FAQs for Programs Supporting Individuals with Additional Needs
The mission of Brooklyn Book Bodega is to increase the number of 100+ book homes for kids 0-18 in NYC. We provide access to and ownership of children’s books, build community, and create a passion for learning through free events and literacy-based community programming.
Volunteers are an integral part of our organization. They help us process books, pack books to distribute to community partners, and help at book giveaway events across the city.
Brooklyn Book Bodega welcomes all volunteers ages 13+ including individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities who are in programs that support their independence and integration in the community. Staff members are required to attend the sessions with the volunteers.
What opportunities are available to volunteer with Brooklyn Book Bodega?
Prior to signing up for any opportunities, we recommend having one staff member attend a session independently (without individuals from your program) to get hands-on experience in our Book Hub to ensure that the location, space, tasks, etc. are a good fit for your individuals.
Public Book Hub sessions for 3 hours and/or Public Community Events for 3 to 5 hours
Public sessions and events are open to anyone ages 13+ and are available on a first-signed-up-first-confirmed basis until the session is at capacity. Individuals signing up for public sessions are expected to take part in the entire length of the session.
Your group of up to 4 individuals must include at least 1 staff member from your program to support your team. Each person needs to be signed up individually (though they can use the same email address).
Private sessions at the Book Hub for 2 hours for groups of 5+ individuals
If you are interested in arranging a private session at the Book Hub for your group, please complete our group volunteer interest form. These sessions require a financial commitment (donation) based on the number of volunteers expected to join and scheduled at a date and time that works for both your group and Brooklyn Book Bodega.
Do we need to bring a staff member to our volunteer sessions?
Yes, you must have at least one staff member from your organization with your group. If any of your team members require one-on-one assistance, please sign them up as well. Staff and program participants make up of your group of 4 for any one public session.
Is there an age minimum to volunteer with the Brooklyn Book Bodega?
Anyone age 13+ is welcome to volunteer. Guardian consent is required for volunteers ages 13-17. No exceptions.
How does someone sign up to volunteer for public sessions?
Each person who wants to volunteer should navigate to our volunteer page and select the type of volunteer opportunity:
Interested volunteers should complete the sign up forms linked in either Book Hub Volunteering or Event Volunteering, selecting the opportunity that works best for their schedule.
In the section “How did you hear about us?”, please include the name of your program/organization listed for each person in your group.
Public sessions are offered on a first-signed-up-first-confirmed basis until the session is at capacity.
Though we run year-round, sessions are posted 2 months at a time.
We would like to have a weekly/monthly or otherwise regular volunteer schedule with you. Is that possible?
We provide public Book Hub volunteer sessions 2 months at a time on our website. We cannot hold spots. If you know the cadence that you would like to have your team volunteer with us, please sign up each person in your team for what is currently available.
You can return to the volunteer portal to sign up for more sessions as they are added.
Where is the Brooklyn Book Bodega Book Hub?
141 Flushing Avenue, Suite 606, Brooklyn, NY 11205.
What will we be doing as volunteers for the Brooklyn Book Bodega?
At the Book Hub, volunteers sort, stamp, and pack books for community partners.
At Community Events, volunteers assist attendees select books and share information about Brooklyn Book Bodega.
We can generally find tasks for everyone at all skill levels. Please share specifics with the Brooklyn Book Bodega Volunteer Coordinator and add any helpful information to the volunteer sign up form that we should be aware of. This allows us to be best prepared with the planned tasks for the session to ensure efficiency and that your team is having an enriching experience.
We decided on a session/event that we wanted our team to join. By the time we went to sign up, we were able to sign up some people and not others. What should we do?
Sessions can fill up quickly and we are not able to re-open sessions. If a session does not have capacity for your team, please select another date and time that does.
Please remember to cancel your registration for the session you will no longer be joining.
We want to have the opportunity for a larger group to volunteer together. How do we arrange that?
We offer group volunteer opportunities at our Book Hub for groups of 5 to 40 people for a fee. The fee is based on the number of expected volunteers and chaperones. These 2-hour sessions are scheduled at a date and time that works for your organization and the Brooklyn Book Bodega. For more information about this, please complete our group volunteer interest form.
Some individuals in our group are no longer able to attend the public session they signed up for. What should they do?
If volunteers need to cancel, they must contact the Brooklyn Book Bodega Volunteer Coordinator and cancel themselves in the volunteer system in advance of the session. Failure to properly cancel session attendance more than three times in six months may result in no longer being able to volunteer with Brooklyn Book Bodega.
Do you have a volunteer code of conduct?
Yes, you can read it here.
We have one or more of our team members who were not signed up in advance. Can they come?
No. Every volunteer needs to be signed up in advance. Anyone who shows up that did not sign up via the appropriate Brooklyn Book Bodega volunteer form will not be able to volunteer.
Do you provide confirmation of volunteer hours?
Yes, we can either sign a form that the volunteer provides at the end of the session or provide a letter on Brooklyn Book Bodega letterhead. There is a 5 business day turnaround for letters once the request is submitted to Brooklyn Book Bodega staff.
To create the letter, we need the:
Volunteer’s Full Name
Organization or school name
Date(s) volunteered
Time(s) volunteered
None of the scheduled sessions and event opportunities work for us. How else can we engage with Brooklyn Book Bodega?
Still have questions?
Contact: Cecilia Golombek, Brooklyn Book Bodega Book Hub Manager at cecilia@brooklynbookbodega.org.
