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. 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!
Abilis
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 disabilities and is located at 50 Glenville Street in Greenwich. Visit abilis.us/gifts for holiday shopping hours. Donate to the Abilis Annual Appeal. Donations help Abilis to provide vital services and advocacy support for more than 800 people with varying abilities of all ages and their families in Fairfield County. For more info visit abilis.us.
American Red Cross
Help Where it Is Needed Most
Your gift of any amount the the American Red Cross will save the day when the next emergency strikes. Whether that be help when a house burns down in your community, when someone needs CPR or a lifesaving blood transfusion, or when a family needs to contact a deployed service member in an emergency. Your gift supports the many urgent needs of the American Red Cross.
To make a donation, visit https://www.redcross.org/donate/holiday-donations-help-where-its-needed-most.html/
Arch Street Teen Center
Arch Street is the longest running teen center in the country and our mission is to provide local teens with a safe environment to connect and socialize with their peers. We are open every day free of charge – The Brick House cafe offers after school snacks and homework help from our high school senior volunteers, dance and exercise classes, art classes and so much more. On the weekend Arch Street hosts social and service activities.
At Home in Greenwich
At Home in Greenwich is a nonprofit organization based in Greenwich, that focuses on quality of life and takes a holistic approach to helping older adults age comfortably in their home. We offer a carefully curated mix of resources, services, and events designed to keep our members safe and connected. Our services support and enable our members to live happily and independently, with confidence.
Visit us to learn more, donate, volunteer or join! www.athomeingreenwich.org
Boys and Girls Club of Greenwich
Since 1910, Boys & Girls Club of Greenwich has provided an outstanding experience that assures success is within reach of every young person who enters our doors. We offer an extensive array of recreational and academic programs to members ages 6-18, for just $75 per year. Our staff works daily with our members to make a positive impact on their lives through our three identified priorities: Academic Success & Enrichment, Character Development and Healthy Lifestyles. The mission of the Club is to prepare young people, through enrichment opportunities and supportive relationships, to be responsible, caring and productive community members.
Breast Cancer Alliance
Did you know that one in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime? Survival rates are near 90% for breast cancers that are detected early, but 30% of breast cancer patients live with metastatic disease for which there are currently no cures.
Breast Cancer Alliance, a national charity headquartered in Greenwich, has a three pronged mission: Funding scientific advances that yield new treatments and eventual cures, granting breast surgical fellowships, escalating the number of qualified, highly skilled breast surgeons into the field, and supporting life-saving educational programs and breast health care services for underserved patients, eliminating burdensome socioeconomic barriers.
100% of your donation today will go to BCA grants for 2023: http://weblink.donorperfect.com/bca_donate
The Bruce Museum
Community. Art. Science. Education. These four touchstones have guided the Bruce Museum for the last 100 years. These are the principles that have brought Bruce Museum’s family of visitors inspiration, knowledge, wonder, and joy. The Bruce Museum’s family is diverse and united by shared values. We are a community of the curious. We believe in the power of science. We see the life-changing impact of art. We know that openness, understanding, and appreciation are keys to changing the world.
Your gift matters! Support the Bruce Museum today!
Children’s Learning Center
As the second largest early childhood education provider in Connecticut, CLC provides early childhood education for all families, with direct services and programs focused on health, nutrition & family support for children 6 weeks – 5 years of age.
Coffee for Good
Coffee for Good operates a coffee shop, open to the public, as a paid training platform for adults with developmental disabilities. Each trainee earns above minimum wage and typically works a three hour shift, three times a week. After 8 to 12 months of training, our volunteer Inclusive Employer team helps them find jobs in their local communities so we can train more people. We were founded to address the high unemployment rate in this community which is close to 80%. Coffee for Good is open from Monday through Saturday from 7:30am to 5:30pm and located at 48 Maple Avenue, Greenwich, CT 06830.
Please consider becoming a customer, volunteer or donating at: coffeeforgood.org.
The Emily Catherine Fedorko Foundation
The Emily Catherine Fedorko Foundation (ECFF) is a family foundation that provides funding to spread education, advocacy and awareness of boating and water sports safety for adults and children, throughout Connecticut and nationwide.
The foundation was created by Pamela and Joseph Fedorko to honor the life of their beautiful 16-year old daughter Emily, who lost her life during a tragic water tubing accident in the summer of 2014.
ECFF supports programs and initiatives that educate boaters and water sports enthusiasts of all ages about the importance of understanding and following essential boating and water safety laws, regulations and best practices. This includes awareness of both state and local boating and water sports rules and regulations, attaining necessary certifications, knowledge of each body of water, the vessel mechanics, and life jacket requirements, ongoing safety education for boat drivers, navigators and passengers, and more.
