. To view more information or to submit an application visit LISVH Volunteer Services.
The Campus Community Emergency Response Team (C-CERT) is an off-shoot of FEMA’s Citizen Corps’ CERT program, designed to mold CERT’s basic principles to an academic institution setting. CERTs are formed by members of a community who want to be better prepared for the hazards that threaten their area. Initially, CERT programs were developed to assist communities in taking care of themselves in the aftermath of a major disaster when first responders are overwhelmed or unable to respond because of communication or transportation difficulties. Students, faculty, and staff can participate!
According to LI Blood Services, there is an especially short supply of type O positive and type O negative blood inventory. SBUMC is reflecting this shortage and strongly encourages donations asap. When blood is donated at Stony Brook, it is given directly to a patient in need in the hospital. To give blood, donors must be between 17 and 75, weigh at least 110 pounds, and be in general good health. Even people on blood pressure and cholesterol medications with conditions under control and insulin-taking diabetics can give blood.Contact: Stony Brook University Medical Center’s Volunteer Office »
Donate one hour of your time to serve food at a local soup kitchen near your home or near Stony Brook University. Volunteer with family members, significant others, friends or colleagues. This is your chance to directly impact a population greatly in need. Volunteering at a local soup kitchen is easy, convenient, and rewarding. If you are interested in volunteering, Contact Us. Please be sure to include your full name, phone number, and email address in your inquiry. We have soup kitchens available on Long Island and in New York City.
The VITA Program offers free tax help to low to moderate income persons. Volunteers help prepare basic tax returns in communities across the country. Vita sites throughout Long Island are located at community centers, libraries, schools and other convenient locations. For information on how to get trained as a VITA volunteer, Contact