Today we we want to highlight an organization that is also exemplifying the ideal that we at New York GAS like to embody. New York Cares is doing great things for the city and its inhabitants. They make it easy to lend a helping hand in a variety of projects from tutoring middle-schoolers to cleaning up the parks. All you have to do is go to their website (newyorkcares.org) and sign up as a volunteer. Once you create an account and attend one of the hour-long orientation sessions, it is a simple one-click process to sign up for specific projects.

Types of Projects:  ■Helping homeless kids get their first library cards. ■Tutoring children and adults. ■Playing sports with children lacking access to recreational facilities. ■Cleaning up parks, schools, and beaches. ■Teaching financial literacy and job skills to low-income adults. ■Befriending lonely and isolated seniors. ■Preparing and serving meals to the hungry. ■Caring for abused and neglected animals.

We've all seen it, the young lady with a stroller and a couple of rugrats trying in vain to open a door. Or the tourists carrying their shopping bags desperately attempting to open that heavy glass door. 

Why don't you help them out?

New Yorkers are notoriously know for their rudeness, and I guess it's even worse in the morning as we are "the city that never sleeps", so excuse us if we are a bit grumpy in the morning. We New Yorkers love our coffee though, there's just nothing like a fresh cup of Joe to make a New Yorker's Day - so why not make someone's day today a give away a free cup of Joe to show you "Give A Sh*T"!

  This idea has picked up in Europe (originating from Italy) and is known as Suspended Coffee! The idea is to pay for a cup of coffee in advance as an anonymous act of charity. There is nothing quite like a little heartwarming act of handing out a hand-warming coffee. The NY_GAS crew went out on the street to hand out free coffee to New York strangers - suspect and surprised at first, yet really thankful for making their day! 

Last week, the NY_GAS crew went to Union Square to promote and send some encouraging messages to our brothers in Boston.

Here are some messages that true New Yorker, who Give a Shit and wants our Boston Bros to know we care!

  Unlike Luanne Sorrentino I didn't know what to do when I was standing on the subway and a man fainted and collapsed into my legs. I immediately crouched down to help, shaking him a bit to see if he would wake up and lightly slapping his face (2 things that you should NOT do). Luckily, the man woke up but probably not because of me. Then he walked off and was dealt with by the paramedics that had been called by others on the train. But what if he hadn't woken up? Would my actions have saved his life? Probably not.

That's when I realized, in a city as big as New York, more people should be certified (or at least knowledgable) in CPR and First Aid. According to the FDNY, the care that a patient receives in the first few minutes after an incident is the barrier between life and death. And it's actually a fairly simple process.

Here's how to become certified:

- Adults can take a class at the local Red Cross that is between 2-5 hours depending on the training option and the price will vary from $70 to $135. This will make sure that you are First Aid/CPR/AED certified. (AED is a defibrillator which is also very important to know how to use).

- For High School and College Students, there is a 30 hour course designed specifically for them that will make sure they are certified in First Aid/CPR/AED and can deal with a variety of emergencies.

- Or you can organize a certification class at work, run by qualified Red Cross instructors. By calling 1-800-RED-CROSS (1800-733-2767) they will set you up with pricing and scheduling.

The FDNY is also running a public awareness campaign called Be 911 Compressions Only CPR program that doesn't offer certification but at least you can learn how to respond if nobody with certification is there. Watch the video below to learn how to respond in an emergency situation.

WE ARE NEW YORKERS. We’re into fast-pace living in the city that never sleeps. If you can make it here you can make it anywhere; but we don't want to make it anywhere. It may seem like we don't care about each other, but we're sure that New Yorkers do GIVE A SHIT!

New York, concrete jungle where dreams are made of. There's nothin' you can't do. Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens and Staten. From the Battery to Harlem. New York you make it happen. Start spreading the news. I want to be a part of it.

WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO:

Change the attitudes and mindsets of apathetic New Yorkers by showing the little things that can be done around this city to help fellow city dwellers. From holding the door for someone carrying groceries to possibly saving someone's life. So let's get out there and show that we GIVE A SHIT!!

And just for fun, Shit New Yorkers Say: