Recession Survival Fair—Volunteers Needed

The Recession Survival Fair will be on Saturday, June 6 from 11 am to 4 pm at the Brooklyn Brownstone School at MacDonough and Lewis Aves. in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn. We need volunteers to help publicize the event ASAP.

The areas we are covering include:

Health/Wellness - Including healthcare for those who are uninsured or underinsured, dental care, mental health (stress from the recession); we'd like to have screenings/tests available if possible so that people can get a baseline of their health. We will include resources for all of the recreational and fitness activities that are free or low cost in the city. We'd like to have a list of the programs that the hospitals/health centers hold for the public. We'd like to have massage therapists, acupuncturists, and yoga instructors there to talk about alternative stress relievers (and there are schools where these services are either free or very low cost). We are also addressing fitness and recreation and low cost or no cost ways of pursuing various activities.

Food/Nutrition - We are looking for a nutritionist to talk about how one can fix healthy, balanced, low cost food for themselves and their family. We'll have people from NOEP to help sort out the food stamp maze. We'd like to talk about the many places people can find food - farmer's markets, local ethnic groceries, CSA's, food coops, urban farming/gardening, soup kitchens, food pantries.....and the groceries. And how to create a food budget.

Veterans - We are trying to gather together special resources for veterans in all of these areas as well as just reaching out to the veteran community to be a part of this.

Finances - Credit repair, debt, foreclosures, savings, financial literacy, etc.......and how to avoid scams.

Families - Child care, elder care, summer food programs for kids who received free breakfast and lunch during the school year, summer recreation for kids, and camps.

Immigrants - Citizenship, assimiliation and rights

Jobs - Job skills classes (free), job search in the internet age, social networking, resumes, cover letters, interviews, what the promising career fields are in the NYC area, what are green jobs and what skills does one need for them?

Business Start Up - We feel that by starting new businesses, people can help fix the economy, providing jobs for other, etc.... We'll have a slew of tools and resources (free) for people who are considering doing this.

In addition, we are starting a bartering site, so that people can trade expertise and skills. For example, an accountant can help a family work out a budget and in exchange, he can get Spanish lessons or learn how to make tamales. A college student could teach someone how to use Twitter and other social networking and in return, she could receive a home cooked meal. We want to encourage people to use their talents to help each other.

Please contact us at continuethechange@gmail.com to volunteer or get further information.