Does anyone know of any community service organizations?

Anyone know any community service organizations welcoming young people?

• does anyone know of community service programs either in manhattan or westchester that generally run on saturdays or sundays. I am required to complete a certain amount of community service for school and i was wondering if anyone knew of non profit organizations that welcome teens. I am definitly up for any programs just running during the holiday season. Thanks a lot!

• Answer:

  Call your closest Veterans Affairs medical center and ask for Voluntary Services. While youth volunteers used to be called Candy Stripers, they are now a vital part of helping with the care and well being of our nation's veterans. I personally know of at least ten or more youth volunteers who went on to healthcare careers because they assisted in VA medical centers. Three are now registered nurses, two are LPNs, one is an administrator, and the others are working close to the fields they had volunteer experience in. You can also call just about any hospital and tell them what you are about. You won't get professional jobs, and you won't be asked to do anything that requires professional skills. What you will get is a true feeling for what it is like to assist someone in need in a structured setting, even if it is filing papers, delivering mail, etc. Every person who helps makes a difference and you can too, I am sure.