Tis the season of giving, and, appropriately, our December issue focuses on giving back. You needn\u2019t look too far to find a worthy recipient for your time and financial donations. Central New York has a wealth of deserving organizations doing good, and they\u2019re all in need of your support. We\u2019ve written about many of them in the pages of this magazine, but I\u2019d like to share three of my favorites that we haven\u2019t discussed before with you here in hopes of getting them some attention this holiday season.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Blessings in a Backpack Liverpool Chapter 1854<\/strong><\/p>\n Info: 210 Hazel St., Liverpool, New York 13088; blessingsinabackpackliverpoolny.org<\/p>\n Donations accepted? Yes<\/p>\n Volunteers needed? Yes<\/p>\n The\u00a0Liverpool\u00a0community\u00a0has\u00a0teamed\u00a0up\u00a0with\u00a0Blessings\u00a0in\u00a0a\u00a0Backpack,\u00a0a\u00a0national\u00a0nonprofit\u00a0program\u00a0that\u00a0works\u00a0with\u00a0local\u00a0organizations\u00a0to\u00a0provide\u00a0bags\u00a0of\u00a0food\u00a0to\u00a0elementary\u00a0school\u00a0kids\u00a0in\u00a0need.\u00a0Each\u00a0bag\u00a0contains\u00a0two\u00a0breakfast\u00a0item,\u00a0two\u00a0lunch\u00a0items\u00a0and\u00a0two\u00a0snacks.\u00a0All\u00a0are\u00a0non-perishable\u00a0and\u00a0child-friendly\u00a0and\u00a0represent\u00a0three\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a0four\u00a0food\u00a0groups.\u00a0Sometimes\u00a0these\u00a0meals\u00a0are\u00a0the\u00a0only\u00a0food\u00a0they’ll\u00a0have\u00a0from\u00a0the\u00a0time\u00a0they\u00a0leave\u00a0school\u00a0Friday\u00a0afternoon\u00a0until\u00a0they\u00a0return\u00a0Monday\u00a0morning.\u00a0Because\u00a0the\u00a0need\u00a0is\u00a0so\u00a0great\u00a0in\u00a0the\u00a0city\u00a0of\u00a0Syracuse,\u00a0the\u00a0Liverpool\u00a0chapter\u00a0is\u00a0working\u00a0to\u00a0feed\u00a0kids\u00a0at\u00a0Seymour\u00a0Dual\u00a0Language\u00a0Academy,\u00a0where\u00a0more\u00a0than\u00a0600\u00a0students\u00a0in\u00a0kindergarten\u00a0through\u00a0fifth\u00a0grade\u00a0need\u00a0food\u00a0over\u00a0the\u00a0weekend.\u00a0The organization\u00a0began\u00a0with\u00a050\u00a0kids\u00a0in\u00a0September\u00a0of\u00a02017.\u00a0Thanks\u00a0to\u00a0the\u00a0generosity\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a0community\u00a0\u2014\u00a0including\u00a0grants\u00a0from\u00a0Wegmans\u00a0and\u00a0Walmart\u00a0and\u00a0donations\u00a0from\u00a0parishioners\u00a0at\u00a0St.\u00a0Paul\u2019s\u00a0Lutheran,\u00a0Liverpool\u00a0First\u00a0Presbyterian,\u00a0Liverpool\u00a0First\u00a0United\u00a0Methodist\u00a0and\u00a0St.\u00a0Matthew\u2019s\u00a0Episcopal\u00a0churches\u00a0\u2014 with\u00a0the\u00a0start\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a02018\u00a0school\u00a0year,\u00a0they\u2019re\u00a0now\u00a0up\u00a0to\u00a0200.\u00a0For\u00a0$100,\u00a0you\u00a0can\u00a0feed\u00a0a\u00a0child\u00a0for\u00a038\u00a0weekends\u00a0a\u00a0year.\u00a0Your\u00a0sponsorship\u00a0provides\u00a0kids\u00a0with\u00a0food\u00a0to\u00a0get\u00a0through\u00a0the\u00a0weekend,\u00a0but\u00a0it’s\u00a0more\u00a0than\u00a0just\u00a0a\u00a0couple\u00a0of\u00a0meals\u00a0\u2014\u00a0that\u00a0bag\u00a0of\u00a0food\u00a0is\u00a0a\u00a0sign\u00a0that\u00a0someone\u00a0cares\u00a0about\u00a0them.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Friends of the CanTeen<\/strong><\/p>\n Info: P.O. Box 1521, Cicero, New York 13039; canteencny.com<\/p>\n Donations accepted? Yes<\/p>\n Volunteers needed? Yes<\/p>\n Okay, so this is cheating, since I wrote about CanTeen Executive Director Toni Brauchle in May, but YOU GUYS. This is such an amazing place, and I wish every school had a program like this. The Friends of the CanTeen are the fundraising arm of the teen center next to Cicero-North Syracuse High School. The board oversees the day-to-day operations of the youth center, which serves kids in eighth through 12th grade. There, teens can play games, do homework, watch movies, make food (which the center provides) or socialize. The CanTeen sees kids from all walks of life, every clique and all backgrounds. Regardless of any stereotypes and prejudgement, the CanTeen provides a welcoming environment for everyone, whether it\u2019s kids that come every day or someone just stopping in for the day. The Friends group raises approximately $40,000 a year, supplemented by other funding streams, to fund field trips and events as well as provide food, internet and other amenities while paying the bills.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Operation Northern Comfort<\/strong><\/p>\n Info: 800 Second St., Liverpool, New York 13088; operationnc.org<\/p>\n Donations accepted? Yes<\/p>\n Volunteers needed? Yes<\/p>\n Operation Northern Comfort is an offshoot of Operation Southern Comfort (also a great organization), which formed in the wake of Hurricane Katrina to help rebuild the Gulf Coast. Operation Northern Comfort, like its southern counterpart, serves the community by offering labor, monetary donations and other forms of support when needed. ONC takes on handyman projects in Central New York, from delivering furniture or painting a room to retrofitting a house for an amputee coming home for the first time since his accident. No job is too small. The nonprofit has no paid staff. Volunteers of all skill levels are welcome.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Remember, these are just a few of the many deserving nonprofits in Central New York, and the introductions offered barely scratch the surface of the services they offer. Check out the websites of these organizations for more information.<\/p>\n Got your own favorites? Feel free to share on our Facebook page!