In addition to water-sports safety, the foundation also honors other areas of interest in Emily’s life – by supporting academic and athletic endeavors she was passionate about.
Family Centers
Thousands of Fairfield County families continue to struggle to afford food, rent and other basic living necessities. With the holidays fast approaching, these families are facing an additional layer of financial stress. Please support Family Centers’ Holiday Toy Chest and help us bring joy to local children this season!
On Saturday, December 10, families enrolled in Family Centers’ programs will be invited to a special “shopping” event at the First Presbyterian Church in Stamford. Parents will have the opportunity to browse a wide selection of toys and gifts that they can take home at no cost and give to their children at the holidays.
To provide families with an inventory to shop from at the Holiday Toy Chest event, Family Centers is seeking donations of toys/gifts and wrapping paper/bows.
Please visit our website for more information or email [email protected]
Food Rescue US – Fairfield County
Join us in the fight to reduce local hunger and food waste! Food Rescue US is committed to reducing local food waste and food insecurity. Using a proprietary web-based app, the non-profit engages volunteers to transfer excess fresh food from grocers, restaurants, and other sources, to social service agencies that feed people who are food insecure. Since its founding in 2011, Food Rescue US – Fairfield County has provided 31+ million meals and kept 42+ million pounds of food from landfill.
The process of food rescuing is quick, simple and extremely rewarding. As a volunteer food rescuer, you will:
- Pick-up excess food from local food donors such as Whole Foods, Stop & Shop, Kings, Balducci’s, Upper Crust Bagels, Cobs Bread (saving it from our waste stream where it creates methane gases that are harming our planet).
- Provide this fresh excess food to local agencies such as Kids in Crisis, Neighbor to Neighbor, Barbara’s House, Jewish Family Services, Boys and Girls Club that support individuals and families experiencing food insecurity.
- Pick the time and place that works for you and claim it on the web based app. Use your own vehicle to pick-up and drop-off the excess food.
Volunteer by registering as a food rescuer or donate at app.foodrescue.us/signup. Or email [email protected].
Friends of Greenwich Point
The Friends of Greenwich Point acts as an advocate for Greenwich Point. We are a non-profit 501(c)(3) committed to responsible stewardship and public education to preserve Greenwich Point’s diverse natural environments and beauty. We promote community education and recreation at Greenwich Point through our projects, including the Safe Roads program, educational programs for adults and children, and summer concerts. We add osprey platforms, fill the bird feeders in the Holly Grove, repair habitats, and care for the dunes and the new wildflower meadow. We work with and complement the efforts and resources of the Town.
Greenwich EMS
The mission of Greenwich Emergency Medical Service (GEMS) is to provide the highest level of pre-hospital and emergency medical care to reduce the risk of death and disability due to trauma and sudden illness. GEMS is an independent 501(c)(3) non-profit that relies on charitable contributions for all its capital needs.
Greenwich Department of Human Services Fund
The Greenwich Department of Human Services Fund accepts charitable contributions to support programs and services offered by the Town of Greenwich Department of Human Services and promotes community awareness of the needs that these programs and services are designed to address.
Working together to address the unmet needs of Greenwich residents seeking support.
To learn more or make a donation, visit www.greenwichdhsfund.org
Greenwich Land Trust
Greenwich Land Trust’s mission is to conserve open space, to connect our community with the natural world, and to inspire the next generation of conservationists. GLT permanently protects more than 850 acres of diverse habitats, from the tidal marshes of Long Island Sound, to meadows and orchards, and the lush woodlands of the backcountry. Your donation supports GLT’s efforts to protect and steward the land that is the foundation of Greenwich Land Trust’s conservation mission, as well to build a community around conservation, engaging people of all generations to care for the natural resources that contribute to the historic character and scenic beauty of Greenwich.
Greenwich United Way
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.
Impact Fairfield County
Impact Fairfield County is a collective giving circle that engages women of Fairfield County, Connecticut in local philanthropy on a deeper level. We unite women by together providing large, transformational grants to local non-profits. We strive to reach the underserved and improve the lives of those in our community.
India Culture Center
ICC’s mission is to foster inclusion. We host cultural events and celebrations to educate and engage the community in Indian culture. ICC also connects seniors in the community through bi-monthly luncheons which ICC partly underwrites. ICC’s signature event is HoliFest, a joyful community wide celebration of the festival of Holi.
Jewish Family Services of Greenwich
Jewish Family Services of Greenwich is a social service agency providing high quality and accessible services for all ages and stages in the greater Greenwich community. Our programming includes counseling and psychological services, senior support, family services, and immigration and legal services.
