Tis’ the Season to Give Your Love to a Staten Island Charity

By: Roseanne Cassar 

Contribute to any of CSI’s charities this holiday season. Photo Credit: USAToday.com

We say goodbye to fall delights and say hello to the season to be jolly. That’s right; Christmas and Hanukkah are just around the corner. And that means charities will be appearing at every street corner.  

Try not to fret too much over finding charities because there will be plenty to choose from.

Choosing a charity shouldn’t be a painstaking task; it’s very simple. It’s so simple that you can find charities right in your own neighborhood, here on Staten Island.

If you are looking for a charity to donate some money to this holiday season you can start at CSI.

CSI is a reputable member of the SI COAD: The Staten Island Community Organizations Active in Disaster.

Staten Island COAD is a collaboration between local nonprofit leaders and staff members who come together and come up with ideas for nonprofit organizations to help with natural disasters that occur unexpectedly.

According to Staten Island NFP Association, the SI COAD is an association that comes together and, “unites not-for-profits and agencies that can provide assistance in disasters.”

The Staten Island NFP also states that they work to, “coordinate services from SI COAD members to increase efficiency and effectiveness.”

Additionally, the SI COAD, “interfaces with response organizations on the federal, state and local level.”  

The Staten Island NFP Association goes on to explain that the SI COAD, “promotes a culture of preparedness in the borough’s not-for-profits and community.” “

The COAD also hosts Family Ready Day: A yearly event educating the community about large-scale disasters and smaller local emergencies that can happen more frequently.

According to The Staten Island NFP Association, the SI COAD also has a,“Self-Care Conference: An annual event that provides support to those in the field, providing self-care education, resiliency, recognizing PTSD and burnout.”

You can go on SI COAD’s website for further information. You can find other members of this organization on their website, as well.

Their are also other members who are on this committee working alongside with the College of Staten Island that can make charity hunting more manageable.

Several different charities that are involved in the SI COAD are: the American Red Cross in Greater New York, Meals on Wheels of Staten Island, Richmond University Medical Center, Staten Island Mental Health Society, The Salvation Army, Project Hospitality, and Eden II Programs.

This list of organizations from the website can be of help during this holiday season, especially if you are planning to contribute to a good cause.

Another alternative charity that is funded by CSI is called The First Star CSI Academy. The First Star CSI Academy is, “an ambitious new program funded by the College of Staten Island (CSI) Foundation that will directly support youth in foster care.”

First Star, Inc. chose CSI, “as the first institution in CUNY and New York State to house the breakthrough program.”

This brand new program is awesome because it gives high school students from Brooklyn and Staten Island the privilege of visiting CSI’s campus, “one Saturday each month to participate in academic and life skills development programs.”  

This privilege also allows high school students, “the first year of the four-year long program to experience college life for an entire month while living in Dolphin Cove, the college’s apartment-style luxury residence halls, deepening their involvement in the academic and life skills programs.”

This program is making it possible for youth in foster care to get on track with their education and career pathways to secure their future down the road.

What is First Star?  As stated on their website, “First Star was founded in 1999 as a national public charity dedicated to improving life for child victims of abuse and neglect.

Since 2011, First Star has pioneered support programs to introduce foster children to make fruitful lives for themselves through careers in higher education.”

Let this 2019 holiday season be your chance to do something special for those in need.

Staten Island alone holds a vast number of charity organizations who would be more than happy to receive any kind of love and support, whether it be big or small.

With these tools at your fingertips, now you can go out there and make a difference this holiday season.

Sources:

firststar.org

sinfpa.org/si-coad