This holiday season, there are lots of ways to get into the spirit of giving around Mineola. The Family & Children’s Association (FCA) continues their long tradition of serving the community’s less fortunate citizens, both in Mineola and the surrounding areas.
The Mineola-based organization is sponsoring a Silver Bells Program to benefit homebound seniors this year. They’re collecting donations of personal care items and plan to deliver gift bags to more than 400 seniors out of the 9,000 serviced by the nonprofit. This year, the Holiday Inn in Westbury kicked off the campaign by donating three cases of shampoo, soap and mouthwash.
“We chose to work with the Family and Children’s Association because we knew it serves people right here in our very own backyard. Taking care of our neighbors is both an honor and a privilege,” said hotel general manager Franklin Manchester. “To know that we may have provided people with basic amenities, what many of us consider common household items, and that we could make such an impact just puts things in perspective for us.”
In addition to the cases of toiletries, the Inn also donated tissues and detergents.
Silver Bells doesn’t just accept cleaning supplies like soap and shampoo, but also clothing along with denture cream, eyeglass cleaner, deodorant, toothbrushes and body powder.
The campaign includes a few non-perishable food items like coffee, tea and powdered milk. Donations can be brought to the FCA headquarters at 100 E. Old Country Rd. in Mineola.
“We hope everyone will pitch in to bring a little holiday cheer to the lives of our long-time residents who may feel isolated during the holidays. We encourage individuals, schools, businesses and community groups to gather together to support this important effort,” Lisa Stern, senior service director for FCA, said.
The FCA also works to shelter homeless youth and runaways, families struggling financially and veterans. The association started many years ago as an orphanage, and still emphasizes providing housing to keep families together, especially during the cold holiday season.
The additionally organization operates the Walkabout Home for Homeless Youths in Freeport. The program provides struggling adolescents ages 16-21 with shelter and help to complete their schooling or enter the workforce.
The Walkabout Home on Dec. 2. allowed supporters to view the newly renovated living room. Members of the Long Island Chapter of the Interior Design Society worked to refurbish the home and held a fundraiser for money to purchase a new sectional sofa for the living space along with collecting other donations.
