Recently, I saw a college production of Swimming in the Shallows, Adam Bock’s smart, thought-provoking play about three couples who encounter obstacles on the way to true happiness. One character grabbed my attention during the show and has remained in my mind since. Barb, trapped in an unhappy marriage, becomes obsessed with giving away all her belongings, following the teachings of Buddhist monks who limit their worldly possessions to only eight. By the end of the play, she is down to 45 and counting.
Black Friday began early this year, with many stores opening their doors Thanksgiving night. The holiday shopping frenzy is when we add to our own and other people’s worldly possessions. If the truth be told, most of us don’t need another thing. We want things, yes. But need things? No. Most of our relatives and friends also have everything they need, one of the reasons shopping becomes so difficult. What do you give someone who has everything?
There are many people who don’t have everything they need and those are the people who should head up our gift list. This holiday, pick out that special present for the special people in your life, then give to one or more non-profits on this list. The gesture will warm your heart and help others.
Ronald McDonald House of New York, Inc.
Children from all over the world come to New York to be treated for cancer and Ronald McDonald House provides a temporary “home-away-from-home” for these young patients and their families. In addition to monetary contributions, frequent flyer miles help families who must travel from far way.
www.rmdh.org
New York Cares
If you can’t give money, give time to this organization, the city’s leading volunteer organization. You probably know New York Cares as the group that collects winter coats each year, but the organization operates throughout the year helping people of all ages.
www.newyorkcares.org
City Harvest
More than 1.5 million New Yorkers currently live in poverty. Of those, more than one million rely on emergency food at some point during the year, including nearly 350,000 children and more than 140,000 elderly. City Harvest regularly delivers food to nearly 600 emergency food programs in New York City, helping provide food to over 260,000 men, women, and children each week.
www.cityharvest.org
The Actors Fund
The entertainment industry has been hard hit by the recession, leaving many professionals in front and behind the camera out of work. The Actors Fund is a nationwide human services organization that helps all professionals in performing arts and entertainment. The Fund is a safety net, providing programs and services for those who are in need, crisis or transition.
www.actorsfund.org
The Freshman Fifteen
Started by mother daughter team, Mary and Meaghan Buckley, the Freshman Fifteen sends deserving students off to college with the goods they will need to furnish their rooms. Each $500 donated sends a student off with the 15 items he or she will need to begin life at college.
www.thefreshmanfifteen.org
The Doe Fund
Men in royal blue uniforms can be seen every day helping to keep our streets clean. The Doe Fund is the organization behind this program, helping homeless and previously incarcerated individuals achieve permanent self-sufficiency.
www.doe.org
Gay Men’s Health Crisis
While the AIDs crisis no longer dominates the news, the disease continues to affect many people in our city. GMHC offers an array of programs and services to thousands of men, women, and children every year. GMHC believes in promoting the health and wellness of all people affected by HIV and AIDS. Whether a person needs to get tested or is having difficulty with public benefits, GMHC is there to help.
www.gmhc.org
ASPCA
Animal shelters are crowded and struggling to help dogs and cats that have been abandoned. Many pets will be turned loose on the streets and suffer hunger, neglect, and abuse.
www.aspca.org
Asphalt Green
Asphalt Green offers scholarships for all of its fee-based programs so that New Yorkers of all backgrounds can get fit and healthy. For some, this means being able to participate in the Summer Day Camp; last year, over $60,000 were awarded to bring the fun, friendship and fitness of the Camp to a diverse group of children. For others, scholarships provide access to soccer classes, senior fitness, or hydrotherapy. In total, over 186 scholarships were awarded last year.
www.asphaltgreen.org
Big Brothers and Big Sisters
The organization is running a 2009 Holiday Gift Card Drive to help parents and guardians who often must make the choice between buying gifts or paying bills. This holiday the agency welcomes donations of $10 gift cards, particularly from Old Navy and Toys ‘R Us, but also from Best Buy, Virgin Megastores, or American Express. These presents will be given to the Little Brothers and Sisters at the annual holiday parties in December.
www.bigsnyc.org/
Central Park Conservancy
New Yorkers are fortunate to have a beautiful park in the middle of Manhattan. From the ball fields, to the tennis courts, to the reservoir running path, Wollman and Lasker skating rinks in the winter and Shakespeare in the Park in the summer, recreation is just a step away. Your support will allow the Conservancy to restore, preserve, and maintain Central Park.
www.centralparknyc.org
