Volunteer Fair at NCC on October 26 from 10 am to 4 pm in CCB Multi-purpose room

In celebration of Make A Difference Day, the 9^th annual Long Island Volunteer Fair will be held at Nassau Community College from 10 am to 4 pm, Wednesday, October 26, 2016. Over 45 nonprofit agencies will be staffing exhibits in the College Center Building (CCB) Multi-purpose Room to recruit students, staff, and community members for a wide array of volunteer activities including opportunities to work with animals, youth or seniors, to help at museums, soup kitchens, shelters, or hospitals, to join an emergency preparedness group, become an advocate for special needs, or protect the environment.

Sponsored by Newsday Charities and organized by Nassau Community College and the Long Island Volunteer Center, the fair provides a one-stop venue for attendees to connect to community needs, grow professional skill-sets, and pursue personal goals by giving back. NCC President, Dr. W. Hubert Keen, will kickoff the event that will include a volunteer recognition for Daily Points of Light Award to Jon Siebert of Friends of Long Island, President's Volunteer Service Awards to NCC veteran students Rosella Able and Harrington Newman, and Beacon of Hope Awards to leaders in Superstorm Sandy relief and recovery Kenny English, Marissa Hiruma, and Raquel Wolf-Jadeja. The NCC Mascot, Leo the Lion, will also be making an appearance to cheer on volunteerism. A book drive to benefit The Book Fairies will be held and an emergency kit building service project will be conducted to benefit the Hempstead Boys and Girls Club. A food drive to benefit the NCC Food Pantry is specifically calling for the following items: granola bars, microwaveable meals, jarred sauce, crackers, peanut butter and jelly.

Now, more than ever, it is time for Long Island to reinvest in its future. According to the Corporation for National and Community Service, Volunteering in America report, New York ranked last in the nation for volunteer participation rates. The Governor's Commission on National and Community Service has made volunteerism a high priority issue. The upcoming 9^th annual Long Island Volunteer Fair is one of the regional strategies in response to the state call to action. A collaborative effort with Nassau Community College, the fair supports the SUNY applied learning initiative to increase community service and opportunities for service learning and internships.

From the Make a Difference Day website: In collaboration with Points of Light, Make a Difference Day is over 20 years strong and is the nation’s largest day of community service. It is a celebration of neighbors helping neighbors. Millions of volunteers from across the nation will unite in a common mission to improve the lives of others. The stories told around Make A Difference Day show that anyone, regardless of age, location, or resources, can accomplish amazing things when they take on the problems they see in their community.

There is no charge to attend the fair and parking permits will be waived on fair day. For more information, contact the Long Island Volunteer Center at (516) 564-5482, email volunteer_fair@longislandvolunteercenter.org, or visit www.longislandvolunteercenter.....