Running for a Cause

This past Saturday several MYD volunteers joined Achilles International for a run in Central Park.

Blaire and Jee, two of our amazing volunteers, ran with Richard, a civil rights attorney who also happens to be almost completely blind.  He said something that really struck me: if volunteers don’t show up for these runs, he is forced to run on a treadmill.  Because we were there, he was able to do a 5 mile run in Central Park on a gorgeous, sunny day.

These athletes were amazing.  Most of them were doing 5 and 6 mile runs; I could barely do 2!  It was a truly inspiring day and I encourage everyone to get involved.

We will be organizing another MYD event later this month, but Achilles is out there every Saturday.  So just show up at 90th and 5th around 10:15 am, they’d love to have you!

http://www.achillesinternational.org/chapters/national

Haiti Still Needs Our Help!

It’s been six months since Haiti’s deadly earthquake and over two million people are still displaced and living in refugee camps.  The women in these camps lack basic supplies, such as feminine hygiene products, soap and underwear.  Please help these women by donating these badly needed items.

This month the Manhattan Young Democrats will be working with 1199/SEIU and We Care for Haiti to collect donations.  Wednesday, July 14th is the official MYD Donation Day!  Between 7am and 11pm you can drop off donations at 1199/SEIU 310 W. 43rd St., in the lobby.  There will be two large bins set up for collection.

Items Needed:

Underwear of all sizes
Sanitary Napkins
Pantyliners
Travel size disposable wipes
Toothbrush & Toothpaste
Soap & Sanitizing Products
Washcloths
Sandals
Deodorant
Lotion
Energy bars
Zip lock bags (1 gallon size)

If you have any questions please contact Kim at service@gomyd.com.

East River Park Gardening

This past Saturday members of MYD participated in a day of garden stewardship at the Lower East Side Ecology Center in East River Park.  The Center is a non-profit organization that offers free public compost collection and education, electronic waste recycling, stewardship of public open space and environmental education.

We pulled weeds and distributed wood chips to keep n ew weeds from growing.  We all had a great time and learned a lot!  If you’re interested in helping out the Lower East Side Ecology Center, you can check out their website for future garden stewardship days here.

Wanted: Community Service Director

MYD’s Community Service Director stepped down this week, and although we will miss him dearly we are starting our search for a new Community Service Director today!

Official position description:

e) The Community Services Director, who shall be responsible for assisting the Executive Board in coordinating with various volunteering opportunities and to connect MYD members with those opportunities.

In other words, the CSD is responsible for one service event a month (generally keeping within a theme for the quarter, currently the theme is greening NYC). They are responsible to recruit, attend, document (via the gomyd blog) and follow-up with all service events. They are not in any way limited to 1 event a month, for example we participated in NY Cares Day and the AIDS Walk as separate events.

Sound like you? Download the application HERE and email it to me at president [at] gomyd . com by Tuesday, May 25! Please let me know if you have any additional questions.

*Applicants must be dues-paying MYD members, please note that the Eboard members are required to attend two meetings a month, on the first and third Tuesdays from 7-8pm*

Hands On New York Day

Last Saturday MYD headed up to Sugar Hill to take part in the Spring edition of Hands on NY Day! Lucky for us, the day was beautiful there wasn’t a cloud in sight. We cleaned up an alley next to a community garden on 149th and Edgecomb Avenue, and save for one terrifying moment involving a buried baby doll, the day went off without a hitch! Residents in the neighborhood came out to thank us and offer us the use of their homes so we wouldn’t be subjected to the provided port-a-potty. Bank of America even bought us pizza when all the work was done! See, nothing brings people together like a little Community Service! Check out the pictures below and email our Community Service Director Katrell to get info on future service events.

Photos from the event:

Tis the Season…

If you weren’t able to make the community service event last Sunday, it’s not too late to give back this holiday season.

