Brooklyn Community Services Invites Volunteers to Spring into Action & Help Low-Income Brooklynites

BROOKLYN, N.Y. - March 22, 2017 - PRLog -- Brooklyn Community Services (BCS) will hold the Fifth Annual Spring into Action volunteer initiative that invites volunteers to help Brooklynites in underserved neighborhoods through involvement in over 20 interactive and educational projects from March 20 to April 4.

Spring into Action, the signature volunteer initiative of BCS, has galvanized 1,000 volunteers in the past five years. This year, we are proud to offer more than 20 service opportunities that impact Brooklyn's low-income neighborhoods.

BCS was founded by volunteers in 1866 in response to the plight of Civil War veterans and homeless children who lost their fathers in the war. Volunteerism remains at the heart of what we do. BCS has been named one of "The Best Places to Volunteer in Brooklyn" by Brooklyn Magazine.

The Spring into Action projects for volunteers span ecology, mentoring, yoga, bowling and more. It's hands-on urban ecology in Brooklyn with a Coney Island Beach clean-up, a beautification project in Prospect Park and neighborhood beautification projects in East New York, Canarsie and Brownsville. The popular BCS Bowling League, comprised of adults with intellectual disabilities, is looking for bowling challengers. Yoga enthusiasts are invited to be a Yoga Buddy at BCS PROS and participate in yoga sessions that help adults with mental illness with wellness and relaxation. There are indoor and outdoor athletic activities for students from our elementary school and middle school after school programs. Promote early childhood literacy by reading a favorite childhood book with children ages 3-5 at our early education center in Downtown Brooklyn. At the Reverse Job Fairs, careers are discussed with middle school students.  The New York Police Department is hosting a sports and community relations program. There's physical fitness for kids and financial advice for adults and teens. This marks the second year for the popular BCS Pop-Up Thrift Shop where volunteers sell specially discounted clothing and merchandise to BCS clients living with mental illnesses. In addition, there is a major Immigration Forum w/ Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs that focuses on issues for immigrants that will be held at Coney Island.

"At BCS, we are thrilled to celebrate the fifth anniversary of Spring into Action.  It is the only major volunteer initiative focused on Brooklyn's low-income communities," said Kristina Reintamm, Director of Community Education and Engagement at BCS. "Spring into Action volunteers have been enthusiastic frontline advocates in creating positive change for Brooklynites in low-income neighborhoods through hands-on mentoring, financial literacy, youth development, job counseling, community beautification, athletics and youth development."

The 2017 Spring into Action projects for volunteers are:

Read By Example at Duffield's Children Center – between March 20 and March 24 (various dates) -- Promote early childhood literacy by sharing your favorite childhood book at our early education center in Downtown Brooklyn

BCS Day of Play at BCS After School Program – between March 20 and March 31 (various dates) -- Lead indoor and outdoor athletic activities for students from our elementary school and middle school after school programs

Reverse Job Fair at BCS After School Program -- between March 20 and March 29 (various dates and locations) -- Help expand our students' horizons. Speak to our 5th graders and middle school students about your career journey and help them understand what it takes to be successful.

Pop Up Thrift Shop 2 at East NY Clubhouse—March 22 --Come play retail associate at our 2nd annual pop up thrift shop for our clients living with mental illnesses as they purchase clothes, shoes, and goods to support their East NY Clubhouse program.

Financial Literacy with Community Partners -- between March 23 and April 4 (various dates and locations) -- Empower adults and youth with the knowledge to make smart financial decisions.

Immigration Forum w/ Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs –March 23--BCS is teaming up with the Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs (MOIA) to host a forum on understanding immigrant rights, and offer solutions that promote the well being of immigrant communities at Coney Island Public Library

Police & Sports -- between March 25 to March 30 (various dates and locations)-- Come discuss police/community affair with our young people and play basketball and other sports with their community officers

Coney Island Beach Clean Up – March 26 -- Clean up Coney Island's waterfront to improve our environment at  Coney Island Beach & Boardwalk and W 21st Street

Street Beautification Projects-- between March 26 and April 2 (various dates) – In East NY, Canarsie, Brownsville-- help us keep our streets clean and pick up trash around some of Brooklyn's underserved neighborhoods.

Read By Example at Atlantic Ave. Early Learning Center -- between March 27 and March 31-- Promote early childhood literacy by sharing your favorite childhood book at our early education center in Bed Stuy.

Bowling with BCS -- March 30 at Melody Lanes Bowling Alley (461 37th Street, Brooklyn) -- Cheer on and bowl with BCS's very own bowling team. Our team is made up of adults with intellectual disabilities who participate in our Recreation Program and bowl every Thursday Melody Lanes in Brooklyn.

Tender Loving Care at TLC: Mind, Body and Soul – April 1 -- Make the women of our homeless shelter feel beautiful. Join us as we perform hair, makeup and nail tutorials, along with meditation and wellness THIS EVENT IS FULL

Prospect Park Beautification Project – April 1 -- Help the environment in your community and join BCS and the Prospect Park Alliance to celebrate the park's 150th Birthday!

Yoga Buddy Wellness at BCS PROS – April 3 -- Support adults with mental illness in gaining wellness and relaxation by participating in yoga and mandala making

Registration for Spring into Action projects is available at http://wearebcs.org/springintoaction

Spring into Action is sponsored by PVH Corporation.  Community partners included: Prospect Park Alliance, Usher's New Look, LIU Brooklyn, Liberty City, Pratt, Axis, Repair the World NYC, Ridgewood Bank, NYC Department of Parks & Recreation, NYC Mayor's Office on Immigrant Affairs, Ridgewood Savings Bank and M& T Bank.

BCS is proud that most of our program locations hosted a Spring into Action project this year,including: Duffield Children's Center, Atlantic Avenue Early Learning Center, BCS PROS, East New York Clubhouse, Youth Stand United, Youth Stand: Coney Island,  four BCS GKCC Afterschool Programs and more.

Join the conversation with Brooklyn Community Services at www.WeAreBCS.org, FACEBOOK at Brooklyn Community Services, Twitter and Instagram at @WeAreBCS.org.