Movable Ink’s 2018 Recap: Volunteering & Causes

Here’s a roundup of our volunteering opportunities and charitable causes from 2018. [**Coalition for the Homeless**](http://www.coalitionforthehomeless.org/our-programs/food/grand-central-food-program/)Our team volunteered with the Coalition for the Homeless’ Grand Central Food Program multiple times last year. Volunteers helped set up, portion the food into individual servings, and served clients.[**Women’s Empowerment Self-Defense Academy**](http://wesdaonline.org/about/who-we-are/)What sets W.E.S.D.A. aside from the many other victim services is our main objective to teach prevention through education and life-saving self-defense techniques to combat domestic violence, rape, battering and abuse, harassment, stalking, street violent crimes and various other crimes committed against women, teens, children, and seniors.[**The Mandala Café Project**](http://mandalacafe.org/) The Mandala Café Project aims to improve cooking skills while preparing a tasty meal to help feed people in need. Inkers got to prepare a tasty meal to be served to local people in need. Then, sit down and enjoy the meal alongside guests from the neighborhood to fight the stigma of homelessness.[**Birthday Party Project**](https://www.thebirthdaypartyproject.org/)The Birthday Party Project hosts monthly birthday parties at homeless shelters nationwide to celebrate kids. We are bringing wrapped gifts and helping the org throw a monster-themed birthday party for the children and families at the Bushwick Family Residence[**Hetrick Martin Institute**](https://hmi.org/)We hosted a food drive and collected over $700 worth of food to the Hetrick Martin Institute to help homeless LGBTQ youth.[**Operation Backpack**](https://www.voa-gny.org/operation-backpack)> These little guys grew up to be our co-founders!>> We’re partnering with [@Vol\_of\_America](https://twitter.com/Vol_of_America?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)'s [#OperationBackpack](https://twitter.com/hashtag/OperationBackpack?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) to help NYC’s homeless kids feel confident on their first day of school. Share your favorite first day pics with [#OBPFirstDay](https://twitter.com/hashtag/OBPFirstDay?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) to spread the word! [https://t.co/WuxVgtAe49](https://t.co/WuxVgtAe49) [pic.twitter.com/RJ5UaMjBEy](https://t.co/RJ5UaMjBEy)>> — Movable Ink (@movableink) [July 9, 2018](https://twitter.com/movableink/status/1016391045930725378?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)Our NYC office collected supplies to make sure NYC students had the tools they needed to start the school year with confidence. A group of Inkers was able to help out and prepare backpacks at sort week, and we even shared throwback photos with #OBPFirstDay to raise more money for the cause. [**One Tree Planted**](http://One Tree Planted For Earth Day, and in wake of the California wildfires, we raised funds for One Tree Planted, an organization that plants 1 tree for every $1 donation.)For Earth Day, and in wake of the California wildfires, we raised funds for One Tree Planted, an organization that plants 1 tree for every $1 donation.[**New Alternatives**](https://www.newalternativesnyc.org/)We will be working with the LGBTQ+ nonprofit New Alternatives to help prepare and serve a meal at their weekly community dinner.[**Paws NY**](https://pawsny.org/)We partnered up with Visit.org and Paws NY to help New York City’s most vulnerable residents feed their pets. Our office donated so much pet food the Visit.org team needed a second car to finish the delivery! And to inspire our team, the two Inkers who made the biggest donations got some one-on-one time with puppies at our Mental Health Day celebration.[**Advancement Project**](https://advancementproject.org/home/)The Advancement Project is a civil rights organization for racial equality and justice. For Black History Month, Inkers who donated were entered in a raffle for 2 tickets to their choice of a Black History Month event.[**WinNYC**](https://winnyc.org/)Win is the largest provider of shelter and supportive housing for NYC’s homeless families, and some Inkers were able to volunteer at a women’s shelter. [**Gifted Hands New York City (Art in Mission)**](http://www.giftedhandsnyc.org/)Volunteers helped Gifted Hands create art projects and jewelry designs for therapeutic, artistic outreach programs.[**Meals on Wheels**](https://www.mealsonwheelsamerica.org/)Our team was able to deliver meals to help address senior hunger and isolation.[**Eat Off Beat Refugee Program**](https://eatoffbeat.com/)Eat Offbeat delivers authentic and delicious ethnic meals that are conceived, prepared, and delivered by refugees in NYC, and their team catered events like our Women’s Equality Day trivia challenge.**[Glamour Gals](https://www.glamourgals.org/)**GlamourGals volunteers provide seniors with a restored sense of dignity through personal attention and the warmth of caring touch, as well as the opportunity to share their stories. A team of Inkers spent the afternoon chatting with seniors and giving them makeovers.[**CA Wildfire Relief Fund**](https://www.calfund.org/wildfire-relief-fund/)Our offices raised over $1,000 for those affected by the California wildfires.[**Union Settlement**](https://unionsettlement.org/)During the holiday season, a group of volunteers helped wrap and sort gifts for children in need.**[Volunteers of America – Toys for the Holidays](https://www.voa-gny.org/toys)**We also held a toy drive throughout the month of December.[**DOROT**](http://www.dorotusa.org/site/PageServer?pagename=about_mission_faqs_D#.XE95fc9KjOQ)DOROT is a dynamic partnership of professionals and volunteers dedicated to enhancing the lives of homebound and homeless elders**[Tech Gives Back](https://lpages.svb.com/techgivesbackNYC.html#nav-tabs-2)**On Tech Gives Back Day, tech companies participate in volunteering projects in the city. This year, Movable Ink was a sponsor and our team had plenty of volunteering options to choose from. Some Inkers helped students at P.S. 149 make galaxy mason jars and others went to Riverside Park Conservancy to help restore, maintain, and improve the park’s historic landscape, structures, and monuments.**[March of Dimes](https://www.marchofdimes.org/)**March of Dimes leads the fight for the health of all moms and babies, no matter their age, socio-economic background or demographics.[**Movember**](https://us.movember.com/)The Movember Foundation is the leading charity addressing some of the biggest health issues faced by men: prostate cancer, testicular cancer, and mental health and suicide prevention. Our offices competed to see who could raise the most, with all donations going to the Movember Foundation. Our culture team also hosted a silent auction and lunch and learn to support the cause.[**St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital**](https://www.stjude.org/)The kids of Movable Ink employees set up a lemonade and pretzel stand in our NYC office to raise money for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.[**At The Crossroads**](https://atthecrossroads.org/)In October our San Francisco office hosted a candy drive for At the Crossroads, a homeless youth outreach program. The candy we collected helped their outreach team as they sweep the streets and try to engage with homeless youth, with the goal of getting them into support services.[**Action for Children (Byte Night)**](https://www.bytenight.org.uk/) Byte Night is the UK’s largest national corporate sleepout event. Our team raised money and slept outside to raise funds to prevent youth homelessness.[**Leukemia Research Foundation**](https://www.allbloodcancers.org/)Our offices donated over $1,000 to the Leukemia Research Foundation.**[Jan Hus Presbyterian Church](http://www.janhus.org/) **Jan Hus Church organizes a homeless outreach program that assists guests with immediate responses to their physical needs. The program also allows the homeless to use the church’s address for their mailing address, and currently receives mail for over 500 people.