Volunteer with us
At Heart of Dinner, we are a dedicated team of staff and volunteers, working together to address food insecurity, social isolation, and loneliness among Asian American older adults in under-resourced communities throughout New York City. Co-founded and led by our Co-Executive Directors, with support from a small, passionate team, we work tirelessly to deliver care packages filled with nourishment, love, and personal touches to our cherished Elders.
Our mission urgently depends on volunteers like you. While our staff guides the effort, we simply couldn’t reach everyone who needs us without the vital contributions of our volunteers. Whether you’re helping hands-on with weekly operations or contributing creatively, your time and support make an immediate and essential difference to the Elders we serve.
Where You Can Get Involved
Below, you’ll find the key areas where your help is urgently needed. Each opportunity is crucial to our mission and directly impacts the lives of our Elders. Your participation, guided by our team, ensures we can continue to serve those in need:
Interested in being an active part of our weekly operations? Explore a variety of volunteer roles that are crucial to our mission. Dive into these rewarding in-person and remote opportunities to directly impact the Elders we serve. Click on the button below to enroll as a volunteer and gain access to sign up for upcoming shifts!
Volunteer for Weekly Operations
Decorate our care packages
Attention all creative minds – artists, illustrators, and doodlers alike! Are you ready to channel your creativity into crafting symbols of JOY? We're in urgent need of Volunteers like you to bring nearly 700 of our bags to life EACH WEEK with heartfelt, joyful art. Your artistic contributions will not only brighten the day of our Elders but also play a critical role in addressing the emotional health and well-being of our beneficiaries, many of whom live with loneliness and social isolation. Click the button below for detailed instructions on how to lend your creativity to decorate our bags.
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Your words have the power to comfort and connect. We urgently need volunteers to pen handwritten notes in the native languages of our Elders. Each note adds a personal touch of LOVE to our care packages. To give you a sense of the difference you can make: each week, we need around 700 heartfelt notes to accompany the care packages that provide the weekly nourishment our Elders rely on.
Write notes
Inspired to share our mission? Our volunteers have independently raised funds for Heart of Dinner by offering their art, hosting cooking classes, and more. Get as creative as you like—just link to our donation platform during your digital event, or send a check after collecting funds in person.
Host a fundraiser
A tremendous thank you to our supporters for your generosity and time. We deeply appreciate each and every one of you!