Greenwich Charities: How to Help this Holiday Season

Are you looking for ways to give back to our wonderful Greenwich community this season? We’ve updated our annual list of local charities and how we can all help them, starting today. Our neighbors need our support more than ever, as the pandemic has exacerbated problems from homelessness to hunger. Thank you for considering spending a little time or money on a new, or familiar, cause.

Have information you’d like to add about your favorite charity? Email [email protected] and we’ll update!

Shop local this holiday at Abilis Gardens & Gifts, including gifts for children, the home, handcrafted candles and bath products, jewelry, accessories, holiday wreaths, flowers, greens and centerpieces. Our retail shop provides job training for adults with special needs and is located at 50 Glenville Street in Greenwich. Visit abilis.us/gifts for holiday shopping hours.  Donate to the Abilis Annual Appeal.  Funds raised will support new initiatives within Abilis that provides vital services and advocacy support for over 800 people with special needs of all ages and their families in Fairfield County. For more info visit abilis.us.

The world is complicated. Helping kids is simple. Today, your donation to Boys & Girls Club of Greenwich is a simple act that will make a big impact for kids in our community who are counting on us. While so much feels complicated right now, your donation is a simple way to help kids through the challenges they’re facing today to ensure great futures are still possible tomorrow. BGCG programs focus on three identified priorities: Academic Success, Healthy Lifestyles and Character Development.

Please support the Boys & Girls Club of Greenwich by donating today at https://bgcg.org/get-involved/donate.html

As you do your holiday shopping please consider supporting local families in need through Family Centers’ Annual Holiday Giving Drive. Head to their website to request a holiday wish list from an area family, purchase a gift card for a family or make a donation. For this information and more, go to familycenters.org.

Help a family in need enjoy this holiday season by purchasing clothing, toys or household essentials between now and December 6th on the Kids In Crisis Holiday Central AmazonSmile wishlist; make a tax-deductible financial gift on the Kids In Crisis website; or cook a meal for residents in the SafeHaven emergency shelter.

Kids In Crisis is a family-focused charity offering many ways to get involved and help children in need this holiday season. Our Holiday Central wishlist has been created to distribute food, new clothing, toys and household essentials to families throughout the area who have utilized our emergency shelter, helpline, outreach programs and crisis services. “Kids In Crisis is happy to help make the holidays a joyous time for these families, especially as the need is greater than ever before.” says Shari Shapiro, Executive Director. Please visit the Holiday Central Wishlist.

Looking for a special gift for friends, family or co-workers? Visit Splurge in Greenwich, and purchase a Kids In Crisis aromatherapy Holiday Candle. 100% of the proceeds go toward the Kids In Crisis mission of building healthy communities where children and families thrive through prevention, counseling, and crisis services available 24-hours every day. To purchase a candle online, please visit https://kidsincrisis.itemorder.com/shop/product/21074118/ 

For more information, or to make a tax-deductible contribution, please visit kidsincrisis.org.

The Greenwich United Way develops dynamic programs that benefit the lives of all Greenwich residents. Their Direct Impact Programs directly impact the community with services relating to Early Childhood Achievement Gap Solutions (ECAGS) and Youth Impact Programming. “Direct Impact is another example of how since 1933 the Greenwich United Way has been Finding, Funding and Fixing the health, education and self-sufficiency needs of Greenwich. We are especially proud of our ECAGS program which is working to narrow the achievement gap in Greenwich,” says CEO David Rabin. Learn more about their ECAGS program here  https://greenwichunitedway.org/drive-to-425/ and about Greenwich United Way at greenwichunitedway.org.

Help the Junior League of Greenwich continue its vital work in our community and be a part of #givingtuesday which supports our Annual Fund for 2021-22. This will help:

• Support our projects Done in a Day, Done in a Year, Money $ense and Positively Me!
• Train new members to be strong volunteers through their own successful projects like Baby Bundles, which helps provide new mothers with essential supplies for their babies.
• Award grants to local teens like Stephanie Guza and her project to End Period Poverty, and to organizations like Girls with Impact that work to equip girls with business and leadership skills.
• Develop the next generation of female civic leaders and changemakers in our community.

To learn more, go to https://www.jlgreenwich.org.

Meals on Wheels delivers nutritionally balanced meals 5 days a week throughout the town. A route takes roughly an hour between 9:30 and 11. We’ve experienced an increase in clients during COVID-19. All our deliveries are left at the door to keep everyone safe. If you’re interested in volunteering they can call and speak to Lynne Stewart at 203 869-1312 or email: [email protected]

As moms know, babies need diapers all day, every day, and that need doesn’t stop for the holiday season. For families on a limited income, parents are often faced with difficult choices this time of year as they try to make the season special, but struggle to meet basic needs. You can help local parents keep their children clean, dry and healthy with a donation to the Mothers for Others Diaper Fund. To make a donation, visit www.mothersforothers.org.

Neighbor to Neighbor is committed to supporting Greenwich residents in need by providing weekly access to nutritious food. As the pandemic continues through a second winter, we need your support now more than ever. With your help, we can continue to provide nutritious food, personal care products, including monthly feminine hygiene products, and warm blankets to all of our families. Your support will take on new meaning this year, as many of our families will continue to face the harsh reality of skyrocketing food prices, illness, and heightened anxiety.

Your donation will help us to continue our mission of supporting our neighbors in need by creating access to food, clothing, and basic living essentials in an atmosphere of kindness and respect. Thank you!

Learn more about Neighbor to Neighbor and their community impact at www.ntngreenwich.org

Pathways is the story of hope for those with severe and chronic mental illnesses. Our clients receive residential and case management services as well as access to our newly renovated day program facility in Cos Cob, The Success Club at Pathways.  

At The Success Club at Pathways we engage our clients with the world around them through a variety of programs designed to build confidence, competencies and connections. “Donor support for on-going programming and residential amenities provide Pathway clients the help they need to live their best lives” says Pathways Executive Director Peter Tesei.

 For more information on Pathways, go to pways.org.