Volunteer Opportunities & Scholarships
Vanguardians who volunteer 100+ service hours will graduate with a NYC DOE Seal of Service on their diploma. Students with Seals of Service will stand out in college or technical school applications. Volunteers are also eligible for specialized scholarships for students with community, civic, and service experience! See Charan in Room 406 to pick-up a form to track your service hours! NYC Service Hours Tracker
Juneteenth NYC 2025!
(3 Day Event) (Ages 14-18)
Be part of something unforgettable! For 15 years, Juneteenth NYC has brought culture, history, and celebration to the heart of New York. Now, we’re gearing up for our16th Annual Juneteenth NYC 3-Day Event in 2025, and we want YOU to be a part of it!
Why Volunteer? 🌟
🔹 Exclusive VIP Access – Get a behind-the-scenes look before the crowds arrive!
🔹 Free Meals – Enjoy complimentary breakfast, lunch, or dinner (depending on your shift).
🔹 Official Juneteenth NYC Volunteer T-shirt – Rock your volunteer pride in style!
🔹 Hands-On Event Management Experience – Boost your resume and learn valuable skills.
🔹 Community Impact – Build lasting connections while making a difference!
Full Details Here // Register to apply for NYC Service // NYC Service Members Can Apply Here!!
COMBO Playdate 2025 Event Volunteers
All Ages Welcomed!
COMBO Playdate is an annual block party event that unites mothers and families who gave birth during COVID-19 pandemic. The goal is to enhance family health, promote infant development, and improve overall quality of life—all while providing a fun and memorable experience!
Volunteers will play a key role in greeting and assisting attendees, supporting activity stations and workshops, helping to create a smooth event. Your energy will make all the difference for families! A short training session will be provided (virtual or in-person) so you feel prepared for the event!
Food Volunteers at Refettorio Harlem
Join our Free Food family of volunteers at Refettorio Harlem. It is a great way to give back to those who in need, meet new people and have fun at the same time. We’re so grateful for all our Volunteers who have given their time to our team and guests, past and present.
Volunteers can help in many different ways (food kitchen, dining, event planning, influencing, and more) You pick your volunteer days/times.
Become a volunteer if:
You care about issues around food poverty and social vulnerability and share our passion for reducing food waste.
You can commit to attending to the shift schedules. Maintaining consistency and stability for our guests is key.
You are a proactive person who wants to work in a team to engage with the local community and support the project by giving your time and skills.
Location: 37 W 119th St, New York, NY 10026
More Info // Sign-up Form to Volunteer at Refettorio Harlem
Gardening Event @ Citywide Nursery (Bronx)
NYC Service Volunteers Ages 13+
Join the NYC Parks Stewardship Team at the Citywide Nursery for a hands-on gardening experience where you’ll help pot up perennials into larger grow pots and maintain our plant hoop houses—crucial work that supports the city’s green spaces! No experience is needed; our knowledgeable staff will guide you every step of the way.
NYC Service requires everyone to register & create a profile with NYC Service!! If you don’t have an NYC Service account: Register for NYC Service Here
Event Details: April 2nd from 9:00am-12:00pm at Citywide Nursery: 4477 Van Cortlandt Park E, Bronx, NY 10470
NYC Service Members Sign-up Here // New Members Register Here
Garden Renewal Project with Uptown Boogie
Join Uptown Boogie for a hands-on volunteer and membership day as St Nicholas Miracle Community Garden prepares for the next growing season!
NYC Service requires everyone to register & create a profile with NYC Service!! If you don’t have an NYC Service account: Register for NYC Service Here
Event Details: April 2nd from 9:00am-12:00pm at St Nicholas Miracle Community Garden:
NYC Service Members Sign-up Here // New Members Register Here
OnPoint NYC
(Ages 14-18)
OnPoint is offering a partnership volunteer opportunity for Vanguard Students! If you’re interested in gaining volunteer experience and community service hours, fill out the interest form below before February 2025!
Anyone who completes this form will be notified about next steps. Students will get training so they can volunteer in programs like harm reduction kit packing, community syringe cleanups, resume workshops & more.
Turn Up! Activism Volunteer Opportunity
(Community Service Award Eligible) (9th-12th Grade)
Youth Activism: REMOTE INTERNSHIP
TurnUp Activism is a progressive non-profit organization dedicated to making our nation more just, fair, and equitable for all by increasing youth activism and civic engagement to strengthen our democracy.
TurnUp Interns determine which days/hours they would like to volunteer (5-30 hours per week) and will receive benefits like: Meet other young people to participate in activism and learn civics, bolster your resume, earn valuable letters of recommendation, gain community service hours, eligible to win awards and prizes including the President's Volunteer Service Award.