MYD has teamed up with Hands on New York for a good ole’ fashioned toy drive. Donated toys will be distributed to children with the misfortune of living in domestic violence or homeless shelters in Manhattan. So, while you’re out this weekend doing your holiday shopping, grab a toy or two of any value and bring it on down to the MYD general meeting next Tuesday.

Seriously, any toy will do, so don’t be timid. You’ll be handsomely rewarded with big smiles and good karma.

MYD TOY DRIVE
Tuesday, December 15
7:00PM
461 Park Ave South, 10th Floor
Bring a toy of any value for kids in NYC shelters.

The Youth of New York Need YOU!

Young helping the young — that’s the theme for MYD’s community service events this quarter, and we need your help!

Here’s what’s going on:

Dinner with LGBT youth at New Alternatives

New Alternatives is a center for at-risk LGBT youth, and our service event will prepare food and serve dinner. Support New Alternatives’ guiding principles of harm reduction, youth development and empowerment. Assist young members of our community as they transition from the shelter system to a new apartment, school, or move on to whatever their next step may be.

Heather is also looking for help prepare and/or provide a presention on MYD after dinner ends. The leaders of New Alternatives are true activists. They believe in a comprehensive approach to outreach and would like us to tell their students how to become involved.

Sunday, November 8, 2009

Middle Collegiate Church, 50 E 7th Street (between 1st and 2nd Avenue)

Meet Heather outside the church at 5:45pm

Sign up by emailing Heather today at service [at] goMYD [dot] com

Paint-A-School

Did you know that the Department of Education lost $180 million from its budget last year? This is forcing schools to cut or postpone revitalization and upkeep projects. But thousands of New York City public school children deserve brighter, safer, and more stimulating learning environments.

Join MYD and 8,000 fellow New Yorkers on Saturday, October 17, to give our schools what they need and fundraise to support New York Cares’ year-round programs.

New York Cares Paint-a-School Day
Saturday, October 17, 2009 @ 8:30am
Starbucks: 315 7th Avenue (corner of 28th Street
Please RSVP to Heather @ service [at] goMYD [dot] com

You must donate or raise $20 to attend this event.
Sign up and join MYD’s team HERE.

Click “Register Here” and then “Join a Team”
Team Name: Manhattan Young Democrats

If you’re interested in education policy, you might also consider joining the Education Issues Committee.

Start a Sea (or River) of Change

This Saturday – 9/19 – is International Coastal Cleanup Day.  On this day, volunteers across Americanand the world unite to pick up trash along our waterways.

According to the Ocean Conservancy,  nearly 400,000 volunteers collected more than 6.8 million pounds of trash in 100 countries and 42 US states last year.

This is the third time that International Coastal Cleanup Day will take place in Hudson River Park. The Manhattan Young Democrats will join the Clean Sanctuary Campaign to help with the cleanup.

Volunteers will log the types of trash collected.  At the end of the day we will have a record of exactly what is fouling up our shoreline.

The negative impacts of ocean trash are numerous.  Click HERE to read the full report by the Ocean Conservancy.

Join us this Saturday:

International Coastal Cleanup Day
Saturday, September 19, 2009 from 9am to 11am (meet at 8:45)
The Gansevoort Section of Hudson River Park.  Pier 54, one block south of 14th Street at the Hudson River.  Under the giant arch.
RSVP to Heather at service [at] goMYD [dot] com.

Hudson River Park Clean Up: The Sequel

Last weekend, MYDers turned out to take another crack at cleaning up the huge mess that is the Hudson River under the leadership of new Community Service Director Heather James. Councilman and Comptroller hopeful David Yassky showed up (note: not an endorsement) and everyone got a nice tan. Still a looooong way to go on the clean-up, though.

The final episode of the Hudson River Clean-up trilogy is coming up on Saturday, September 19th. Email Heather at service [at] goMYD [dot] com to sign up or get more details!

More photos from Saturday’s event here.

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