December 2016 - New York 

 
10th Annual - Mom's Christmas Stocking Campaign
Mom's Christmas Stocking
 
Date/Time: Sunday, December 11, 1 - 3pm
 
Location: Grassroots Fitness Project, 519 W. 80th St NYC - 1st floor

D. Wendy Strauss started this project in honor of her own mother. After her Mom passed away, Wendy found a request from her mom that she continue to fill a Christmas stocking for her each year, and to give it to a woman in need. Mom's Christmas Stocking fills upwards of 200 stockings for women and children each holiday season to be distributed to shelters in NYC through Women In Need (www.women-in-need.org). Volunteers are needed to purchase stocking stuffers for women and babies and to participate on event day; filling stockings and transporting bags of filled stockings to the final location before pick up.

Suggested stocking stuffer items include:
  • Makeup
  • Travel size toiletries - lotion, shampoo, conditioner, deodorant
  • Feminine products
  • Jewelry
  • Hair accessories
  • Toothbrushes, toothpaste, floss
  • Nail kits, emery boards, polish
  • Socks, trouser socks, slipper socks
  • Candy, chocolates, mints
  • Specialty gift items - hats, gloves, slipper socks, pashmina scarves
  • Pens, markers, notebooks, note pads, pocket calendars, date books
  • NEW baby clothing such as bibs, socks, onesies
  • Child safe toys, bottles, pacifiers, baby care kits, wipes, diapers

Ages:
Everyone is welcome to participate

Time Commitment:
 Shop in advance at your convenience. The "stuffing" event is two hours long but feel free to drop in and stuff for as long as you'd like!
 
Contact:  D. Wendy Strauss, darylwendy@msn.com  or mom.stocking@gmail.com, 212.920.4719
http://momschristmasstocking.com/
 
 
Volunteer One-Night-of-Chanukah
Dorot
 
Date/Time: Sunday, December 25, Wednesday, December 28, or Thursday, December 29 between 4 and 6pm
 
Location: At the home of an elderly Dorot client - typically Upper East or Upper West side

Set aside one night of Chanukah to light the menorah with an elderly client of Dorot. Together, you and your family will create a memorable and meaningful Chanukah tradition, while fulfilling the mitzvot (commandment) of lighting Chanukah candles with a homebound elder who may have no family with whom to celebrate the holiday. Your family will be assigned to an elder and you call to schedule a time to visit and deliver a care package from Dorot filled with treats, a small menorah, and candles .

Ages: Families with children age four and older
 
Time Commitment: Each visit should last approximately one-half hour
 
Contact: Shelley Levine, SLevine@dorotusa.org, 914.441.5051. Registration is available online.
www.dorotusa.org
 
 
Stuff-A-Stocking
Family-to-Family, Inc.
 
Date/Time: At your convenience - until mid December
 
Location: Send an email to moreinfo@family-to-family.org before you begin stuffing your stocking. If you're making five or more stockings Family-to-Family will link you with a local shelter where you can bring them. If you're making fewer than five stockings, they will provide you with an address for one of their partner organizations in a community where Family-to-Family helps or where you can ship your stockings.

It's that time of year again! With the holidays approaching, Family-to-Family is providing lots of great opportunities to help kids and families living in poverty, and to allow them to celebrate the holiday with dignity. You and your family can help by participating in the Stuff a Stocking campaign. You can stuff as many as you'd like! Interested in more ways to give back at the holidays? Visit the Family-to-Family website for more holiday giving ideas.

CHILD'S STOCKING:
  • A child size fleece blanket
  • A snuggly stuffed animal
  • A child's toothbrush & toothpaste
  • Travel size games like Sorry, chess or checkers
  • Mittens
  • Pinky ball
  • Perfume or fragrances for 9-12 yr. olds
  • Nail polish
  • Lip gloss
  • Holiday pencils
  • Lego sets
  • Small puzzles
  • Small blank journal & pen
  • Tube socks
  • Small flashlight with batteries
  • Harmonica
  • Jump rope
ADULT'S STOCKING:
  • Winter gloves
  • Socks
  • Scarf
  • Soap & soap case
  • Body cream or moisturizer
  • Toothbrush and toothpaste
  • Fragrance
  • Small shampoo and conditioner
  • Lip balm or chapstick
  • Nail manicure kit
  • Crossword or Sudoku book
  • Deck of cards
  • Current magazine