Volunteer with Flushing Meadows Corona Park Stewardship
Join the Flushing Meadows Corona Park (FMCP) Stewardship Team for a volunteer opportunity commemorating Martin Luther King Jr. Day. From January 19–20, volunteers will be helping cleanup different areas around Flushing Meadows Corona Park! Both events begin at 10:00am and end at 1:00pm.
Randall's Island Park Alliance MLK Day of Service
Volunteer with the Randall’s Island Park Alliance to assist the Urban Farm team to create and fill seed packets. Each growing season, the Urban Farm gives away hundreds of seed packets at its welcome table during the farm’s weekend open hours. Seed-saving has a long and rich history.
Join Randall’s Park Alliance in this tradition and pass on seeds to others in the community to grow. Hot chocolate and light snacks will be provided.
Register here to sign-up to volunteer!!
The entrance to the Urban Farm is located on the East side of Icahn Stadium.
Volunteer with Hunger Free America for MLK Day
For over 20 years, Hunger Free America honored MLK's life's work with service and action. Working with partners across the country, Hunger Free America has meaningful opportunities to serve, both in-person and virtually, through volunteer events, panels, and workshops, from January 17–20, 2025.
Deepen your commitment to justice by reflecting on the enduring legacy of Dr. King’s fight for civil rights and learning about its connection to the ongoing struggle for food security in our communities. Sign up to volunteer on the Hunger Free America website // Volunteer Opportunities
MLK Day Garden Volunteering
On January 18th from 10:00am-1:00pm PlacemakingCorps will be heading out to Jefferson Gardens in order to prepare the space and garden beds for the community.
Public Health AmeriCorps members and volunteers will dig out garden beds in preparation for new crops and flowers, assemble garden beds, lay down wood chips, turn and till the soil, and weed any beds that are overwintering.
Part of the Solution Meal Prep!
Volunteers Ages 14+
Come on down to make new friends, or grab a couple and bring them with you to POTS to show support in our Food Pantry and Community Dining Room! Check out POTS website here.
Location: Bronx, NY, 10458
Morning Shifts (Pick your slot on Mon-Sat)
- Morning Meal Prep – 8am-11am
- Pantry Service Distribution – 8am-11:30am
Afternoon Shifts (Pick your own Mon-Sat)
- Lunch Service – 11:30am-3:00pm
- Bagging shift – 12:30pm-3:30pm
You need to register to be an NYC Service member before you can apply or submit an interest form!
NYC Service Members Sign-up Here // Register to be an NYC Service Member
Santa’s Helper - Gift Wrapping
NYC Service Volunteers Ages 14+
This volunteer opportunity is to organize, sort, and wrap the 1,000+ gifts for the programs for pick up and distribute in time for the holidays! No gift-wrapping skills? No problem! We can put you in a different position or partner you with someone.
All NYC Service requires everyone to register & create a profile with NYC Service!! If you don’t have an NYC Service account:Register for NYC Service Here
Event Details:
Date: December 7th, 2024
Time: 10am-3pm (Lunch will be provided)
Location: 463 Seventh Avenue, 17th Floor, New York, NY 10018
On-time volunteers are eligible for up to 5 hours. Service hours are auto-uploaded into your NYC Service account!
NYC Service Members Sign-up Here // New Members Register Here
Ron Brown Scholar Program
The Ron Brown Scholarship stands as a living tribute to the enduring legacy of Ronald H. Brown, championing a scholarship program devoted to guiding gifted African Americans students with a commitment to community service.
Scholarship Details
Number of Scholarships: 20 – 25 four-year awards
Award Amount: $40,000 ($10,000 per year / per winner)
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible for the Ron Brown Scholarship, applicants must meet the following criteria:
Ethnicity: Black/African American
Citizenship: U.S. citizens or permanent residents
Academic Level: Current high school seniors
Equitable Excellence Scholarship
Current Seniors Apply by December 1st
Equitable Excellence Scholarship aims to support students throughout their academic journeys,
Awards: 100 award winners will receive $5,000 annual scholarships. This means the $5,000 award will be renewed to winners each academic year for four years, for a total of $20,000 per winning recipient.
Eligibility:
We’re committed to students who show potential.
Be a current high school senior that resides in one of the 50 U.S. states, District of Columbia or Puerto Rico, who plans to enroll full-time in an accredited two- or four-year college or university in the United States for the entire upcoming academic year.
Demonstrate ambition and self-drive to be a force for good in their communities by encouraging others to pursue higher education.
Be willing to provide a release to publicize their identities and information about their plans or achievements along with photographs for use in Program promotion/information.
Have a minimum grade point average of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale (or its equivalent)
Wildlife Freedom Foundation
Volunteers Ages 14+
The Wildlife Freedom Foundation is looking for volunteers at their cat sanctuary on Roosevelt Island!
Come one day a week to help with feeding, cleaning duties, and socializing our cats. If you want to help with event planning or offer to be trained in office work, just write down your interest in the application form!
Apply by November 1st
Pick Up Application from Charan in Room 406