Serve a Hot, Nutritious Meal for Homeless Children at a Theater Program

The Builders of the New World Program (BNW) is The Actors Theatre Workshop (ATW’s) award-winning after-school theater-arts education program, which has been serving homeless and at-risk youth living in NYC's temporary housing facilities since 1995.

ATW is in need of volunteers to help serve dinner to over 60 homeless children and adult volunteers who will attend our Spring 2026 BNW Children’s classes, rehearsals and final performance. Being displaced by homelessness does not always allow the children the opportunity to have a family-style dinner complete with hot, nutritious food and a delicious meal is a tenet of our education program. To sign-up for this event, please RSVP here.

When:

• Mondays: April 13 / April 20 / April 27th / May 4 / May 11 from 1:00-6:00pm
• Saturdays: April 25 / May 2 / May 9 from 11am-2pm
• Wednesday, May 13, 2026 from 1:00-6:00pm
• Wednesday, May 13, 2026 from 6:00-11:00pm

Volunteers will do any or all of the following:

• Set up our 5,000 square foot theater facility for the event before children’s arrival.
• Pick-up (by foot or subway) already prepared meals and supplies that were generously donated by local NYC restaurants and businesses. A dolly will be provided for heavy or multiple items.
• Plate and serve hot, nutritious, home-cooked meals to approximately 60 children and mentors. Specific tasks include plating and running plates from our kitchen to our theatre. We serve a multi-course dinner that includes a main, dessert, and beverages.
• Help us clean and organize after the food service is complete.
• Purchasing supplies, if we run out. (ATW will provide cash or reimburse for this.)
• Other Administration or Production related activities to the program

Important Info:

• The day’s events will be videotaped & photographed for our program documentation and communication purposes. Volunteers must be comfortable with this. We will distribute Video Releases to each volunteer when they arrive to review and sign. We cannot accommodate any volunteer who doesn’t wish to be taped.
• Participants must dress in business casual to look nice and professional for the event. We suggest flat shoes and no short skirts or workout wear.
• Participants should arrive PROMPTLY and stay for the whole event. If a volunteer knows in advance that s/he cannot come or cannot stay for the whole event, we'd appreciate that s/he release their spot as soon as they know to allow someone who can stay for the whole event the opportunity to sign-up.