New York City's Volunteers Recognized by Mayor

Mayor de Blasio spoke at a rally on City Hall steps today to honor the work of New York City's volunteers. They work under the Americorps and Seniorcorps groups, organizations that offer a host of services to the city, from LGBTQ outreach to low-income family aid. 

De Blasio offered praise to volunteers who help low-income families increase their "financial literacy," helping them navigate the maze of expenses and household budgetary concerns. "Now [they] can be on a firm footing, can take care of themselves and [can take care of] their family because a volunteer stepped forward to help them to figure out the best way to manage their life," said Mayor de Blasio, "Think about what that means. Think about the difference between a family that might lose their way or might have the bottom fall out because they don't know how to manage properly versus a family that has that support. That's what one volunteer can do."

Tashawn Morgan volunteers for Americorp, specifically by reaching out to LGBTQ communities in New York City to understand their issues and what can be done to help. "[Community service] allows people to get out there and make a difference. Everyone talks about how they can find a way to help and make their neighborhood better. But by doing this, I'm right out there, finding ways to make things better. I'm interacting with the community" said Morgan.