Kids in Crisis
Kids In Crisis is Connecticut’s only free, round-the-clock agency providing emergency shelter, crisis counseling and community education programs for children of all ages and families dealing with a wide range of crises. Since 1978, Kids In Crisis has helped more than 164,000 children and families in southern Connecticut. Last year, 4,651 children and families received assistance from our organization. For 45 years, Kids In Crisis has been working on behalf of kids who are at risk, every day in the following ways:
24-hour Helpline (203-661-1911): Need help? Not sure? Trained Crisis Counselors are available to provide immediate help, and assess services needed to address and work through any situation regarding the welfare of a child.
Outreach: Once the phone is answered, Crisis Counselors provide immediate help and often work face-to-face for intervention and individualized plan development. Crisis Counselors are also available to respond to and collaborate with community providers.
SafeHaven for Kids: Kids In Crisis offers temporary shelter for children and teens in need of a safe place to stay during a time of crisis. Shelter services include counseling, on-site medical assessment, educational support, advocacy and strengths based perspective to build resiliency in each client.
SafeTalk: An age-appropriate empowerment program for children in Kindergarten through 5th grade, is presented by professional staff and trained community volunteers in area schools. SafeTalk teaches children how to recognize and respond to potentially dangerous situations including, bullies, strangers and inappropriate touch.
TeenTalk: TeenTalk is a Kids In Crisis exclusively designed program, that places specially-trained Master’s-level mental health counselors in many Fairfield County middle and high schools to identify and help students navigate difficult personal, family and school-related issues.
Lighthouse: Kids In Crisis’ newest program is a welcoming, inclusive and safe space where lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, transgender, questioning (LGBTQ) youth and their allies meet regularly. Visit www.kidsincrisis.org for meeting times and locations.
KidTalk: Children at the Boys and Girls Club of Greenwich receive onsite mental health counseling from a Kids In Crisis KidTalk Counselor, who also educates and guides staff, and collaborates closely with the kids’ schools and families.
InterAgency Team: Kids In Crisis provides case management for this voluntary juvenile justice prevention program for identified at-risk students in Greenwich public K-12 schools. Like the JRB, it requires buy-in and contractual commitments from students and parents.
Juvenile Review Board: Kids In Crisis case management for teens in this voluntary restorative justice program for youth who have committed a minor first-time offense. The JRB is collaborative with the Greenwich Police Dept. and Dept. of Social Services.
Safe Place: Kids In Crisis serves as the local coordinator for this national program, through which businesses and community sites connect youth in crisis to immediate support services.
Kids in Crisis has a large holiday drive distributing clothing and toys to over 300 children in need in Fairfield County. One of the ways we receive donated items is through our Amazon Wish List. Please help the holiday drive HERE.
Mothers for Others
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. Your gift will help support the nearly 600 children a month served by Mothers for Others. To learn more and make a donation, visit www.mothersforothers.org.
Neighbor to Neighbor
Neighbor to Neighbor is committed to supporting Greenwich residents in need by providing weekly access to nutritious food. As food and energy prices continue to rise we need your support now more than ever. With your help, we can continue to provide nutritious food and personal care products to all of our households. 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
As mental health becomes a priority in our community due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on our families, Pathways has been at the forefront of serving adults with severe mental illness for over 40 years.
We need your support to continue to provide housing, compassionate care and exceptional case management services to our clients. Together, we can help our clients live their best lives possible.
Pitch Your Peers
Our mission is to engage women in local philanthropy and to collectively fund grants to nonprofit initiatives that serve Greenwich, CT. Through our internal pitch process, our members educate their peers about unmet needs in the community by championing the causes about which they are most passionate. Pitch Your Peers is committed to promoting volunteerism, informed philanthropy, and collaborative giving, as well as to fostering connections among women looking to share and grow their interests in these areas.
REACH Prep
REACH Prep provides access to transformative educational experiences that empower high-achieving, Black & Latinx students from underserved communities to graduate from top colleges and emerge as the next generation of leaders. We support 250 Scholars annually from Fairfield and Westchester counties and the Bronx and have served almost 500 families since inception in 1994. Our 12-year program model includes rigorous preparation, individualized support, and close academic monitoring from the summer after 4th grade through college graduation and beyond. We offer high-quality educational and summer opportunities, maintain high expectations, and provide consistent, ongoing support for the students and their families. As a result, 100% of our Scholars graduate from high school, 100% matriculate to a 4-year university, and 90% of our Scholars graduate from college in 4-6 years which is more than twice the national average for Black and Latinx students. Additionally, $11million of need-based financial aid is awarded to our students each year by independent schools and colleges.
