6 Giving Opportunities in NYC

Giving to others who need help is one of the most fulfilling things in life. When you give back, it feels like someone has lifted a weight off your shoulders. Being able to make someone’s day better feels incredibly satisfying. Fortunately, if you’re living in NYC, there are so many ways to give back through charity work that anyone can participate in. You don’t have to be rich or famous—just generous! That said, here are the top overlooked charity opportunities in the Big Apple.

1. Food Banks

Food is the easiest and also the most crucial necessity you can provide for the needy. There are several food banks in New York City, but the Food Bank for New York City in the Bronx and Capital Region Food Bank might be your best starting point. The Bronx has been struggling with increasing poverty over the past few years. Not to mention that crime is also prevalent, so this is an area that needs all the help it can get. These organizations assist those living below the poverty line by providing free groceries every week. Plus, they also distribute fresh produce through farmers’ market programs.

2. Book Donation

As the world becomes more digitized, physical tomes of knowledge are becoming rarer by the day. Many people don’t realize that libraries and schools are always looking for new books. You can donate old collections to the Brooklyn Public Library. A program called NYC Books Through Bars will take your paperbacks and give them to incarcerated individuals to help deal with loneliness. Giving away these precious pages means imparting your knowledge to others. The easiest way to donate books is by organizing them into fiction or nonfiction. Try to cover them if you can and then take them directly to your nearest public library branch or school.

3. Donating When Moving

Moving is one of the most overlooked opportunities to help others. During the process, it’s more likely that you will have a few extra things lying around that you won’t want to bring. You may have a spare TV sitting in your old apartment, or your kids may have outgrown their old toys and clothing. Consider donating these things to people who can’t afford to buy stuff themselves. 

These donations are a tremendous help to those living in low-income communities or neighborhoods where resources are scarce. It’s not just limited to toys or TVs. Donate whatever items you no longer need! It can be furniture, utensils, clothes, or even paint! What might seem like trash to you could make somebody else’s day brighter. Don’t hesitate to share! 

But since you won’t have a lot of time during the move, it’s best to leave the job to the professionals. Experts from www.moversnyc.com suggest that you hire a reputable moving company that offers to deliver your donation items to charity organizations for free. If your movers show that they care about others even without money involved, they’re also likely to care about your belongings since you’re their client.

4. Blood Donation

Do you want to give something that can save lives? Then donating your blood will undoubtedly make a difference! Many people need blood donations daily. With so many accidents and emergencies, there is always a shortage of healthy blood for those who need it most. Blood donation is a great way to keep the supply of this essential fluid sufficient at all times. To donate, visit any American Red Cross center or call (877) 733-2767 to book an appointment and learn the next steps.

5. Donate to Orphanages

Imagine a world without orphanages. These institutions provide care and support for children who have lost their parents or whose families can no longer afford to take care of them. But beyond the good intention, it’s not easy to run one. Orphanages need help with everything, including clothes, food, and toys for the kids. If you would like to donate your old items, pack them nicely and send them over to the local charity. Orphanages close to NYC include Zion Orphanage, which has been providing a home for children since 1899. 

6. Volunteer

What’s a better way to donate than giving some of your time to others? There are many different charities in New York City that will be more than happy to have you volunteer. You can choose from several programs, including Habitat for Humanity, the American Red Cross, Green Thumb, and many others. Most of these groups connect people with opportunities that suit their interests, such as elderly care or knitting. They offer an eclectic mix of activities covering everything from animal rescue centers to soup kitchens. Nothing’s more fun than helping other people while doing what you love!

Sharing is caring. Beyond NYC’s glamour and wealth lies thousands of people struggling to get by. One act of kindness might not seem like much, but it should be enough to make even an inkling of a difference. Don’t think twice about sharing your blessings.

Icla da Silva Foundation Hope Gala

On October 18, 2017, the Icla Da Silva Foundation held its annual Hope Gala – a fundraising benefit to support patients in need of a bone marrow transplant -- at Guastavino’s in New York City. The annual Gala is the highlight of the season, bringing together benefactors and friends of the foundation for an unforgettable evening. This year marked the 25th anniversary of the organization’s dedication to saving lives.

The extravagant event was attended by business leaders, top influencers, major philanthropists, and many past recipients who enjoyed an evening of inspiration and action. The affair celebrated the foundation’s work to encourage everyday people to step up and become a donor.

The evening began at 6:30 with a cocktail reception, which was followed by a seated dinner at 7:30, when guests were greeted with a homemade soft dinner roll. An appetizer of a napoleon of grilled vegetables was followed by a main course of pepper crusted filet mignon. Caramelized peach cobbler was served for dessert. Throughout the evening, guests were able to bid on the silent auction which was stocked full of incredible finds. The Gala would go on to raise a grand total of $400,000 dollars.

