helping hands

I love to meet up with my friends to try new restaurants or play with twirly dresses in Soho. We get to talk, reconnect, and be a part of each other’s lives even when work, traveling, boyfriends, and school mean that my best friends and I have to schedule our dates 2 weeks in advance. But recently, we thought what if, instead of grabbing coffee or shopping, we hung out while helping others? We found this great program, New York Cares, where we could pick from all types of projects: Mariko chose dog walking, Jean wanted to clean up parks, and I was all about playing basketball with second graders. We have so much fun, and when we do grab that dinner afterwards, we have even more to talk about.

Want to try it with your crew? Here are three ideas to get started:

Have a craft party: Project Sunshine helps sick kids who are in the hospital for a long time, and they need volunteers to make craft kits, dolls, and cards to cheer up the children. Have some friends over and turn your artsy instincts into good works.

Get outside: Want to enjoy the sunshine? Volunteer at a state park where you and your friends can clear trails, work with animals, or even help a park ranger teach programs.

Food banks: Secret story—a high school boyfriend and I totally hit it off during a day volunteering at a local food bank. There’s plenty of time to talk (flirt) as you sort through boxes, and the strange stuff you find can spark silly stories. Google “your town + food bank” to find one in your area.