Your donation will help fund:
-Prep Academy: our 15-month program which provides rigorous preparation for independent school
-Individualized support for Scholars and their families at all stages of their educational & early professional careers
-Summer enrichment opportunities for middle school and high school Scholars
-College exploration and visitation for high school Scholars
-Professional development and career planning initiatives
-Technology needs of Scholars
Any level of support can have a direct impact in the lives of our Scholars- thank you for your consideration & generosity!
To learn more, visit: https://reachprep.org/ or contact Development Manager Brianne Moulder at [email protected]
The Transportation Association of Greenwich (TAG)
Specialized transportation for seniors and disabled residents of Greenwich.
TAG will drive you to all medical appointments, whether your Doctor is in Greenwich, Stamford, Rye, White Plains or Norwalk. We also will take you to shopping, visiting, beach, parks, where ever you would like to go. TAG also have 25 passenger vans to accommodate large group outings, such as Restaurants, Plays, and many social events. TAG really does “Drive Greenwich” so give us a call, 203-637-4345.
UJA-JCC Greenwich
We enrich, support and connect Greenwich and Jewish communities in Israel and worldwide with exceptional cultural and educational programs, advocacy and Jewish philanthropy.
To realize our mission, we are guided by these values:
- Community
- Working together to build a caring and inclusive Community connecting us to our heritage, our humanity and each other.
- Charity
- Inspiring giving to support and ensure a vibrant Community locally and around the world.
- Continuity
- Encouraging ongoing community engagement in Philanthropy and education to deepen responsibility and leadership
The Undies Project
Our mission is to provide new underwear to men, women and children in need to improve their lives. Underwear is the most under-donated, yet most needed, item of clothing. No one should be deprived of the simple, daily necessity of clean underwear that many of us take for granted. Hygiene and physical comfort are only a part of this basic human need. New, clean underwear also provides dignity and self esteem. For many, underwear is a necessity, not a luxury. The Undies Project relies on the support of individuals, businesses and communities. With this support we receive donations of underwear, or monetary donations so that we can purchase wholesale underwear, to donate to our growing list of partner agencies who serve those who are homeless, living in shelters or who are on a low income. Neighbor to Neighbor and Kids in Crisis are just two of the local area agencies we donate to. Please donate whatever you can this holiday season so that we can continue to fulfill our mission. No amount is too small to make a difference.
Waterside School
Waterside School is a PreK through 5th grade independent school in Stamford, CT providing transformational educational opportunities for students from under-served communities. Working in partnership with our families, Waterside empowers its students with the knowledge, skills, and virtues to excel as scholars and leaders, supporting its graduates through college and career. Our robust scholarship program ensures no child is turned away due to limitations in income or circumstance. Since 2010, 99% of Waterside graduates have been placed in independent schools.
The average cost for one student to attend Waterside is $25,000, yet tuition makes up just 5% of our annual budget. Your support will allow us to continue to educate the leaders of tomorrow, as a key part of the School’s success is our continued investment in alumni. Thank you for your support and generosity.
To support Waterside School’s mission today, please visit https://www.watersideschool.org/ways-to-give/.
To learn more about Waterside School, visit our website at www.watersideschool.org.
YMCA of Greenwich
For over 106 years, the YMCA of Greenwich has served as the heart of our community. It is part of our proud past, chronicled by the life-changing programs and services. While the programs and activities have evolved throughout the years, one thing remains constant—the Y brings our community together. All ages. All backgrounds. All abilities. And, we have plans for a bright future.
A community nonprofit organization, the Y is a welcoming facility where individuals come together to connect, inspire, and support each other. It is where families meet forever-friends, anyone learn to swim, where kids and teens build confidence and find their niche, where those with special needs feel welcome and empowered, where seniors remain engaged physically and socially, where cancer survivors regain strength, where all ages achieve better physical and mental health, where those who need a helping hand are embraced, and where we all stay connected.
The generosity of our donors makes it possible for the Y to fulfill its charitable mission providing programs and resources to strengthen spirit, mind, and body for all. Thanks to donations, the Y is where everybody belongs and where our community becomes stronger.
To support the YMCA of Greenwich and learn more about our programs, please visit: https://greenwichymca.securetracon.com/
YWCA of Greenwich
YWCA Greenwich is a multi-service non-profit that has been serving the Town of Greenwich and surrounding region for over 100 years. YWCA Greenwich helps improve the health and well-being of girls, boys, women, and men of all ages, regardless of racial or gender identities. Everything we do is anchored in our mission to eliminate racism and empower women. We do this through our many programs such as Aquatics, Fitness classes, our NAEYC accredited preschool, our summer camps including ACA accredited Camp TAYITO, Domestic Abuse Services, and many more! Your donation to YWCA Greenwich will provide financial aid to enable children to participate in important programs and will enable YWCA Greenwich to provide free community events and services.
For more information and to make a donation, please go to www.ywcagreenwich.org