Riis Settlement and City Year Partner for Two Service Days!

On Saturday, November 12th, City Year teamed up with Joint School Activities, a non-profit created by the Parent Associations of Independent Schools in Manhattan and Riverdale, and Students for Service, a non-profit that provides service-learning opportunities to New York City high school students, to perform their third annual Service Day at Riis Settlement. A total of 33 volunteers made up of high school students, parents, administrators and 16 City Year members participated in the event. After lunch, City Year opened started the day with calisthenics warm ups as well as opening statements from City Year member Ylia Wilson, Gary Anthony of Riis Settlement and City Year’s Diana Vining, Recruitment Outreach Manager, who discussed the opportunities that the organization’s service opportunities for high school graduates interested in taking a “gap year” before attending college. The volunteers quickly set to work on painting the cafeteria, which had been prepared earlier by City Year. Additionally, volunteers helped re-organize the classrooms used by the after-school and weekend programs. At the end of the day, the volunteers had an opportunity to reflect on their work that afternoon. In recognition of JSA’s efforts and Riis Settlement’s commitment to the Western Queens community, we were awarded the Hammer of Service Award for our contributions. We thank them for giving up their Saturday mornings to volunteer and we hope to continue working with JSA in the future!

On Friday, November 18th, City Year also partnered up with Global Infrastructure Partners, a company that owns and invests in energy, transport and water and waste facilities in developed countries, to have a service day at Riis Settlement. A total of 17 GIP volunteers participated in painting a mural on the stage, building and painting cubbies for the classrooms and benches for the community garden. Riis Settlement Executive Director Bill Newlin opened up the day by thanking the volunteers for their service and City Year engaged them in calisthenics. After all projects were completed Mark Levitt, Chief Operating Officer of Global Infrastructure Partners and three GIP volunteers were asked to reflect on their service. Jonah Gensler, Riis Settlement Associate Executive Director, closed the program by thanking GIP for helping to build benches, cubbies and painting the stage. In recognition of our service, City Year awarded Riis Settlement and Global Infrastructure Partners the Hammer of Service Award for our contributions. For their efforts we thank City Year and GIP and look forward to working with them in the future!