We’re a growing nonprofit with a small but mighty staff, and we genuinely appreciate the support of our volunteers. Through your service, you’ll help a diverse and deserving community of young adolescents find their voices, build confidence, and tell their stories through our after-school programs.
We regularly host one-day events, including student reading celebrations, fundraising and community engagement events, author presentations, and other outreach opportunities. Volunteers help with setup and cleanup, welcome and direct guests, and provide other day-of operational support.
Each semester, our students have their writing published in an Uptown Stories anthology. Volunteers with editing experience can support our staff by reviewing student work and helping ensure it’s polished and ready for publication.
.avif)
At the start of each semester, we need extra hands to organize supplies and prepare our Cornerstone location to welcome a new group of students. Volunteers may sort and inventory materials, assist with light cleanup and organization, and help with other preparation tasks as needed.
Uptown Stories workshops take place throughout the neighborhood in local schools and public spaces. We also receive donations and regularly visit Materials for the Arts to collect supplies. Volunteers with access to a car who can help our staff transport materials are especially valuable!
Applying to high school in New York City often involves writing an admissions essay. While this workshop is led by an experienced Uptown Stories teacher, we also need strong writers to provide one-on-one support to our 8th graders. Volunteers help students brainstorm, draft, revise, and edit their essays while encouraging them to tell their stories in their own voices.
