The Builders of the New World Program (BNW) is The Actors Theatre Workshop (ATW’s) award-winning after-school theater-arts education program, which has been serving homeless and at-risk youth living in NYC's temporary housing facilities since 1995.
ATW is in need of volunteers to help serve dinner to over 60 homeless children and adult volunteers who will attend our Spring 2024 BNW Children’s classes, rehearsals and final performance. Being displaced by homelessness does not always allow the children the opportunity to have a family-style dinner complete with hot, nutritious food and a delicious meal is a tenet of our education program.
Volunteers will do any or all of the following:
Between 1:00 - 4:00pm:
- Set up our 5,000 square foot theater facility for the event before children’s arrival.
- Pick-up (by foot or subway) already prepared meals that were generously donated. Volunteers will visit local NYC restaurants. All meals will be packaged for easy transport. A dolly will be provided for heavy or multiple items.
Between 4:00 - 6:00pm:
- Plate and serve hot, nutritious, home-cooked meals to approximately 60 children and mentors. Specific tasks include plating and running plates from our kitchen to our theatre. We serve a multi-course dinner that includes a main, dessert, and beverages.
- Help us clean and organize after the food service is complete. Specific tasks may include plate pickup and disposal, trash removal, washing dishes, table breakdown, left-over food packaging, and light general cleaning. Cleaning products used might include Windex, Dirtex, Pine-Sol, Endust/Pledge, Goo Gone, and other similar products with different brand names. Gloves will be provided.
Other possible tasks:
- Moving furniture
- Washing dishes
- Purchasing supplies, if we run out. (ATW will provide cash or reimburse for this.)
- Other Administration or Production related activities to the program
IMPORTANT Info:
- Please cancel the ticket at least 24 hours in advance if you are not available for a certain date
- The day’s events will be videotaped & photographed for our program documentation and communication purposes. We will distribute Video Releases to each volunteer upon arrival. We cannot accommodate any volunteer who doesn’t wish to be taped.
- Participants must dress in business casual. We want to look nice and professional for the event, while still being comfortable too. We suggest flat shoes and no short skirts or workout wear.
- Participants should arrive PROMPTLY and stay for the whole event. If a volunteer knows in advance that s/he cannot come or cannot stay for the whole event, we'd appreciate that s/he release their spot as soon as they know to allow someone who can stay for the whole event the opportunity to sign-up.
Participants will be split into smaller groups to complete the overall. Please bring a can-do and professional attitude to the day!
About ATW & Thurman E. Scott
The Actors Theatre Workshop (ATW) is an award-winning non-profit theatre, community center, and educational institution serving the community for over 30 years. Thurman E. Scott is the Artistic Director, Executive Producer, and Founder of ATW. He is a master teacher of creative process and conflict resolution, and an award-winning actor, writer, director, and producer who uses the principles of drama to address the conflicts of the community.