Ages:
Everyone is welcome to participate
 
Time Commitment: Varies
 
Contact: kids@family-to-family.org, 914.478.0756
http://www.family-to-family.org
 
 
Soup Kitchen Volunteers
Masbia of Flatbush
 
Date/Time:
  • Sundays - Thursdays: 9:30am - noon; 12:30 - 2:30pm; 2:30 - 5:30pm and 5:30 - 8pm
  • Fridays: 7 - 11am
Location: 1372 Coney Island Avenue

Soup kitchen volunteers may help with the following tasks:
  • Peeling, chopping, dicing and storage of vegetables
  • Greeting customers warmly
  • Assisting customers with signing in and choosing a table
  • Serving hot kosher dinner plates
  • Assisting with bussing tables and trays, wiping tables if needed
  • Serving our community with dignity and respect
  • Assisting crew with pantry bag assembly and distribution

Ages:
 Volunteers under 14 years of age must be accompanied by a parent or approved guardian.
  • Volunteers must be at least 12 years of age to serve during dinner, from 3 to 7:40pm
  • Volunteers must be at least 10 years of age to assist with meal and pantry preparation; with the prior approval of the volunteer coordinator, children under 10 may accompany adult volunteers during non-serving hours, though it is not recommended

Time Commitment:
Shifts range between two and four hours
 
Contact: Laura Allen and Brizaldis Veras, Volunteer Coordinators, 718.972.4445 x209. Registration is available online.
http://www.masbia.org
 
 
Holiday Parties for Community of Hope Ministry of Homeless Outreach
Manhattan Church of Christ
 
Date/Time: Saturday, December 10, 8:30 am - 2 pm, and Christmas Eve, Saturday, December 24, 9 am - 2 pm. Please contact Reverend Carl prior to December 9 to make a donation.

Location: Manhattan Church of Christ, 48 East 80th Street

Holiday party volunteer shifts are extremely limited and book up quickly. Volunteers can also create gift boxes to be distributed to the homeless at the holiday parties. If you would like to donate items for the gift boxes, the following items are needed:
  • Soap
  • Deodorant
  • Toothpaste and toothbrushes
  • Lotion
  • Shampoo
  • Socks
  • Gloves & hats

Ages:
Everyone is welcome to participate
 
Time Commitment: Varies
 
Contact: Volunteer shifts are extremely limited and book up quickly. If you are interested in volunteering for one of the Holiday parties, please contact Reverend Carl Garrison to sign up at carl@manhattanchurch.org
www.Manhattanchurch.org
 
 


Learn more about
helping the homeless

 
Holiday Toy Collection
Toys for Tots
 
Date/Time: At your convenience, until Christmas

Location: Toys for Tots partners with major retailers every year, and you'll find donation boxes all over the city.

Toys for Tots is a well-know charity, established in 1991 by the US Marine Corps Toys For Tots Foundation. Their mission is simple: to provide a tangible sign of hope to economically disadvantaged children at Christmas. Every child can relate to the idea that they receive so many gifts for the Holidays, and yet some children in our community may not receive a special toy for Christmas. It could not be easier to visit a store with your children and let them pick out a toy for a child in need and place it in the donation box.
 
Ages: Everyone is welcome to participate
 
Time Commitment: Varies
 
Contact: Coordinator.T4TNYC@gmail.com, 347.450.8697. During the holiday season we will be extremely busy.  Please be patient and leave clear detailed messages so we may return your call as soon as possible.
www.toysfortots.org

 
 
Annual Coat Drive
New York Cares
 
Date/Time: Now through February 1. Deliveries to the New York Cares Coat Drive Warehouse can be made Monday through Friday 9am - 4:30pm until December 31.
 
