Have you ever wondered what it's like to intern or volunteer here at KHCC?
There are many ways to get involved and become a part of what we do here at Kingsbridge Heights Community Center. Plentiful benefits come with helping us out with our daily operations, or when we need extra help with special events we host for our community.
Getting involved proposes a multitude of different benefits and lessons like developing different skills and knowledge that will take you farther in your future careers. If you become a part of our KHCConnect team, you'll work on building bonds with the community. From intensive case management, referrals, and educational workshops, it really feels satisfying to help our community and knowing that we are making a difference in people's lives.
Curious to learn more? Hear from our KHCConnect's former intern and employee, Gaby! Gabriela "Gaby" Naranjo started at KHCC at the beginning of the pandemic, where many of our services were transferred online, so her experience was unique early on. While she was working as an intern, she did a lot to help serve our community! There were numerous requirements, and KHCC was able to provide emergency bill relief, assess people's financial hardships, build relationships with the community, hear their stories, and do whatever we could to help every individual case. She even had an idea that really helped people make money if they were undocumented. Gaby expresses, "while in my master's program, I had an idea that allowed undocumented citizens to be allowed to start legal businesses. There was nothing written in law that excluded that." This idea then led to a permanent part-time position here at KHCC!
KHCC's different departments and programs like Youth Leadership, KHCConnect, Administrative, and more, provide the upcoming workforce with internships and volunteer opportunities to gain experience at KHCC and to help provide services that the community needs.
Our Horticulture and Community Garden Program is a great way to start your internship or volunteering journey. Our community garden is home to 29 gardener plots and is available to anyone that is willing to learn and grow with our plants, then reap the benefits. The best way to get involved and become a volunteer is to come to KHCC's Second Saturday. As the name suggests, on the second Saturday of every month, people come to volunteer at our garden no matter the age. Click here to sign up for our upcoming Second Saturday.
Our former intern, Steven Rosario, and now a Youth Council Member, shares his internship experience. When he first arrived here at KHCC, he was hands-on in helping our garden flourish. From composting, harvesting, daily upkeep, and teaching kids the basics of gardening, he found his vehicle for success to become a valuable member of our team!
Steven shares, "I've always enjoyed the social aspects of my job and having fun working. It made gardening with our team enjoyable, and I've learned a lot."
He even participated in our food pantry, where we prepare grocery care packages for people who may need them. With this positive experience under his belt, he turned his internship into a part-time position in our Youth Department as a Youth Leader!
Volunteering at KHCC's food pantry is also a great way to be involved at KHCC. With the help of KHCConnect, our Food Pantry is open and available to Bronx residents on Tuesdays and Thursdays. It takes place right here at KHCC with the help of our kitchen staff and our pantry manager, Caesar Tobar-Acosta (contact ctacosta@khcc-nyc.org for more information to get involved). They distribute hot food, snacks, and nonperishable foods for people to stock up on.
If you're interested in joining our team, visit https://www.khcc-nyc.org/current-openings to view our current openings and contact ctacosta@khcc-nyc.org services for volunteer opportunities.
