Community Service Projects

We offer a wide range of projects that raise awareness through public outreach and encourage youths to give back to the community. Below is a list of some of our primary projects.

• 

  Ewen Park Dog Run

  This revitalization project will have students maintaining the dog run and working on fundraising efforts to upkeep the off-leash areas of the dog run. Off-leash areas allow dog owners to give their dogs the exercise they do richly need and deserve, making dogs better neighbors who are less likely to bark incessantly, become agitated or inappropriately invade people's space. These areas also bring people together, creating a greater sense of community and providing a forum for dog owners to share information that can help foster pet ownership responsibility. Additionally, encouraging dog owners and dogs to enjoy parks helps deter crime in neighborhoods.

  Ewen Park Dog Run is located at Johnson Ave. & W. 232nd St. in Riverdale, Bronx
  For more information on the run visit NYC Department of Parks & Recreation.

• 

  Van Cortlandt Park Beautification

  In July 2010, a EF1 tornado touched down in Riverdale, Bronx. A month later, H.E.A.L.T.H for Youths spearheaded a tornado clean-up project for the park. Now that the tornado is behind us, we have decided to expand this project to embark on the overall beautification of Van Cortlandt Park. We are encouraging students, who participate in our programs, to take part in this ongoing effort.

  To learn more about Van Cortlandt Park, click here

• 

  New York Cares Day

  Every October, H.E.A.L.T.H for Youths assembles a team that joins volunteers citywide to help revitalize NYC public schools by painting classrooms, planting gardens and cleaning. This annual event is hosted by the city's largest volunteer organization New York Cares. To learn more about New York Cares click here.
• Blood Drives

  In conjunction with the New York Blood Center, we periodically host blood drives to encourage people to donate blood. Close to 2,000 donations are needed each day in the New York area for patients who require lifesaving blood and/or platelet transfusion.

  For more information, visit New York Blood Center.

• Letter Writing to Soldiers in Afghanistan

  Heather Butts, co-founder of H.E.A.L.T.H for Youths, recently met Sgt. Daniel J. McGee, who was deployed to Afghanistan in early 2011. As a result, we decided to create a letter writing program where students involved in our programs would be able to trade letters with Sgt. McGee's five-person detachment.

  The Afghanistan War began in October 2001 in response to the 9/11 terrorist attacks.