The Bridge has a vibrant volunteer program.  Volunteers can be involved in activities with our clients, can lend their skills to the administration of the agency in such areas as IT, finance, etc. or become involved in our Make a Difference Committee, Friends of The Bridge Art Program, Friends of the Urban Farm/Horticulture Program or our Board of Directors. Read below for further details.

VOLUNTEER IN OUR PROGRAMS:

We are seeking volunteers to bring special skills to our client programs. Opportunities are available during the days from 9am-5pm and include:

For further information contact Susan Kaskowitz t: 212-663-3000 ext. 401 e: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it   Be sure to indicate “Volunteer Interest” in the subject line of your email.

VOLUNTEER IN AGENCY ADMINISTRATION:

The Bridge has volunteer opportunities in the following areas:

The Bridge Make A Difference Committee:

The Bridge Make a Difference Committee members blend their talents to raise awareness and funds for The Bridge by hosting and participating in  unique and festive social/networking events, as well as planning social events for volunteers.  Members will manage drives and initiatives to benefit the clients of The Bridge and to help support the overall mission of The Bridge.  The Bridge Make a Difference Committee is a diverse group of socially conscious young professionals working together in support of The Bridge  whose mission is to promote The Bridge programs, services and societal benefits to new people interested in the overall mission of The Bridge.  The Committee is chaired by a member of The Bridge’s Board of Directors, Laurie Melton.

This group is dedicated to engaging the next generation of facilitators who will continue to promote The Bridge and assist adults with mental illness through their commitment. To join the Committee or volunteer please contact Ann R. Hyatt, Senior VP for Development and External Relations, at  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it  or call 212.663.3000 X379.

Friends of The Bridge Art Program:

The Friends of The Bridge Art Program has as its mission the promotion of The Bridge Art Program to new  audiences. Members work to educate people and raise funds for The Bridge Art Program by hosting and participating in fun, educational events, in relation to the Art Program, especially the MOMA Exhibit and the Art Exhibit at The Bridge headquarters each Fall. Activities may include art tours, studio visits, lectures and other events that the Committee sponsors. 

In a unique community partnership with MoMA’s Community Access Program, Bridge Group Artists participate in a series of seminars over eight weeks each spring and summer to create new works of art that are exhibited at the Museum’s Lewis B. Cullman Education and Research Center that  you see here tonight. The MoMA-Bridge partnership provides our artists opportunities to learn about art as a creative expression and about the history of art. Through this process, clients build self-esteem and increase coping and social skills. Showcasing the art is an important way to reduce stigma about mental illness in our society. The Group produces a Catalog that is widely distributed at MoMA, The Bridge and to clients, staff, supporters, foundations, and many others.  To join or volunteer please contact Ann R. Hyatt, Senior VP for Development and External Relations, at   This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it  or call 212.663.3000 X379.

Friends Of The Bridge Urban Farm/Horticulture Program:

The Friends of The Bridge Urban Farm/Horticulture Program is a group of people interested in promoting The Bridge Urban Farm/Horticulture Program to new interested people and help support the program.  

Members organize activities and fundraisers at various events incorporating The Bridge Urban Farms, gardening and food events, lectures and other events that the Committee sponsors.

The goals of the Urban Farms are to teach clients about the benefits of growing and eating vegetables and fruit, provide free and easy access to fresh vegetables in order to increase their intake and improve their health; to reduce reliance on food banks and other food resources, and to teach clients about good nutrition. The farms provide our clients with work training opportunities in horticulture and paid jobs. The Bridge has formed a unique community partnership with the Horticultural Society of New York in this work. To join or volunteer please contact Ann R. Hyatt, Senior VP for Development and External Relations, at   This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it  or call 212.663.3000 X379.

Corporate/Organizational Volunteer Projects:                   

Corporations and Organizations can participate in a group volunteer day, evening, or weekend activity, which The Bridge can customize to the group’s interests.  We have done such events as a day of planting in the Urban Farm,   painting a pre-sketched mural, organizing a party for the clients of The Bridge, and organizing a Game Night for residents of The Bridge and others.

The Bridge would be delighted to work with your group to facilitate both your and our goals.

Check out The Bridge on VolunteerMatch.org! 

For information about volunteering please contact Ann Hyatt, Senior Vice President of Development & External Relations, at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . or call 212-663-3000 ext. 379.

Past Volunteer Events

2012

We welcomed a group of American Express volunteers at our headquarters to plant our roof garden for summer 2012. They planted a mix of flowers, vegtables and herbs. Both annuals and perrenials were planted alongside existing plants. 

John Cannizzo, our partner from the Horticulture Society of New York (HSNY), taught the group the proper way to plant container plants as well as how to plant new seeds in the large planters which are on the roof deck. The volunteers then skillfully weeded, planted and watered using the rain water harvested from our water conserving rain barrel.

2011

Community TeamWorks (CTW) volunteers from Goldman Sachs recently helped to plant in our Urban Farm at the Upper East Side residence in Manhattan. Under the tutelage of our partners at the Horticultural Society of New York, the volunteers helped to get the garden ready for summer’s bounty.

The garden looked fantastic! Check out all the wonderful pictures on our Flickr. But it’s not only beautiful; it’s functional as well. Our Urban Farms are an integral part of our integrated approach to mental and physical health. Growing some of our own vegetables teaches clients how to eat healthier, as well as provides them with a sense of accomplishment and pride for cultivating them. Lunch for the clients and volunteers was prepared using vegetables that can be found in the garden, and the whole event was topped off with the planting of a commemorative peach tree.

The Bridge extends its deepest gratitude for the time and effort the Goldman Sachs CTW team put in to this project. We encourage all types of volunteering. Some of the main areas for people to volunteer with The Bridge are teaching a skill to our clients, like using the computer or cooking, and leading social or recreational activities, like a trip to a museum or residence activities.