Connect : Social Action
The Bronfman Center is committed to Social Justice as a key Jewish moral and ethic. In that vein, we provide many opportunities for students to immerse themselves in service locally, domestically, and globally.
HUC-JIR Soup Kitchen
For over 20 years, the HUC-JIR Soup Kitchen has guaranteed a weekly meal for our homeless and hungry neighbors in the Washington Square area. The Soup Kitchen provides a nutritious meal to approximately 100 guests every week and creates an comforting atmosphere by serving our guests at their tables and engaging them in conversation. The HUC-JIR Clothing Closet distributes free seasonal second-hand clothing, shoes, and portable hygiene supplies.
If you ever have free time on a Monday afternoon and would like to spend even one hour volunteering- here's the place to go. Volunteers help make the food, give out the food (restaurant style), give out the clothes, and speak to the people who come. About five people can go per week- to sign up just click on the link and add your name to the time and date you want to go.When you put your name on the google-doc, you will get more info about exactly where to go.
JDRC
Started at the Bronfman Center!
Mobilizing American Jewish communities to lend skilled hands to assist American communities recover from natural disasters. When a natural disaster strikes local residents and community support networks often are devastated, overwhelmed and unable to adequately respond to the situation without outside assistance. Residents reach out for a helping hand to aid them in getting back on their feet and to begin rebuilding their homes and their communities. It is the moral and social responsibility of the Jewish community, just as any other American community, to extend a helping hand to these communities during their time of need.
Please visit www.jdrcorps.org.
Give Blood
Each month students organize blood drives in cooperation with the NYBlood Center. Please check our calendar to find the next upcoming drive and consider giving the gift of life. Blood Drives are held on the 1st floor of the Bronfman Center, and walk-ins are welcome.
What Would You Like To See?
We want to help you change the world and make it a better place. Is there an issue that you are passionate about? Not sure how to start a social justice project or program? That’s where we come in… In the past, students have worked with us to organize Bingo Brunches at Project Ezra on the Lower East Side, run fundraisers to fight breast cancer and the Jewish Disaster Response Corps started as a student project here at the Bronfman Center. Give our Assistant Director, Tracy Figueroa a call or send her an email and we'll get the wheels in motion.
Our amazing colleagues and friends at the Center for Student Activities, Leadership & Service also are also a great resource for getting involved and giving back to our communities (both local and globally). Be sure to check them out here.
And check this out! In early September, 2011 The Center for Student Activities, Leadership and Service (CSALS) will launch VolunteerMatch, a new online service making it easier for NYU student volunteers to connect with over 78,000 nonprofits around the world. By inputting their current global location they will have immediate access to agency listings in their area, descriptions of community service volunteer opportunities, agency contact information and project schedules. All matriculating NYU students will be pre-registered in the system, and as of September 1 they will be able to activate their account from anywhere in the world via the internet.
Past Accomplishments
The past accomplishments of the Bronfman Center over the past decade include:
- 2000 – the Bronfman Center sends one of the first service trips through American Jewish World Service. AJWS trips have since become a hallmark of campus activity.
- 2005 – The Bronfman Center helps start the founding of STAND (Students Take Action Now Darfur) and led one of the first public rallies in NYC to raise awareness for Darfur.
- 2006 – The Bronfman Center sends a delegation of students to the Houston Astrodome to work with evacuees from New Orleans just a few days after the levees broke.
- 2007 – The Bronfman Center sends delegation to Virginia Tech to lend support to Hillel following massacre.
- 2009 – The Bronfman Center undergoes “greening”.
- 2010 - The Walk for Familial Dysautonomia raised over $25,000. Save a Child’s Heart – Aepi brothers sitting in the cold raised over $10,000. See a great article in Washington Square News.