Soup Angels volunteers collect donations at a Nyack Street Fair in 2024. Photo by Andrea B. Swenson.
Helping the Unhoused
The Nyack Homeless Project is a nonprofit organization that welcomes donations and volunteers. While you can volunteer in person, you can also start a virtual fundraiser or make a financial donation. The money is used to purchase warm clothing and food for people in need in our community. Information about specific dates and volunteer hours is listed on their website.
Soup Angels, a local food kitchen, is another organization to consider. According to their website, Soup Angels’ goal is “to provide a free, hot, nutritious meal to anyone who needs a meal in the Nyack area, no questions asked.” You can help out when you’re 12, but if you’re 12 to 16 years old an adult has to accompany you. Volunteering is on Mondays and Wednesdays at various times for different tasks, including sandwich-making, food prep, setup, and serving meals. My friends and I volunteered for the meal-serving portion. We enjoyed giving back and helping out. It gave us a chance to practice serving people food in a formal setting, and was an enjoyable experience in general.
Caring for Cats, Dogs, and Small Animals
If you like animals, Hi-Tor Animal Shelter may be a good choice, though the closest location is in New City. To participate in their dog-walking and training program, you must be at least 18. To assist in cat care and small animal programs, you have to be 16 or older, and 16–17 year olds must have a parent or guardian with them at orientation. They request that volunteers put in at least two hours per week. Hi-Tor tries to offer different options for younger teens, too, and teens can hold fundraisers and donate to the shelter directly.
Stepping Up at School
You can give back to your school, too. Nyack High School (NHS) and the Nyack School District offer community service opportunities for their students. NHS Coffee Houses feature live music and spoken-word events at the school and sell food and beverages. They have many volunteer positions for setup, cleanup, and selling refreshments. All proceeds go to the school, and volunteer hours can also contribute to the Tri-M Honors Society, which is also known as the Music Honors Society. Some of the elementary schools also invite older students to volunteer at their Halloween Trunk or Treat events. And NHS sports teams each have days to volunteer as a group at a local organization. This is highly recommended for students.
Lending a Hand at Libraries
Also, both Nyack Library and Valley Cottage Library offer several ways to help out. Nyack School District students in grades 6–12 can volunteer at the Nyack Library by signing up on its website. Students help to keep the library clean, prepare crafts, and assist in children’s programs. While these positions are limited at times, it’s a good experience to have.
Valley Cottage Library offers multiple volunteering options. If you like to knit or crochet, you can donate a scarf or hat to receive 10 community service hours. Each student is limited to two items, which you can drop off between September and March. Valley Cottage Library also has a “Create a Library Program,” which invites NHS students to start their own program to earn community service hours. Students in grades 6–12 can also submit book reviews for Valley Cottage Library’s teen blog. Each review earns one hour of community service.
Giving to Others Gives Back, Too
There are different benefits for various age groups. In Nyack Middle School, ten hours of community service hours grants a student a Community Service Merit. This is similar to the Honor Rolls, and the volunteer hours also contribute to the Principal’s List. Alternatively, in high school, community service hours are mostly requested from honor societies. But for every 60 hours of community service completed, students receive one high school credit.
I’ve volunteered at nearly all of the programs I’ve listed. Given that I’m an only child, helping in the children’s programs gave me more experience working with kids. Volunteering at the Nyack Homeless Project and Soup Angels were both equally fun times and left me feeling fulfilled from helping out.
Community service hours can help with college applications, and they make you a more well-rounded person.
Sasha Weintraub is a 9th grader at Nyack High School who likes writing, art, and music.
