Quick Links to Events | Press Release | Feedback Survey
President Elect Obama is calling on citizens across the country to volunteer at (non-partisan) community service events in their neighborhoods for the weekend of Saturday January 17th through Monday January 19th, 2009 to celebrate the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
UlsterCorps is compiling a list of open houses, volunteer training sessions, and other service events. We are providing links to on-line RSVP forms, and encourage you to spread the word to generate press attention and most of all, to generate new volunteers for this first annual event.
Please continue to check back to this page as the list keeps growing. Click on the links below for more information and RSVP options. (Please do RSVP even if you MIGHT attend)
Please consider bringing a donation with you, or if you only have a few minutes just stopping by one of the FAMILY walk-in centers or food pantries listed below to drop off a donation. Donations of COATS and also CANNED FRUIT and JELLY greatly appreciated.
Volunteers are especially needed Monday to help with painting at FAMILY’s MidWay of Kingston – Supervised Transitional Housing in Kingston and moving furniture at FAMILY’s MidWay in Ellenville, and in the FAMILY of Ellenville Food Pantry.
SERVICE DAY EVENTS
Queens Galley Soup Kitchen
Monday, January 19th, 7am-6pm
254 Washington Avenue
Queens Galley Soup Kitchen needs volunteers to help preparing and serving meals at each of three shifts – 7-9am, 11am-1pm (full), and 4-6pm. Additional help/service projects available throughout the day.
http://www.queensgalley.org/
Click to RSVP
Ulster YouthBuild Partnership
Monday, January 19th, 9am-3pm
Ulster Youthbuild Partnership will be having an AmeriCorps Service Learning component day on MLK Day. We will continue constructing a very elaborate Teen Center at our local YMCA. The center will be a place for local teens to hang out (instead of on the street) where they will have access to state of the art video games, TV, etc.
http://www.youthbuild.org/
Click to RSVP
FAMILY Open Houses & Service Projects
All three of FAMILY’s Walk-in centers will have open houses on January 19th as part of the National Day of Service. Stop by anytime between 10am and 2pm to see the facility, learn about FAMILY’s many programs and volunteer opportunities, and lend a hand. FAMILY’s residential facilities for teens, MidWay & FAMILY House, will also be hosting open house/service projects. Please RSVP for specific events below. Click to read an article about MidWay.
Since 1970, FAMILY has been an anchor for area residents– a place where people are respectful and caring, and where the search for solutions is creative and tireless. FAMILY’s shelters, emergency food pantries, court advocates, counseling and case management services, hotlines, and child care supports all work together to help people achieve the changes they seek.
http://www.familyofwoodstock.org/
• FAMILY of Ellenville
Open House & Service Project 10am-2pm –
Program Director Lisa Cavanaugh will speak at 10am. Help is needed 1/19 in the food pantry.
Click to RSVP
221 Canal Street
Ellenville, NY 12428
(845) 647-2443
• FAMILY of New Paltz
Open House 10am-2pm – Program Director Kathy Cartagena will be speaking at noon about FAMILY’s work in the community and upcoming volunteer opportunities.
Click to RSVP
51 North Chestnut Street
New Paltz, NY 12561
(845) 255-8801
• FAMILY of Woodstock
Open House & Service Project 10am-2pm – Click to RSVP
16 Rock City Road
Woodstock, NY 12498
(845) 679-2485 / 338-2370
• FAMILY House – Short-term Shelter for Teens
Open House 10am-2pm – Program Director Cynthia Bennett will speak about the program and how you can help at 11am.
Click to RSVP
949 Creek Locks Road
Rosendale, NY
(845) 338-5953
• MidWay of Ellenville – Supervised Transitional Housing
Open House & Service Project 9am-5pm – help needed Monday with moving furniture
Click to RSVP
3 Warren Street
Ellenville, NY 12428
(845) 647-1346
• MidWay of Kingston – Supervised Transitional Housing
Open House & Service Project 9am-5pm – Program Director Kimmer Gifford will speak about Midway and the many ways you can help at 11am and 2pm. Help needed all day with painting.
Click to RSVP
189 O’Neil Street
Kingston, NY 12401
(845) 339-5508
Projects we could use help with include painting all kids’ rooms and offices, gardening/landscaping in the spring, driving kids to laundry services, grocery shopping, job opportunities, medical appointments, etc. tutoring, both college level and high school, any extra curricular activities in the community, like movies, meals, theater, parks, swimming, etc. Kitchen repairs are desperately needed in Midway I (Kingston), including creating more shelf space and repairing the cabinets.
Both Midway I and II will have a case manager available between the hours of 9-5 on Monday. I will be at Midway I (Kingston) throughout the day to assist.
Kimmer Gifford, MSW
Program Director of Adolescent Services and MidWay
Family of Woodstock, Inc.
(845) 331-7080
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Ulster County Open House
Monday, January 19th, 10am-1pm
95 Grand St., Kingston, NY – (845) 338-0431
Since 1977, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Ulster County has been helping children to reach their potential through professionally supported mentoring relationships.
http://www.bigbrothersbigsistersulster.org/
Click to RSVP
Sustainable Hudson Valley Open House/Design Blitz
Monday, January 19th, 9am-3pm
400 Stockade Drive, Kingston, NY 12401 (845) 331-2670
http://www.sustainhv.org/
9am-10am – Open House
Executive Director Melissa Everett will outline the work of Sustainable Hudson Valley to help communities reduce their environmental footprint, adapt to climate change in ways that improve quality of life and help restore the environment – and in the process create good green jobs. SHV coordinates and supports big partnerships to help bridge between regional vision and local action. Skilled volunteers are always needed to work on research, publications, event promotion and database management. Melissa will outline specific ways to get involved with SHV’s projects in your local community, or in their Kingston office.
