City Hall is launching a major new ad campaign urging New Yorkers to roll up their sleeves and volunteer.
The agency spearheading the campaign, NYC Service, wants to up the proportion of New Yorkers who lend a hand with free labor to 50% from a paltry 18%.
The ads, which will start appearing on 1,000 subway cars Monday, target people who don’t do volunteer work by stressing that service has some selfish benefits, too.
They sport messages like “Volunteer. It’s ego-friendly” and “Dinner with a side of satisfaction.”
“Since we’re trying to attract those who are not volunteering, we thought it was important to emphasize both sides, that it’s good for you and good for your city,” said Paula Gavin, the de Blasio administration’s chief service officer.
More people aren’t volunteering, in part, because they don’t know where to start, she said.
“It’s a lot about access to volunteering, knowing what’s out there, finding something that uses your talent and sparks your passion,” Gavin said.
The city’s database, at nyc.gov/service, will match potential volunteers with nonprofits in need of help based on interests and location.
The city is particularly recruiting people to tutor in middle school after-school programs, to mentor high school kids, and to canvass among poor residents to let them know they may be eligible for food stamps.
Seniors are also being asked to lend a hand, with an ad that reads, “It’s more fun than an early-bird special,” and by stressing that retirees who stay active with volunteer projects tend to be healthier and live longer.
Other volunteer jobs range from planting trees or giving tours at city buildings to acting as a crisis counselor in the emergency room for rape and domestic violence victims.
Ads will also run on 75 bus shelters citywide.
The subway ads will cost about $30 each, funded by a state grant, while the bus shelter space was donated. The ads were designed pro bono by the firm Sid Lee.