Volunteer With New York City Platoon

Platoon Summary

The New York Platoon has four operations focused on supporting communities in Brooklyn, the Bronx, Manhattan, and Queens. Since late 2014 and early 2015, our volunteers have collaborated with their communities to reimagine and reinvent spaces and places; strengthening the connections between the people and places they share to support an evolution of what the community is known for. Brooklyn has many under-resourced communities that have had struggles with gang violence and crime in the past but residents and community members are working to change the perception. The Brooklyn Operation has been collaborating with other nonprofits to help change that perception and strengthen the community connection. We have partnered with NYC Parks, GreenThumb, and our local gardeners in East New York to make our community gardens better. Some of the recent service projects include our Earth Day project in East New York that supported local community gardens as community members and gardeners prepare for the growing season. The Bronx Operation's focus is on environmental restoration and preservation to support improvements along the waterfront and underused green spaces in the South Bronx area. We also support cultural enrichment opportunities throughout the Bronx that enable high-quality public space availability within walking distance of residents’ homes. We partner with community non-profit organizations and local leaders to fortify the city’s aging infrastructure, rehabilitate parks, and cultivate the various community gardens and green spaces throughout our neighborhoods. Partners include Rincon Criollo Community Garden, Bronx Sunshine Garden, and The Bronx County Historical Society, The Manhattan Operation is focused on building green and civic spaces available to residents throughout Manhattan's Lower East Side. Every fourth Saturday of each month during 2023, rain or shine until the end of the year holiday season, you can help plant gardens, construct planters, build workspaces for arts and crafts, create community spaces, and much more. We are partnering with the Lower Eastside Girls Club to realize its vision of being a resource for all the neighbors and neighborhoods it serves. The Queens operation is rebuilding its volunteer base and seeking out new opportunities with community partners. Being "green" is the main focus of the operation, whether it be “reduce, reuse, or recycle” and to seek out the numerous urban farms and assist their needs by supplying the surrounding communities with locally grown nutritious food. We continue to build upon our partnerships with Big Reuse, Coastal Preservation Network, Red Hook Farms Composting Program, Rusty Wheel Barrow Farm, Woodside Sunnyside Composting, Food Bank For New York City, and Queens Botanical Garden.

Upcoming events

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Big Rock Beach - Prep. Day

Location: Big Rock Beach 119-6 28th Ave, Queens, NY 11354 Queens NY 11354

March 30, 2024

10:00 AM - 02:00 PM

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Bay 84th Street Garden build and mulch

Location: Bay 84th Street 3-22 Beach 84th St Far Rockaway NY 11693

April 6, 2024

10:00 AM - 02:00 PM

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Rincon Criollo Community Garden - Greenhouse Build - Prep Day

Location: Rincon Criollo Community Garden 749 Brook Avenue The Bronx, NY, 10451 Bronx NY 10451

April 13, 2024

11:00 AM - 03:00 PM

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Big Rock Beach stairway build event

Location: Big Rock Beach 119-6 28th Ave, Queens, NY 11354 Queens NY 11354

April 20, 2024

10:00 AM - 04:00 PM

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Repair Work at Hornaday Community Garden

Location: Hornaday Community Garden 851 Hornaday Pl. Bronx, NY 10460 Bronx NY 10460

April 28, 2024

10:00 AM - 02:00 PM

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2024 Forest Hills Memorial Day Parade

Location: Forest Hills American Legion Post #1424 107-15 Metropolitan Ave, Queens, NY 11375 Forest Hills NY 11375

May 26, 2024

10:45 AM - 02:00 PM

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Rincon Criollo Community Garden - Greenhouse Build - Project Day

Location: Rincon Criollo Community Garden 749 Brook Avenue The Bronx, NY, 10451 Bronx NY 10451

June 1, 2024

11:00 AM - 03:00 PM

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Rincon Criollo Community Garden - Part 4 - Prep Day

Location: Rincon Criollo Community Garden 749 Brook Avenue The Bronx, NY, 10451 Bronx NY 10451

July 13, 2024

11:00 AM - 03:00 PM

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Rincon Criollo Community Garden - Part 4 - Project Day

Location: Rincon Criollo Community Garden 749 Brook Avenue The Bronx, NY, 10451 Bronx NY 10451

July 27, 2024

11:00 AM - 03:00 PM

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Wreaths Across America - Cyprus Hills National Cemetery

Location: Cypress Hills National Cemetery 625 Jamaica Avenue Brooklyn NY 11208

December 14, 2024

11:00 AM - 03:00 PM

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Who We Are

The Mission Continues is a national non-profit that empowers veterans to continue serving in our nation’s under-resourced communities, giving veterans the opportunity to keep serving even after the uniform comes off, right here at home. Our programs deploy veterans and volunteers to work alongside nonprofit partners and community leaders to improve educational resources, tackle food insecurity, foster neighborhood identity, and more.  

Who should volunteer?

Our service projects are for all veterans with a desire to continue their service and for all non-veterans that want to be part of a nationwide movement to transform communities. Please note, age and accessibility accommodations can be made at any project. There is room for everyone to make an impact. 

How to volunteer 

Click “Register” under the event and it will take you to the event details that will review in more detail what it entails, when and where the project is located, parking details etc.  

Then click “Attend” to fill in simple volunteer information. You will get an email confirmation and updates about this event through your choice of email and text messages

What is a Service Platoon? 

Service Platoons are your opportunity to engage and connect with veterans and community members while generating community impact in a real and tangible way. Led by veteran volunteer platoon leaders, each platoon works with dedicated community partners and volunteers to provide the manpower and support that they need to help them do their work more effectively. 

We currently have service platoons in more than 40+ cities across the country that are having events at least once a month. Everyone is invited to serve, regardless of veteran status: a service platoon is for you if you have a passion for service. 

Stories from the field

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Canvas of Community: How Veterans Foster Connection and Belonging 

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Uniting for a Cause: Veterans and Volunteers Honor Fallen Heroes for Wreaths Across America

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Veterans Day and Beyond: The Mission Continues’ Role in Driving Volunteer Impact

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