Community Corner

How to Give Back to Your Community

Here are some local charities and organizations that can use some assistance during the holiday season, and year-round.

Mineola Fire Department

The  is constantly accepting new applications for membership. Qualifications for membership include: you must be at least 18 years old, you must be a citizen of the United States, you must pass a department sanctioned medical exam (at no cost to the applicant), you must successfully pass a criminal and arson background check, you must be willing to respond to alarms, and attend required training, meetings, company and department functions. Benefits of membership include: enrollment in a retirement system, a tax exemption for all homeowners, emergency services training.

Mineola Memorial Library

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The  accepts donations of new and used books. Your recycling your read-through treasures and helping control costs at your local library.

Mineola Kiwanis Club

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The  is currently and also to raise money for the Interfaith Nutrition Network (INN), which operates 19 soup kitchens and feeds 5,500 people each week. Please contact the group for more information as well as the events the group holds around the year to benefit children.

American Red Cross - Nassau County Chapter

The  offers emergency assistance, crisis preparedness, health and safety services, training courses and youth services to millions of Long Islanders. Make a donation online or become a volunteer.

Toys for Tots

Nassau County has joined the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve in collecting toys for needy children for the Toys for Tots program. Drop-off boxes for new, unwrapped toys will be located at 17 Nassau County locations through Dec. 20. Click  available throughout Nassau County.

Salvation Army

The Salvation Army has a variety way of ways to give to programs that put food on tables, help the mentally and physically disabled, seniors, children and formerly middle-class people who have fallen on hard times. The easiest way to give is to toss spare change into a red kettle, usually found outside a grocery store. All money raised at red kettle sites stays in the community in which it is given.

Island Harvest

Island Harvest is the largest . Their volunteers and staff collect, good surplus food from over 600 local restaurants, caterers, farms and other food-related businesses and distribute it to a network of close to 500 soup kitchens, food pantries, and other places where those in need can access it. They devote 97 cents of ever dollar donated to their programs. Monetary contributions are accepted, as well as food donations.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Long Island

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Long Island provides volunteer mentors to children in need of an additional positive and caring adult in their lives. Contact the Nassau County office located in Levittown at 731-7880 to volunteer or for more information. Online donations are also accepted by clicking here. To schedule a pick up for clothing, vehicle or furniture donations, call 631-234-0000.


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