IflTRODUCTION<br >There comes a time in all our lives when we realize that if the<br >wodd around us is to change， we have to be a part of that change.<br >Empty lots are not transformed into playgrounds unless people<br >care. Drug traffickers do not cease operations unless neighbor-<br >hoods mobilize against them. And human beings who inhabit card-<br >board boxes do not move into freshly painted apartmentS unless<br >other human beings help them. Change takes commitment， ener-<br >gy， and the realization that， through collective concern and coop-<br > eration， a street， a neighborhood， and a city can be rejuvenated.<br > This book is a call to action， an invitation to the people of New<br > York m come together and build a city of which we can be proud.<br > This book begins in the heart of the city: your home. From<br > them， it spirals outward to encompass your street， your park， and<br > your neighborhood. It tries to touch every aspect of city life that<br > you touch and then some. It wants to show you that no matter<br > where you are， you can still make a difference.<br > lifter reading this book， chances are you won t go out and<br > befriend a homdess person. But hopefully， you will examine the<br > range of opportunties presented and pick at least one you feel<br > comfortable doing. Everybody should be able to find something.<br > Hold a door. Hold a baby. Hold a dass./is you go through this<br > book， you will realize that many of your own skills could be put<br > m immediate use by dozens of organizations. The problem is，<br > they don t know you exist. You have to take the first step.<br > There am over 19，000 nonprofit agencies that operate in the<br > New York City area. It was not possible to know or include them<br > all here. Vhat you are holding is a sample， a small taste of dm vol-<br > unteer opportunities available. The full range remains to be dis-<br > covered by all of us. Our future and our city s future is within our<br > l" "s <! i~tlilding a Ilctter tl}ll"tlrtlllX ， starts with you， on page one.<br > Hark Grashow<br >