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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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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Coats & Toys Community Distribution w/ The Brothers & Sons of Salinas, PR

Location: The OUB Center 370 Brook Ave Bronx NY 10454

December 14, 2024

11:00 AM - 03:00 PM

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Annual USMCR's Toys for Tots Ruck March

Location: Lincoln Center Plaza New York NY 10023

December 15, 2024

11:30 AM - 02:00 PM

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2024 Holiday Social

Location: American Legion Post 398 NY 10027

December 21, 2024

07:00 PM - 10:00 PM

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MLK Jr Day National 2025

Location: Corrigan Kiernan VFW Post 8160 1265 Prospect Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11218 NY 11218

January 18, 2025

10:00 AM - 04:00 PM

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January Social Event: MJ The Musical

Location: Neil Simon Theater 250 West 52nd Street New York NY 10019

January 22, 2025

07:00 PM - 10:00 PM

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TMC NYC March Social - The Lion King

Location: The Theater at Madison Square Garden 4 Pennsylvania Plaza, New York, NY 10001 New York NY 10001

March 2, 2025

12:30 PM - 03:30 PM

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Earth Day - Roberto Clemente Community Garden

Location: Roberto Clemente Community Garden 1276 Shakespeare Ave Bronx NY 10452

April 19, 2025

10:00 AM - 02:00 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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OMCS DAY 5: Making an Impact at Garcia Street Urban Farm 

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OMCS DAY 4: Revitalizing VFW Post 76  

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OMCS DAY 3: A Day of Service at Democracy Prep at Stewart Campus 

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