New York Junior League to complete 115 non-stop hours of community work in NYC to celebrate 115 year

NEW YORK - Oct. 6, 2016 - PRLog -- Working with 27 local, non-profit, community focused organizations throughout New York City, volunteers from the New York Junior League (NYJL) will perform community work non-stop for 115 hours starting Friday, October 14 at 9:00 a.m. and ending Wednesday, October 19 at 6:00 a.m. For 115 years NYJL volunteers have tackled critical, social challenges in NYC with hands-on community programs and advocacy efforts targeted at human trafficking, foster care, domestic violence, juvenile justice, teen self-esteem, literacy, among others.

For the Around the Community, Around the Clock initiative NYJL volunteers will work with the Red Cross to clean, sanitize and disinfect cots that have been used in shelters so they are ready for future needs; build 500 kits that will be sent to the Armed Forces; answer calls in the Red Cross's Emergency Control Center, which dispatches aid teams to assist New Yorkers in emergency situations; and ride along with the Red Cross's Disaster Action Team to provide comfort and direct assistance to help New Yorkers who are in a time of disaster.

"We are so grateful to the New York Junior League for standing beside us and helping us to deliver our critical mission to local residents across New York. This is truly an amazing way to commemorate their 115 year old legacy of service and we are proud to be their partner as they help us to be  there 24/7 for our neighbors in need," said Josh Lockwood, Regional CEO, American Red Cross Greater New York Region.

Continuing the New York Junior League's more than 25 year partnership with the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation, approximately 120 NYJL volunteers will complete the revitalization of Marcus Garvey Park that the NYJL started earlier this year. Projects include revitalizing playground equipment, park benches, and park fences; clearing, reseeding, planting, and mulching flowerbeds and lawns; purchasing Bigbelly solar trash cans; restoring basketball courts; and renovating and building fire pits and barbeque areas.

Located in Harlem, Marcus Garvey Park sits on about 20 acres. To date, the NYJL has revitalized 23 parks for the benefit of New Yorkers.

Other community partners for the Around the Community, Around the Clock initiative include the following:

• Win, an organization that provides shelter for more than 4,700 people, including more than 2,600 children;
• AVON 39, a division of the Avon Breast Cancer Crusade, which focuses on care and seeks to help people across the continuum of breast cancer;
• God's Love We Deliver, an organization that prepares and delivers nutritious meals to people who are unable to provide or prepare meals for themselves because they are living with HIV/AIDS, cancer, and other serious illness;
• Stanley M. Isaacs Neighborhood Center, a non-profit, multi-service organization focusing on the needs of children and low-income families, out-of-school and out-of-work youth, and aging New Yorkers including isolated and homebound elderly;
• Ansche Chesed men's homeless shelter, which provides male guests a safe place to wash, eat, relax, and sleep 365 days a year;
• and the Friend's Seminary Shelter, which provides shelter and hospitality for homeless people at the Friends Meeting House in Manhattan.

The Around the Community, Around the Clock initiative is the first of its kind for the New York Junior League. The organization invites New Yorkers with a passion for volunteerism to sign up and join NYJL volunteers for Around the Community, Around the Clock projects. Community Senior Council Head Nicole Pappas Ferrin says, "We are thrilled to be working with so many of our wonderful partners to highlight the work that our organization does. This project is the culmination of a labor of love for the New York Junior League as we celebrate 115 years of service in the community. When an organization like the NYJL seeks to make lasting change in a community, our projects need deep roots and wide support and the number of partners we have working with us is a testament to the work we can accomplish."

NYJL President Suzanne Manning adds that "For the past 115 years the New York Junior League has been committed to improving the New York City community through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers, so we couldn't think of a better way to celebrate this milestone than by doing what we love—community service to New York City—around the clock for 115 continuous hours! We are delighted to be supporting so many of our different community partner organizations throughout this initiative and we invite anyone who shares our passion for improving the New York City community to join us."

About the New York Junior League:

The New York Junior League (NYJL) is an organization of women committed to promoting volunteerism, developing the potential of women, and improving communities through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. Since 1901, the NYJL has been a leader in identifying and responding to unmet community needs. Through direct service, collaborations with other community organizations and advocacy, the NYJL provides a positive force for change within the communities it serves.

Each year more than 2,800 trained volunteers donate more than 250,000 hours of their time to better the lives of women and children in New York City. The NYJL works with more than 30 community- based organizations and public agencies to deliver services and assistance directly to women and children in need.

https://www.nyjl.org/around-community-around-clock/