How to Give Back, New York
Christmas! is a great time to give back. And by give back, I DON’T mean returning Halloween purchases like the wig and eyebrows for my Ben Higgins costume (I’ll use those again for my high school reunion where I was voted “student most likely to cryogenically freeze himself in his twenties.” ).
I mean REALLY give back, like the magic book I “borrowed” from Norton Singer in 5th grade. Or the baseball cards I stole in 6th grade, also from Norton Singer. And the biology-class skeleton, who may have been Norton Singer.
What works for me may not work for you. So here are some give-back ideas that may be more appropriate to your level of Satori.
#1 Make New York Warmer. You can donate your gently-worn winter coats to New York Cares, which has collected over two million coats in the past 30 years. Learn more HERE.
#2 Help Children Read. Brooklyn-based Greenlight Bookstore has launched Secret Snowflake Holiday Book Drive 2019, a partnership with NYC Service to gift books to kids this holiday season. Select books for babies to age 16 are offered at 30% off. You buy the book, and Greenlight will make sure that the kids get the books. Learn more HERE.
#3 Support life-saving services. Housing Works has thrift stores and a book store cafe where they sell used furniture, clothes and books. Drop off your items or shop for gifts at the any of the locations. And you’ll support an organization that supports homeless, low-income and marginalized men, women, and youth. Learn more HERE.
#4 Spend time with elders. SAGE supports LGBT elder folks, and offers opportunities for New Yorkers to volunteer, spending time with SAGE’s clients or helping out in the office. Learn more HERE.
#5 Go for a walk. BARC–a Brooklyn-based animal rescue shelter–needs volunteers to walk dogs and help care for cats. If you are an animal lover and have time to give, check out the opportunities HERE.
#6 Make cards or deliver meals. Citymeals on Wheels offers many opportunities to help homebound and senior citizens. You can help in the kitchen, create cards for seniors, or deliver meals. Learn more HERE.
Here’s to making NYC a better, thriving place.