10am-3pm – Graphic Design Blitz
Volunteers with a background in design, architecture, media are needed for a roundtable of creatives to brainstorm visual displays, materials about programs listed above, a media kit, and a walk-around exhibit – bring your laptops, sketchpads, poster making materials, your ideas & energy. Copy will be available (and critique-able) – we need to jazz up the presentation.
We’ll progress as far as possible with actual creation of key materials, then delegate next steps and have a follow up session a week or so later to see what people come up with! The goal is a fast-track completion of upgraded display, exhibit and handout materials! Please RSVP and let us know your skills/expertise. 10 volunteers total.
10am-3pm – Database Help
More left-brained? There’s plenty for you to do too! There are 2 computers available for data entry – please RSVP for 10am-12:30pm or 12:30-3pm shifts. 4 volunteers total.
Click to RSVP
Video: 2009 is a Watershed Year for “Green” Initiatives
(2009-01-19) – Taken at MLK Service Day by UlsterCorps volunteer Joanee Tarshis
Melissa Everett of Sustainable Hudson Valley speaks about the exciting opportunities ahead for Hudson Valley and “going green” effectively (2009-01-19).
High Falls Fire Department Open House
1-3pm, Mon., Jan. 19, One Firehouse Road, High Falls,N.Y. 12440 (in the heart of High Falls; turn onto 2nd Street between the Depuy Canal House and the High Falls Cafe and go all the way up the road)
Potential volunteers and interested citizens can stop by to see how emergency first responders in Ulster County protect life, property and the environment through prevention, education, emergency medical and fire services. Interested in becoming a fire fighter or first aid responder? This is a great opportunity to find out what the volunteer job involves. No time commitment is too small in emergency response volunteering–it takes all of our efforts big and small together.
Click to RSVP
People’s Place Food Pantry
Monday January 19th, 10:30am-1pm
773 Broadway, Kingston
Peter Quinlin (Director, People’s Place) is delighted to have volunteers come to People’s Place on Service Day. The best time would be at 10:30am. In addition to learning about the operation of People’s Place and what it entails to be a volunteer at this wonderful resource, participants will assist with assembling “pre-packed” items. These bags are put together in advance so that if there should be an unexpected, large demand for goods, they are ready to go out the door upon need.
While daily volunteers are typically finished 1:00 pm, Peter will also make himself available at 1:30 if there are any potential volunteers/visitors interested in learning about People’s Place and would prefer to attend at this time on January 19th.
Click to RSVP (event if full – please consider an alternate volunteer opportunity)
American Red Cross – Ulster County Chapter Blood Drive
Tuesday, January 20th, 11:30am – 5pm
St. James United Methodist Church, 35 Pearl Street, Kingston, NY
Click to RSVP
American Red Cross – Ulster County Chapter – Open House
Friday Jan. 23 10am-12pm
21 O’Neil Street, Kingston
845-338-7020
Please stop by the Ulster Red Cross offices in Kingston between 10am and noon on Friday January 23rd for an open house to learn more about the organization, volunteer opportunities & workshops. UC Red Cross has been serving Ulster County since 1908 with Disaster Relief, Armed Forces Emergency Communications, Utility Assistance, Referral Services, International and Holocaust Tracing Services. Providing quality education in CPR, first aid, aquatic skills, lifeguarding, HIV/AIDS prevention and disaster preparedness.
http://www.ulsterredcross.org/
Click to RSVP
Ulster Literacy Association Tutor Training Workshop
Wed: Jan 21, Th: Jan 22, Fri: Jan 23 Snow date: Tues: Jan 27
8:30-3:30 on all dates
635 Broadway, Kingston, 331-6837
This workshop is to train adult volunteers to work in a one-to-one tutoring situation with adults who want to improve their reading and writing skills. There is a fee of $20.00 to cover the cost of material and handouts. This is due at the time you sign up for a specific workshop. Download Tutor Application form to mail to us, or just give us a call at 331-6837 to sign up.
http://www.ulsterliteracy.org/
Video, Casandra Beam, CEO
(2009-01-25) – Taken at the Tutor Training Workshop by UlsterCorps volunteer Joanee Tarshis
RSVP
Open house on Thursday 1/22/08, 9am-3:30pm
At the BRC Room 108, One Development Court, Kingston
845-339-2181
Through RSVP, adults age 55 and older receive unique opportunities to share their life skills and experience to help improve the lives of their neighbors. Now celebrating 30 years of service, RSVP is a one-of-a-kind network that offers adults a wide variety of ways to volunteer, from tutoring and mentoring children, counseling small businesses, assisting at health clinics, to teaching others to use the internet. Other RSVP volunteers distribute food to their community’s homeless or volunteer at a variety of one-time local events.
(details will follow)
http://people.sunyulster.edu/RSVP/
Click to RSVP
UCSPCA New Volunteer Orientation
Thursday, Jan. 22, 5-6pm
UCSPCA Shelter, 20 Wiedy Road, Kingston, NY
An overview of the Ulster County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animal Shelter’s mission and how you can help, working with cats and dogs and other animals in need. Topics include a tour of the Shelter, dog-walking for shelter dogs, humane education and school programs, and fundraising event planning. For more information, contact 845-331-5377.
http://www.ucspca.org/
Click to RSVP
Resource Center for Accessible Living
The Resource Center for Accessible Living (RCAL) in Kingston is a non-profit, community based service and advocacy organization whose purpose is to assist and empower disabled individuals in Ulster County, of all ages, to live independently and participate in all aspects of community life. We are planning a February get-together for prospective volunteers to learn more about opportunities to advocate on behalf of disability issues. As soon as a time is set, it will be posted on this site.
http://www.rcal.org/