Giving, not receiving, is the true meaning of the holiday spirit. In today’s material world, it’s comforting to know there are many proactive people and organizations in Rye dedicated to helping the needy. Here are a few from the long list of Santa’s helpers and busy elves this season.
By Georgetta L. Morque
Giving, not receiving, is the true meaning of the holiday spirit. In today’s material world, it’s comforting to know there are many proactive people and organizations in Rye dedicated to helping the needy. Here are a few from the long list of Santa’s helpers and busy elves this season.
The Children’s Collective, now over 20 years old, collects more than just coats at its annual coat drive. They recently gathered hundreds of donated items of clothing. Resurrection PREP middle school classes sorted the goods that are shipped to homeless shelters, transitional housing facilities, and head start programs in Elmsford, Port Chester, the Bronx, and Harlem. Summer clothes went to Orphan Children of Africa.
PREP classes also made tags for Resurrection’s Giving Tree. Each tag gives the age and gender of a needy child so parishioners can pick a tag and buy an appropriate gift. The majority of gifts go to the Friars of the Renewal in the Bronx. Confirmation classes will host a Christmas party at a housing project in Port Chester, bringing toys, food, and cheer to families. And there’s the annual P.O.T.S. Christmas dinner in the Bronx that parishioners organize.
At Rye Presbyterian Church, there’s a food and coat drive for the Carver Center, and a layette collection for new mothers through Open Door. Church members are organizing the Christmas Eve Dinner at Noon at the Carver Center. Every youth group member will shop for a gift for a designated child through Open Door.
Trinity Church is collecting food for those who are unable to access local food pantries through Hillside Food Outreach, a not-for-profit food pantry with a warehouse in Pleasantville.
Rye schools are active as well. Preschoolers learn about giving at Rye Presbyterian Nursery School though its annual Holiday Pal program. Parents purchase a book, gift, or clothing — or all three — for a specific child at the New Rochelle Children’s Learning Center, and the preschoolers make cards for their pals as a personal touch. Christ’s Church Nursery School collects toys for Good Shepherd in Brooklyn, and Daniel Warren Elementary has a Giving Tree. F.E. Bellows Elementary participates in Rye Neck School District’s holiday project, co-sponsored by the student council, and raises money through Fun Fitness Fridays and the Mamaroneck Elks for gifts for the needy in the area.
The Midland Elves are busy collecting gifts for the Carver Center and Rye Middle School’s Reach Out Rye Hope for the Holidays Drive involves collecting jackets and winter wear and a small toy for 100 children at the Carver Center.
After successful food, clothing, and toy drives, Rye Country Day School is adding a green element this season. As part of the school’s ongoing sustainability efforts, students are assembling recyclable tote bags filled with energy-saving products for families served by the school’s ESL program.
The Rye Angels, the teen nonprofit, took flight December 3 on their fourth midnight run to help the homeless in Manhattan. Resurrection Boy Scouts are collecting for the Heifer Fund, which provides livestock for families in poor countries.
Once again, the Rye YMCA is collecting food, clothing, and toys for the Carver Center and is continuing its ongoing work with the Hunger Task Force, which helps needy families in Larchmont and Mamaroneck. Once a month, the staff and teen Leadership Club members pack bags of food for 600 families.
In town, TD Bank has been collecting coats for Holy Rosary’s Open Closet and toys for the Rye Police Association to support the Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots program. Other locations for Toys for Tots drops are City Hall and the Rye Police Headquarters lobby.
Learning Express is collecting toys for Open Door. Lester’s is collecting gently used clothing for Kids Closet, and Rhythm in Rye Too has a tree with tags representing needy children. Gifts can be purchased and brought to the store.
And the list goes on. Hats off to all the volunteers and the many more programs not mentioned that benefit others this season. It’s not too late to get your donations in to these worthwhile causes.