The program continued with the awards presentation. Dr. Jeffrey Chell, CEO Emeritus of Be The Match was presented with the Legacy of Hope Award while East River Medical Imaging, a medical diagnostic imaging center based in New York City, received the Healthcare Leadership Award. Both of these awards were presented by Traci Fox, a patient who has been with the organization for over 10 years, and who has yet to find a match. “She takes an oral chemotherapy drug daily and except for occasional fatigue, is tolerating the medicine well and never complains. I want to find a match for my daughter, and the people in this room tonight gives me hope,” said Traci’s father.

"There are people who are alive because of the work we do,” said Icla da Silva Foundation’s President and brother of Icla, Airam da Silva. “Our job is not done, until every patient that needs a bone marrow transplant, receives one. Legacy is not leaving something for people, it’s leaving something in people. It’s because of Icla that today we continue to save lives.”

The evening's high point was the emotional first-time meeting between a patient and his life-saving bone marrow donor. Bone marrow patients are not able to meet their donors until at least one year after a successful transplant. Tancrede Bouveret met his life saving bone marrow donor, Samantha, for the first time. The two ran across the stage and gave each other the biggest hug. There wasn’t a dry eye in the house. “A part of me is with him now, I feel like we forever bonded. I would do this again in a heartbeat,” said Samantha when asked if she would donate again. Samantha also had a message for the people who are hesitant about donating: “imagine yourself in that person’s shoes, what if it was you or a member of your family that needed a lifesaving match, you would not be hesitating at all.” After the emotional meeting, everyone got onto the dance floor and partied the night away.

There are still so many people in the world that need lifesaving matches. Do your part and sign up to be a donor. People often think of bone marrow donation as a very painful procedure. However, this is not the case. Registering to be a donor involves nothing more than filling in a form followed by a self-administered and painless cheek cell swab using four Q-tips, which are then packed up and sent through the mail to be processed and eventually stored in the National Marrow Donor Program Registry. In only ten to 15 percent of cases is it necessary to administer a general anesthetic and remove cells from the pelvic bone, which results in few days of soreness – alleviated, say the donors.  Please go sign up to be a donor so we can help people like Traci and thousands of other patients like her that are waiting for life saving bone marrow transplants

ABOUT TANCREDE BOUVERET, BONE MARROW PATIENT:

Tancrède was born at the Naval Medical Center of San Diego on May 14, 2004.  His father, Luc Bouveret, always dreamed of having a child, and so with the help of a surrogate in California, Tancrede entered the world.

In March of 2015, Tancrede was diagnosed with Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS), which progressed into Leukemia. The fathers were notified that their son had less than a 10% chance of survival.  The only cure is to receive a matching bone marrow transplant. After several months, a 90% match came through. With great hope, the fathers asked to wait a little bit longer for a 100% match.  Three weeks later, in July of 2015, a 100% matching donor was identified in Madison, Wisconsin.  Tancrede received his transplant on July 29, 2015.

Due to complications, he spent almost 2 years in the hospital.  His body needed an additional transplant of lymphocytes, which the donor agreed to, without hesitation. Tancrede is now 13 years old and despite his illness he continues to lead a normal life.  Although still in recovery, taking an abundant amount of medicines, antibiotics, monthly chemotherapy and blood treatments, he is persistent on keeping his above average attendance in school.  Tancrede has a knack for learning. He speaks four languages, is socially conscious, and has his own YouTube channel.

His fathers insist that none of this would be possible with the Icla da Silva Foundation and his life-saving bone marrow donor.

ABOUT ICLA DA SILVA FOUNDATION

The Icla da Silva Foundation was established in 1992, in memory of the 13-year-old Brazilian girl named Icla da Silva. After two years of fighting leukemia, Icla passed away in New York City, where she came hoping to get her life saving treatment: a bone marrow transplant. The young girl never found a matching donor. Upon her death, her family established the Foundation with the mission to save lives by recruiting bone marrow donors and by providing support services to children and adults with leukemia and other diseases treatable by marrow transplants.

Now in its 25th year, the Foundation, The Icla da Silva Foundation is the largest recruitment center for the Be The Match Registry in the United States. The Foundation holds over 2,000 bone marrow drives every year. It recruits over 38,000 new potential bone marrow donors every year, with a strong focus on minority communities.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT ICLA DA SILVA FOUNDATION: https://icla.org/

Instagram: @Icladasilvafdn | #BeTheMatch

Special thanks to Jennifer