It's the Time Give Back to East End Nonprofits This Holiday Season

With the season of giving approaching, now is the perfect time for East End residents to make a difference in their community.

Here are some nonprofits that invite donations for their causes.

Give to East End Nonprofits

Heart of the Hamptons is an East End nonprofit that assists persons in need. It was founded 42 years ago by Southampton residents and has grown with community support ever since. According to the nonprofit group: “The mission of Heart of the Hamptons is to help people in our local community who are in need, without discrimination, in a dignified manner.” They were donated by the Basilica Parish of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary and are located at 168 Hill Street in Southampton. On Wednesdays and Fridays from 10 a.m. to noon, as well as by appointment, the food pantry at HoH is open to the public. The pantry, which presently serves over 2,100 households, is financed by donations from various local businesses, as well as community donations and food drives.

Heart of the Hamptons offers referrals and counseling to determine how best to help people and families. Backpack Kids, Lunchbox Kids and Special Needs are some of their children’s aid programs. They also have various specialized initiatives to assist adults, seniors and veterans with as many individual requirements as possible.

The Polar Bear Plunge, the Heart of the Hamptons’ greatest fundraising event of the year, will take place on Saturday, December 9 at Coopers Beach for its 20th annual event. Registration is now open, and teams are looking for sponsors. All earnings from the fundraiser will benefit the food pantry and assistance programs, allowing them to continue to operate and provide relief to those in our community who need it the most throughout the year.

The holiday season is an excellent opportunity to give back to the community and consider those in need. Heart of the Hamptons would not be achievable without the East End community’s support, so please consider donating to this caring organization as the holidays approach and the year comes to a close! heartofthehamptons.org.

Honor Flight Long Island, based in Southampton, helps many Long Island war veterans visit memorials that they would otherwise not be able to visit. Since its founding back in 2005, over 1,900 veterans have been able to travel to see these memorials, many of them in Washington, D.C. Donations are always welcome and help take care of expenses for these trips, such as meals, buses and flights. There are also opportunities to volunteer. honorflightlongisland.org

The Moriches Bay Project, in West Hampton Dunes, is designed to help improve the water quality in Moriches Bay. Since 2012, their goal is to double the number of oysters in the bay each year. They’ve been able to raise and seed over 2.5 million oysters into Moriches Bay. For each oyster, over 50 gallons of water per dill is filled. Their mission statement says: “We all live, work or play on the bay, and we all have a responsibility to care for it.” Donations are appreciated. morichesbayproject.org

Like the Moriches Bay Project, South Fork Sea Farmers in East Hampton is also fighting for better water quality though oyster farming. Additionally, they look to educate more people about their water though lectures and workshops at the Montauk and Springs facilities. Those interested can also learn more through the South Fork History Museum. The organization needs public support to continue making strides in improving water quality, as well as continuing to educate more people. southforkseafarmers.org

Project MOST provides programs and activities for East End students from Pre-K through 8th grade. These include tutoring, after-school enrichment and summer programs. They range from a variety of subjects and areas, such as arts, music, health and STEM. According to their mission statement:

“Project MOST inspires students and families to achieve their upmost in life through after-school, summer and community programming. Our intent is to inspire all children and families to be empowered members of the community — to want to learn, create, express themselves and help others.” They value equality, tolerance and wellbeing, and aim to provide children and their families with resources for them to succeed, regardless of what background they come from. projectmost.org

Since 1984, the Artists Alliance of East Hampton has worked to help Long Island artists and their works reach the community. They provide plenty of networking opportunities, as well as community outreach programs and scholarship programs for students. It is a great way for artists to be able to collaborate with one another and encourage others to pursue art as well. The organization is open for any artists to join. Public support is strongly encouraged in order to continue to provide these opportunities. aaeh.org

These organizations are packed with compassion and love. Consider donating to them or joining their mission to improve the neighborhood this holiday season.

-With Maria Fernanda Llave