Do Good Feel Good

by on in UPDATES

While tradition dictates that most Americans are focused on scoring deep e-
discounts on flatscreens, laptops, and dishwashers today, we wanted to take a
brief moment to promote charitable giving and a few organizations out there
working hard for the greater good of our community, humanity, and environment.

Operation Splash

 

There are countless local, national and international organizations addressing
issues concerning health, global ecology, social justice, poverty, the needs of children, victims of violence and natural disasters (to name a few). With over a million registered nonprofits in the U.S. alone, there are far too many deserving charities to list here, but we wanted to pull together a few local/regional organizations supporting water quality, marine education and the environment for
your consideration this holiday season. This list is in no way comprehensive, and
when it comes to charities, ANY donation makes a difference, whether it’s
monetary support or going out and lending a helping hand.

Rockaway Waterfront Alliance

 

If you’re interested in donating to other organizations, but were hoping for some
guidance, the folks at UPenn’s Center for High Impact Philanthropy have done
an incredible job of putting together an annual publication The High Impact Giving Guide. Released in November and celebrating its 10th anniversary, the
downloadable PDF provides some helpful tips for understanding how to make
your donated dollars mean the most. There are also some websites – like
charitynavigator.org, guidestar.org, myphilathropedia.org, and give.org – that
enable you to review charities and their operations for impact, financial efficacy,
and transparency.

Let’s kick off the holiday season the right way, by spending a moment to
think about ways we can leave this place better than we found it.
In no particular order:

  • Surf for All helps children and adults with disabilities share our love of the
    ocean through surfing. They also partner with veterans organizations like
    Wounded Warrior, and provide programs throughout the year and are currently on the ground in Puerto Rico assisting with Hurricane Maria recovery efforts
  •  Surfrider Foundation – with chapters in NYC, Central and Eastern Long
    Island, the foundation’s activities range from education and cleanups to
    general coastal advocacy.
  •  Coastal Research and Education Society of Long Island – with a mission
    to “promote and foster understanding and stewardship of coastal
    ecosystems through research and education,” this organization has a
    special focus on marine life.
  •  Support clean water and water quality through local organizations like the
    Long Island Clean Water Partnership or the Jump In! campaign via
    Grassroots Environmental Education.
  •  Based in Freeport with 6 locations on the LI south shore, Operation
    SPLASH supports marine advocacy and offers boats to carry volunteers to
    various locations and help with waterway cleanups.
  • Rockaway Waterfront Alliance is dedicated to better connecting underserved communities along the Rockaway peninsula to the ocean and climate-related issues through education and engagement.
  • Group for the East End has demonstrated over 40 years experience in projects and advocacy that support wildlife conservation, coastal protection and education.

Supplies headed to Puerto Rico courtesy of Surf for All

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hurricane Maria Relief in Puerto Rico

We at NYSEA have a special relationship with Puerto Rico in particular and
understand that natural disaster relief and recovery donations can be especially
tricky, so here are just a few great organizations working in Puerto Rico:

There are many other organizations working in Puerto Rico and elsewhere in the
Caribbean, and we encourage you to give, but it is important to do your research
(using the links mentioned above) and better understand your impact before you
donate.
Happy Holidays everyone!