Editorial: Long Islanders need help from Long Island
Suzanne Sluka, an RN and case manager at Nassau University Medical Center serves Francis Cloonan a patient in the physical medicine and rehabilitation area of the hospital a Thanksgiving dinner, on Tuesday, Nov. 25, 2014. Credit: Newsday / Audrey C. Tiernan
Thanksgiving Day arrives as our trust is failing that public and private institutions can assist us during this time of unsettling change. We are worried about our pinched economic prospects, dismayed by our polarized society and confounded by the relentless pace of technological upheaval.
Yet when we look closer at our communities, there is much to celebrate. This is the season when we revel in the comfort of traditions and the spirit of sharing. We celebrate the closeness of family and friends. And we have demonstrated time and again that we will help those in need. And those who are needy know Long Island will respond. So there are toys to collect, food to donate and joyful music to make as we brighten the lives of others.
Contributing to Newsday Charities' annual Help-A-Family campaign is a trusted way to provide for our neighbors. Nearly $13 million has been raised since 2000. Every dollar donated gets a 50 percent match from the Robert R. McCormick Foundation, our partner. So $20 becomes $30; $100 grows to $150. And not a cent of your donation is spent on administrative costs, all of which are covered by Newsday and the foundation.
The annual Help-A-Family campaign is underway and donations will be accepted through Jan. 31. Your generosity sustains nonprofit organizations from Valley Stream to Montauk that take care of the most vulnerable among us -- those who are hungry, those without shelter, those who are abused and those who seek an opportunity to get on their feet.
To donate or to learn more, visit newsday.com/helpafamily, or call 631-843-3056.