Location: The New York Cares Coat Drive Warehouse's loading dock is located at 157 West 31st Street between 6th and 7th Avenues in Manhattan. Donation sites are also located across the city, in Police Stations, at major transportation terminals and at participating merchants. Check website for details on drop-off locations

As the weather begins to get colder, New York Cares starts to distribute coats to Community Partners. You can donate gently used coats at any one of the public donation sites, or you can start your own family coat drive and deliver the coats you collect to the New York Cares warehouse located in midtown. Recipients of the coats include churches, schools and shelters, all of which serve New York's most in-need populations. New York Cares Community Partners include nonprofit social service agencies, public schools, religious institutions, and transitional housing shelters - all of which serve some of our city's most vulnerable populations. Both adult and child-sized coats are needed.

Ages: Everyone is welcome to participate
 
Time Commitment: Flexible
 
Contact: info@newyorkcare.org, 212.228.5000
www.newyorkcares.org/coat-drive
 
 
Collection Drive - Share your Abundance!
Jewish Home and Lifecare
 
Date/Time: Flexible
 
Location: Donations can be dropped off at Jewish Home Lifecare, Manhattan Division, 120 West 106th Street, New York

Jewish Home and Lifecare provides care for the evolving needs of New Yorkers as they age, from the very frailest to those who just need a little extra help in managing chronic conditions at home. At this time of year, many nonprofits and social service agencies are in need of items to help their clients celebrate the holiday season with dignity and joy. You and your family can help by providing some of these needed items to Jewish Home and Lifecare:
  • Holiday gift wrap
  • Arts and craft supplies
  • New cosmetics
  • New caps, hats and scarves 

Ages:
Everyone is welcome to participate

Time Commitment:
Varies
 
Contact: Miriam Levi, 212.870.4618, mlevi@jhha.org
www.jewishhome.org

 


Learn more about
helping the elderly

 
Letters to Santa
Macy's Believe Campaign - Make-A-Wish
 
Date/Time: Until December 24
 
Location: Any Macy's retail store

This is the 8th year of Macy's Believe campaign benefiting Make-A-Wish. Kids of all ages can download a "Letter to Santa" template from the Macy's website, and drop their stamped letter, addressed to Santa At The North Pole, in the Santa Mail letterbox at any Macy's retail store. For each letter received through December 24th, Macy's will donate $1 to Make-a-Wish, up to $1 million. Make-A-Wish provides magical, life-changing experiences for terminally ill children and their families.

Ages: Everyone is welcome to participate
 
Time Commitment: Varies

Contact: Learn more online.
 
 

Giving Plates
Doing Good Together
 
Date/Time: Flexible
 
Location:  Your own home or community location


Making some baked goods to bring along to a holiday gathering? You and your family can bake up some extra treats to share as a holiday gift with new or isolated neighbors, sick or stressed friends, or even service providers you meet on a regular basis, like the mail carrier or school bus driver. Then your family can design giving plates to place your home baked goodies on as part of your gift! Visit the Doing Good Together Design a Giving Plate for directions to make your plates and for additional ideas and reflection questions
 
Ages: Everyone can participate
 
Time Commitment: Varies
 
Contact: mail@doinggoodtogether.org
www.DoingGoodTogether.org
 
 
Thank You for Your Giving
 
During this season of thanks, we want to thank each one of you for your commitment to making a positive difference in your communities. We are especially thankful for all the families who are living our mission of kindness and volunteering by using these monthly lists to find local volunteering opportunities. These free offerings would not be available if it weren't for the generosity of our donors. If you believe these lists are a value to you and your family, please include Doing Good Together your year-end giving plans.
 

 

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This list was compiled by Doing Good Together™ (www.doinggoodtogether.org)
 When calling to volunteer for any of the opportunities listed above, please let the coordinator know you found it through this listing. You are encouraged to ask any questions you may have of the sponsoring organization before committing to a project.
Disclaimer: This list is provided as a service to families. Inclusion of organizations in this listing does not imply affiliation, endorsement or quality assurance on the part of Doing Good Together.™ Doing Good Together™ bears no responsibility whatsoever for the activities and actions of the listed organizations. 
                                                                            

                                                                                                     © 2016 Doing Good Together™