WE NEED YOU!
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES with lwv-rivertowns committees:
Voter services.
Voter services is the League’s founding principle and raison d’être. The committee plans and executes robust voter registration and Get Out the Vote (GOTV) programs in all our communities; participates in the Fair Maps (redistricting) plan to inform and involve our communities in contributing to a fair plan for the State; plans, coordinates, and moderates candidate forums for local offices and records them for posting on our website; gathers candidate information for use with the Vote411.org website and “Voters Guide,” and oversees distribution of the “Voters Guide” to individuals, schools, and businesses.
Advocacy.
The Advocacy committee, in collaboration with other single-focus committees such as Environment & Health Care Reform, monitors and promotes current League issues and positions by making written and in-person statements to village boards, local newspapers, and at public hearings; lobbying elected officials; and developing contacts with other non-partisan organizations with similar goals. A few examples are:
• women’s issues (e.g., equity in employment laws & practices, equal pay for jobs of comparable worth, domestic violence, human trafficking). More work needs to be done toward passage of the Equal Rights Amendment to the NYS Constitution and now our energies will refocus on ratification by the voters on the 2024 November ballot. See what you can do by clicking on the “Get Involved” tab at the top of this website;
• measures to increase local fair and affordable housing initiatives;
• land use and riverfront planning that provides for open space and waterfront access;
• rural issues such as universal broadband access;
• campaign finance reform;
• greater equity in education financing.
Events.
Our Events committee develops, presents and, when possible, records for future viewing, informational & social programs for members and the general public. (Recent forums included the pros and cons of the Medical Aid in Dying legislation and the impact of recent Supreme Court decisions on gun control, reproductive choice, and climate change.) At our recent Annual Meeting in June we welcomed noted author A'Lelia Bundles, the great-great granddaughter of legendary entrepreneur and social activist Madam C.J. Walker. Each summer we meet to brainstorm about topical events for the coming year. Programs under consideration include include a forum on the Governor’s Housing Compact, a conference with other Westchester women's groups, and visits with our elected officials. We are actively seeking to expand our list and welcome your input. We hope you'll join us!
To see past programs, and also our virtual candidate forums, please go to our YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@lwvrivertowns5747
Environment.
Join us to take action to mitigate the effects of climate change on our air, water and soil through education, advocacy and action in our communities. We track and promote environmentally conscious local, county- and state-wide legislation, including food scrap recycling, minimizing the use of pesticides, restricting single-use plastic food ware and packaging reduction. We are monitoring the decommissioning of Indian Point and the plans of the Army Corps of Engineers to protect the NY-NJ harbor from storm surge and sea level rise. In keeping with our name, Rivertowns, we are dedicated to protecting the health of the Hudson River, imperiled by leakage from sewage treatment plants, dumping of dangerous chemicals, stormwater runoff, and the residue of plastics.
Healthcare Reform.
The Healthcare Committee attends monthly meetings of the New York State League's Healthcare Committee, held via Zoom. We monitor, review and disseminate information about legislative actions that pertain to the healthcare of all New Yorkers. We collaborate with other groups to provide programming and events of an informative and educational nature, particularly the advancement of a statewide healthcare insurance plan known as New York Health Act, similar to Medicare for All.
Membership.
The Membership committee works to increase league membership through a DEI lens; reaches out to new Rivertowns residents by distributing membership applications and packets to public libraries and realtors; adds League links and messages on village websites and public access stations; welcomes and communicates with new members to determine & channel interests; issues calls-to-action to members; maintains members’ contact information and oversees annual renewal drives & fund raising.
Naturalization Court.
In conjunction with other local leagues in Westchester, we attend naturalization ceremonies in White Plains every six months to warmly welcome in person new citizens and provide them with information about the League & voter registration.
Publicity/Social Media.
This committee promotes awareness of the League’s positions and activities by posting information on our social media sites (Facebook and Instagram), and other online outlets; designing flyers, and writing and distributing press releases.
Youth Outreach.
We are especially committed to recruiting student members (ages 16 and above) for League projects such as voter registration drives in high schools and special annual events such as “Vote Like a Girl,” held at Washington Irving’s Sunnyside; “Running & Winning,” a day-long workshop at Manhattanville College providing the opportunity to explore public service as a career with elected officials; and “Students Inside Albany,” an intensive four-day stint designed to introduce students to the workings of state government; they observe legislative sessions and shadow their senators and assembly members. College student members are encouraged to join the LWV of Westchester’s Youth Engagement Committee and participate in the Inter-league College Campus Program, focusing on teaching students lobbying, voter registration, and get out the vote messaging.
Odd Jobs:
Photography/Videography.
Website Maintenance.
Administrative assistance.
Archivist.