Bergen Volunteers Buzz
January 2021
What is the Buzz?
Bergen Volunteers Buzz is our newsletter highlighting organizational news, events, updates, and volunteer opportunities. Look out for our newsletter at the beginning of every month to stay connected with your friends at Bergen Volunteers!
Happy New Year! 

Hope is on the horizon with significant scientific breakthroughs to fight the COVID-19 pandemic and I know that we are all eager for that to come to fruition in 2021. 

This month we celebrate the birthday of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. who famously said,

"Life's most persistent and urgent question is, 'What are you doing for others?'"

I encourage you to ask this question of yourself, your families, and your neighbors. One is never too old nor young to engage in community service and to gain all of the benefits of giving back, like boosting happiness and overall life satisfaction. Volunteering may even lower blood pressure and lessen depression symptoms! As we embark upon the new year, the importance of becoming involved in our community remains persistent and much needed.

The future is bright and with your participation, even brighter!

January is National Mentoring Month and I’m pleased to kick it off by announcing that mentoring is back and better than ever! After conducting an extensive community needs assessment, our Mentoring Task Force and Bergen Volunteers staff worked diligently to expand our mentoring offerings and shape the program’s best practices. 

Throughout the month, we encourage you to:
Become a mentor
Reach out to us if you are seeking a mentor
Honor a mentor’s hard work
Sponsor a mentee
Collaborate with us to help those who can use extra support

Watch for ways to get involved all month long as we roll out the new and improved Mentoring program. If you are unsure that mentoring is for you, feel free to explore our other Bergen Volunteers community programs. For more information, visit www.bergenvolunteers.org - there’s something for everyone!

I look forward to another busy and productive year ahead, and wish you all a very Happy New Year.

Warmly,
Nina
Upcoming Events
Redefining Retirement
Virtual Information Session
January 19, 2021
11:00 am - 12:00 pm
via Zoom

Join the Redefining Retirement team for a virtual information session to learn about volunteer opportunities available during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.

For more information about the Redefining Retirement Program or to obtain the virtual session log in information, please contact: 
r[email protected] or call (201) 489-9454 - ext. 210.
All Wrapped Up
Donor Appreciation Event
Be on the lookout for the date of our All Wrapped Up Donor Recognition Event!

This event will be delivered via Zoom and highlight our amazing All Wrapped Up Donors!

Not an All Wrapped Up donor?

There's still time to donate to the program's emergency gift card fund! These gift cards are needed for families that come to us throughout January seeking support.
Program Updates
All Wrapped Up
All Wrapped Up supported 2,000 individuals this holiday season.
We received donations of magical gifts for children, warm coats for our seniors, and everything in between for the families we serve. Thank you to our generous donors for making the holiday season bright for those who needed it most!
Making-It-Home
Making-It-Home collects gently used furniture from residents in Bergen County. The furniture is donated to formerly homeless individuals and families leaving emergency shelter. Learn how you can donate furniture, volunteer to be a mover, or invest in the program by clicking here.
Mentoring
January is National Mentoring Month, which is the perfect time to announce the relaunch of our Mentoring program! Volunteers can now choose between two types of mentoring opportunities, long-term (12 month) or short-term (monthly) mentoring. Our program is open to youth between the ages of 8 - 18+, caregivers (anyone caring for others), and first generation college students. We are excited to reintroduce this important program that has helped thousands of people become self-advocates. If you have any questions about the relaunch please contact Lisa at [email protected]
Volunteer Opportunities
Be a helping hand for seniors in your community by joining the CHEER program!

Volunteers are matched with a local senior citizen who needs help with grocery shopping. This is a great opportunity to promote socialization for an invisible community pushed into even further isolation due to the pandemic.

For more information email [email protected] or call 201-489-9454 ext. 203.
Do you want to make an impact in someone's life? Become a mentor!

Mentors are thoroughly trained in helping mentees become self advocates. Becoming a mentor is an excellent way to inspire, support, and motivate someone towards reaching their personal goals!

For more information email [email protected] or
call 201-489-9454 ext. 208.
Agency Spotlight:
Never Alone Again Domestic Violence
Organization & Resource Center
Never Alone Again Domestic Violence Organization & Resource Center
is a 501(c)(3) focused in offering empathetic support for victims of domestic abuse. The mission of Never Alone Again is to help individuals eliminate the abuse from their lives, build upon their strengths, and become self-sufficient by providing high quality and individually tailored support services. View their website here.
Do you want to get involved and offer support?
Never Alone Again is currently accepting clothing donations! Contact Theresa, Executive Director at [email protected] to see what type of clothing they are currently in need of.
Support our Mentoring Matches!
To support National Mentoring Month and Bergen Volunteers, would you consider making a donation in honor of:

...someone who mentored you?
...someone you mentored?
...the mentoring program at Bergen Volunteers?
Looking for Ways to Give?
Do you have questions about any of the ways to donate to Bergen Volunteers?
If so, please contact Elizabeth at [email protected].
Bergen Volunteers
www.bergenvolunteers.org