Forestdale, a foster care and family services agency located in Forest Hills, will be holding special information sessions on foster care for Queens residents interested in becoming foster parents. If you would like to attend one of these sessions please visit Forestdale at 67-35 112th Street, Forest Hills on either of the following dates:
- Dec. 28, 2011: 1:30PM
- Jan. 10, 2012: 6PM
- Jan. 12, 2012: 6PM
- Jan. 25, 2012: 1:30PM
Forestdale serves over 400 children in foster care, most of whom are from the Jackson Heights/Elmhurst/Corona area. The agency provides foster parents with ongoing training in child development, mental health and other topics to strengthen their skills. It also keeps an on-call social worker available to answer any questions foster parents may have. Finally it organizes frequent trips and other activiities for children, youth and foster parents to engage in.
Forestdale is also in need of volunteers to mentor youth and young parents and provide job opportunities and training within the community. It is also in need of the following donations for its various children's toy and clothing drives: gently used car seats, cribs, and children's furnishings. If you would like to volunteer and/or donate, please contact the Director of Community Development at: 718 263 0740 ext. 219.
Forestdale has a rich tradition of giving back to the community through its volunteer efforts. One example of its dedicated volunteers is Jimmy Rahman, a lifelong Queens resident originally from both Astoria and Jackson Heights. He dedicates his time towards helping out the alumni of the Forestdale Fathering Initiative. For more information about Jimmy and his exceptional work, visit the Forestdale Agency website.
The Sexual Assault and Violence Intervention program (SAVI) at Mt. Sinai School of Medicine is looking for male and female volunteers to help survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence. SAVI advocates will console victims as well as provide them with important information to help them regain control of their lives. SAVI's next training will occur in March 2012; recruitment has already begun in December 2011.
Here are the following qualifications potential volunteers must possess:
- Be at least 21 years old
- Be residents of either Queens or Manhattan in order to work in the hospitals SAVI serves
(not all areas of Queens or Manhattan apply) - Be able to come in for a 2 1/2 hour interview
- Be able to attend a 40-hour NYS Department of Health training session
- Be available twice a month for day and/or overnight shifts on weekdays and weekends
If you are interested in receiving SAVI training please call 212 423 2140. You will be given the exact training dates and be scheduled for an interview.
For more information, please visit the Mt. Sinai SAVI website.
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