The Mayoral Service Recognition Program is an annual citywide celebration of volunteers and service members, recognizing efforts to build a culture of service, use service as a solution to community challenges, and answer the call to serve to ensure the success of our fellow New Yorkers. The annual recognition program is a month-long celebration during National Volunteer Month in April and celebrates the diverse volunteer efforts of the previous calendar year.
Impact Awards
Impact Awards honor organizations, businesses, volunteers, and AmeriCorps alumni who have dedicated themselves to service, and strengthened communities with people power in the 2023 calendar year. Awardees are invited to the Mayoral Service Recognition Program celebration, receive a cash prize, and are recognized at the awards ceremony in April. The cash awards are made possible due to a generous donation from the Fund for the City of New York.
Youth Impact Award Winner: Clinton School Rescuing Leftover Cuisine Group
Honors an individual young person or group of youth who have had a tangible impact in their community.
The Clinton School’s Rescuing Leftover Cuisine (RLC) group, led by student volunteers, rescued excess food from businesses and restaurants, taking them to rehab shelters and food kitchens. They led 90+ food rescues, rescued 6,100+ pounds, and served 5,083+ meals, relieving hunger & reducing emissions. The RLC group—led by Connor Flores, Ben Walker, Idriss Attard, and Marc Verma-Bonany—took on food rescues at places such as NYU’s cafeteria, Breads Bakery locations, Nike’s downtown office, law firms, and Black Seed Bagels. The initiative has influenced students to understand how to save food and deliver it to local shelters.
AmeriCorps Alum Impact Award Winner: Alibamba Sillah
Honors an AmeriCorps alum who has continued to embody the AmeriCorps spirit of "Getting Things Done" in New York City communities beyond their service year.
An AmeriCorps State and National alum, Alibamba has helped mobilize and engage residents to participate in BAMBA Sports, a nonprofit hosting annual soccer tournaments that focus on empowering low-income Black youth in the community, fostering positive community engagement. During summer 2023, their summer tournament brought together over 600 participants. The program provided vital mental health support for many young adults and kept a significant number of youths off the streets, due in part to the programs’ help in building bridges and maintaining youths’ fitness for their upcoming high school and college seasons.
Spirit of the City Award Winner: Annabel Amir
Honors an individual (21 or over) whose exceptional volunteer or service work has positively impacted their community and inspires those around them to take action.
Annabel Amir voluntarily co-founded and developed the Youth Mental Health Program at the American Central Asian Association, designed to fight isolation with group therapy sessions connecting peers with similar identities, boosting their mental health and ability to integrate in Brighton and Homecrest. Over the year, Annabel hosted three impactful workshops, conducted 60 free individual therapy sessions, and led weekly group therapy sessions. Furthermore, Annabel spearheaded a fundraiser that significantly enhanced the lives of 25 families in NYC shelters by providing essential items such as coats and toys.
Community Impact Award Winner: Literacy Partners
Honors an organization that leverages the power of volunteers in innovative and resourceful ways to strategically address City or community needs.
The Literacy Partners’ English for Parents program is an immersive English learning experience made for parents. Volunteers facilitate discussions or offer 1-on-1 support to foster moments of connection that increase parent-child bonding and help parents read with their children more often. Recognizing the significance of proficient English skills in navigating daily life and engaging with their children's education, these classes serve as a pivotal resource for enhancing participants' language abilities and parents’ levels of practical language proficiency. As parents’ proficiency levels improve, they grow more confident as advocates for their kids' education, better equipped for daily interactions, and more integrated into local society.
Partnership Impact Award Winner: Macquarie Group Limited & Team Kids
Honors an innovative organization and business partnership that came together in service to a community.
The Team Kids Challenge, supported by Macquarie Group, is a 5-week youth leadership program, delivered by Team Kids Staff, and NYPD and FDNY trained mentors, that empowers youth to change the world. Through this program, students are “challenged” weekly to deliver acts of kindness, organize food and clothing drives, and other initiatives in the name of service and volunteerism. The partnership has strived to help create a sense of unity, leadership, and collaboration among students, law enforcement, and community members. Macquarie Group played a pivotal role in this effort, announcing a match exceeding $260,000, the largest gift in Team Kids’ 22-year history.
Click this link for other Mayoral recognition opportunities.
Questions about the Mayoral Service Recognition Program? Contact our team at recognition@cityhall.nyc.gov.
2023 Mayoral Service Recognition Program
Press
Read the Press Release from City Hall: Mayor Adams Recognizes Impact of Volunteerism and Service in New York City.
Read coverage from Major League Baseball: Mayor honors Yankees for service to community.
Read from BKReader: The City Awards Bed-Stuy Nonprofit for Work with Families Impacted by Incarceration.
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