5 Places Where You Can Volunteer in Brewster, NY

As fall festivities, such as Halloween and Thanksgiving, draw closer, you may want to participate in charitable causes and give back to society. What better way to do this than through volunteering? Luckily, there are several places you can volunteer and make a difference this season. With November being the peak volunteer season, you can choose from your pick of different organizations and groups that match your interests and values or try your hand at a new field.

Volunteer organizations can also help you develop new skills depending on the tasks you’ll execute. So, whether you’re looking to join a volunteer program for an animal shelter or a hospital, you can be sure to strengthen your community ties as you serve humanity. Here are some places where you can volunteer around Brewster.

Comfort for Critters

Volunteering at Comfort for Critters may be ideal for you if you’re an animal lover. For the past 15 years, the organization’s focus has been offering animals comfort by donating handmade pet blankets to animal shelters across the country. These blankets provide comfortable beds for pets while also giving them a sense of familiarity at the animal shelter and their forever homes upon adoption. Comfort for Critters also sells eBooks that guide people on how to make pet blankets. Profits from ebook sales cover the cost of blanket shipping to different shelters.

This year, you can volunteer your crafts skills to make pet blankets by knitting, crocheting, sewing, or quilting with yarn and fleece. Comfort for Critters then donates your blankets to the nearest animal shelter, and you can rest assured that the pets are comfortable and warm during these chilly fall months. You can also drop off or ship your blankets by viewing the animal shelters they support or contacting them for further information.

Green Chimneys

Green Chimneys is a 75-year-old non-profit organization that assists young people in achieving their full potential in a supportive environment. This supportive environment provides residential, educational, clinical, and recreational services that connect children to their families, animals, nature, and the community. Set on a farm with gardens and a wildlife center, Green Chimneys has gained global recognition for its animal-assisted therapy and nature-based educational services for children with special needs.

Children work in the gardens as part of the nature-based education program and treatment plan. With many positions available, you can apply for various volunteer roles and opportunities such as child-based, nature-based, single-day, and short-term volunteering. Green Chimneys also provides training for all the positions available. The volunteer period is six months and consists of a minimum of weekly volunteer services.

Second Chance Foods

Every day, a lot of food goes to waste because it isn’t aesthetically pleasing enough to stock in grocery stores or serve in restaurants. Second Chance Foods, a non-profit organization, recovers unsold or unserved foods that are still nutritionally beneficial and distributes them to community outreach organizations that provide meals for those in need. The organization collects food from farms, grocery stores, and restaurants to reduce food wastage and shortages. If you’re interested in such a worthy cause, you can join their team as a volunteer cook.

The only requirements for this volunteer position are a love for cooking and a minimum age of 13. As a volunteer cook, you’ll wash and prepare food, prepare the meals, label them, and clean up and package the meals for distribution to families in need around Brewster. The work schedule is a minimum of two and a half hours on Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday. Apply for this volunteer cook position and get a chance to improve people’s health by working in their kitchen at 116 Federal Hill Road.

SPACE on Ryder Farm

Located at 405 Starr Ridge Road, SPACE on Ryder Farm operates as a non-profit residency program for artists and innovators on an organic farm. SPACE creates a refreshing environment that allows artists and innovators to immerse themselves in their work. The organic farm uses natural methods that restore the soil to produce healthy and nutrient-rich food that feeds the residents on the farm thrice per day. Catering these meals means there needs to be plenty of planting and harvesting that you can participate in by applying for a volunteer position this fall.

Transport Resources Access (TRA)

Senior citizens and people with disabilities often need assistance with navigating the roads for activities such as grocery shopping or attending hospital appointments. This challenge may lead to limited community engagement, but they can live independent and satisfying lives with TRA. TRA is a collaborative, not-for-profit organization that empowers both the elderly and adults with impairments to live to their fullest potential through aided transportation from volunteer drivers.

To volunteer at TRATransport Resources Access, you need to be over 21 years of age and have at least two years of driving experience, have a reliable car, and have a valid driving license. You’ll also need to undertake a criminal history and background check and adhere to all safety protocols while driving. Since this is a vulnerable group, full COVID-19 vaccination is also required. Register as a driver to be part of this compassionate organization or contact them for further information.

Participate in a Volunteering Cause in Brewster

Besides making a difference in the lives of the beneficiaries, volunteering helps you connect with like-minded, compassionate individuals and build meaningful relationships. Volunteering also gives you a chance to learn about an industry or field you’ve probably been curious about for a while.

As a volunteer, you also get fulfillment by engaging in activities that align with your personal values or pique your interest. If you enjoy volunteering, what causes do you prefer and why? Interact with us and share with us those beautiful stories about your experiences. If you’ve never volunteered before but would love to try it, you can also tell us your areas of passion. Also, you can include any volunteer organization around Brewster that you’d like us to add to our list above. We look forward to hearing from you!

Photo Credit: Cat Heaven by Russell C is licensed with CC BY 2.0

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