Do you enjoy community service?
If you do, then traveling to volunteer may be a great way for you to visit different cities and countries. There are also many volunteer vacation opportunities throughout the United States, including New York City.
What is a Volunteer Vacation?
A volunteer vacation, sometimes called a working vacation, gives people the opportunity to combine travel with volunteering to help the community which they’re visiting. There are opportunities to get your hands dirty or pass out refreshments in NY.
Botanical Garden Volunteer Tour
The Sierra Club offers people who want to vacation in NYC an opportunity to volunteer for the city’s Botanical Garden. People who volunteer will work in conjunction with the New York City Forestry Service to maintain the garden’s old growth forest.
Your trip would include two tours: one to the Conservatory Orchid Show and Gardens, and the other is a tour of lower Manhattan, the Bronx River, and other areas of NY.
Along with the tours, volunteers will be housed in a same-sex dormitory, and most of their meals are included, along with the entrance fee to the Botanical Garden. The itinerary includes working in the forest Tuesday – Friday, with Saturday, Sunday and Monday off for sightseeing and other activities.
There are many transportation options for seeing the city’s sites during your down time. You can take the subway, buses, the train, or a tour bus to go most places in the five boroughs. A hop on hop off tour bus is also a good way to tour Manhattan. Find out about schedules here: https://www.topviewnyc.com/.
NYC Marathon Volunteer
The NYC Marathon is one of the largest marathons in the world with over 50,000 participants. To keep the race running smoothly by providing services to participants, over 12,000 volunteers are needed for various tasks.
Volunteers range from medical professionals to people who want a close-up view of the race. They do everything from work fluid stations, guide runners onto buses and ferries to get them to the start line on time, provide crowd control and ensure runners get their bags back after the race.
To volunteer, you need to meet certain guidelines and fill out an application. If you’re chosen to volunteer, you will be sent more information via email and told where to log onto the website to learn where you’ll be stationed. The race is on August 1st, 2018.
US Open Volunteer
Another big event that takes place during late summer in NY is the US Open Tennis tournament. They also use volunteers to ensure that the event runs smoothly for both participants and attendees. Volunteers need to fill out an application, and if accepted, take an online webinar.
Those who are chosen to volunteer receive access to the stadium grounds, a shirt, hat, and a meal or meal voucher for each shift they work. Volunteers are asked to work three shifts if possible during the tournament.
This year, the US Open starts on August 27th, 2018, and runs through September 9th, 2018. The application deadline is June 22nd.
Some volunteer opportunities not only allow you to experience popular events up close, but you can become acquainted with New Yorkers and possibly spot famous athletes or celebrities as well.