LYFE Student Parents Volunteer with NY Cares

On April 12, 2014, Diane Whitaker-Brown, LYFE Social Worker at Julia Richman and Long Island City High Schools, and 4 student parents from LYFE at Long Island City high school, spent the day participating in New York Cares Spring Clean-Up Day!

Ms. Whitaker has been volunteering with New York Cares since 1995 and is always seeking to inspire student parents and provide them with enriching experiences. Considering that New York Cares is an organization whose mission is to meet pressing community needs by mobilizing caring New Yorkers in volunteer service, Ms. Whitaker thought volunteering with her students would be a great opportunity and made arrangements for them to volunteer during their Spring Break.

The group was assigned to Jamaica Bay in Queens.  Together, along with other Long Island City High School students and Ms. Whitaker, LYFE student parents removed trash and waste to help beautify the beach and surrounding areas. At the end, the beach was nearly spotless and the students felt great about doing something nice for the community. The volunteers also appreciated getting to know each other better and sharing laughs.

The group even received a letter of special recognition from New York Cares and the American Littoral Society for Coastal Conservation. Ms. Whitaker and LYFE Long Island City student parents are certainly a great representation of LYFE’s core value of fostering a supportive environment!

4 LYFE students with 2 other Long Island City High School students