<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Tis the season of giving, and, appropriately, our December issue focuses on giving back. You needn\u2019t look too far to find a worthy recipient for your time and financial donations. Central New York has a wealth of deserving organizations doing good, and they\u2019re all in need of your support. We\u2019ve written about many of them…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":2359,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[104,717],"tags":[1020,712,718],"class_list":["post-2707","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-causes","category-from-the-editor","tag-giving-back","tag-holiday","tag-letter-from-the-editor"],"gutentor_comment":0,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/breakfast-1869772_1920.jpg?fit=1920%2C1440&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":2168,"url":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?p=2168","url_meta":{"origin":2707,"position":0},"title":"LETTER FROM THE EDITOR: What do the holidays mean to you?","author":"Sarah Hall","date":"December 1, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"LETTER FROM THE EDITOR What do the holidays mean to you? For me, the holidays are about family. I have fond memories of Christmas Eve, watching \u201cMuppet Christmas Carol\u201d with my family while we gorged ourselves on snacks and opened Christmas jammies and presents from the siblings and grandparents. I\u2019m\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "From the editor"","block_context":{"text":"From the editor","link":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?cat=717"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/headshot.jpg?fit=200%2C200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":2645,"url":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?p=2645","url_meta":{"origin":2707,"position":1},"title":"LETTER FROM THE EDITOR: In November, we write about philanthropy","author":"Sarah Hall","date":"October 31, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Philanthropy in its most basic definition means \u201clove of humanity.\u201d I like to believe that people are basically good \u2014 that we all start out with the best of intentions, full of that love of humanity. Sometimes the world is a cold and lonely place and that love fades (and\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "From the editor"","block_context":{"text":"From the editor","link":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?cat=717"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/breakfast-1869772_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/breakfast-1869772_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/breakfast-1869772_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/breakfast-1869772_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/breakfast-1869772_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2318,"url":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?p=2318","url_meta":{"origin":2707,"position":2},"title":"LETTER FROM THE EDITOR: A note from WISE","author":"Sarah Hall","date":"April 5, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Editor\u2019s note: In honor of our WISE edition this month, instead of my blathering, I\u2019m giving over this space to Nicole Samolis. Looking forward to seeing you at the Symposium on the 25th! - Sarah \u00a0 Hello,Readers, \u00a0 Welcome to the WISE Symposium issue! \u00a0 This year marks the 17th\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "From the editor"","block_context":{"text":"From the editor","link":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?cat=717"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/New-WISE-Symposium-Logo.jpg?fit=1200%2C720&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/New-WISE-Symposium-Logo.jpg?fit=1200%2C720&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/New-WISE-Symposium-Logo.jpg?fit=1200%2C720&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/New-WISE-Symposium-Logo.jpg?fit=1200%2C720&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/New-WISE-Symposium-Logo.jpg?fit=1200%2C720&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2532,"url":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?p=2532","url_meta":{"origin":2707,"position":3},"title":"FROM THE EDITOR","author":"Sarah Hall","date":"July 25, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Pat Mouton gave me a D on the first assignment I ever turned in to her. It was an essay on some summer reading assignment going into junior year of high school; I don\u2019t remember now what the book was. I do remember I had never gotten a D in\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "From the editor"","block_context":{"text":"From the editor","link":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?cat=717"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/breakfast-1869772_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/breakfast-1869772_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/breakfast-1869772_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/breakfast-1869772_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/breakfast-1869772_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3236,"url":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?p=3236","url_meta":{"origin":2707,"position":4},"title":"Inspire: Glenna Wisniewski: Liverpool Public Library director to retire","author":"Alyssa Dearborn","date":"August 24, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"By Mark Bialczak When Glenna Wisniewski was a kid growing up in Baldwinsville, she recalls, on a rainy day she might be found at her friend Jimmy Pirong\u2019s house playing library. \u201cWe would have our books and checkout cards,\u201d she says. \u201cI\u2019d say, \u2018I think you need to read this.\u2019\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Inspire"","block_context":{"text":"Inspire","link":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?cat=1143"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/LPL-Glenna-CMYK.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/LPL-Glenna-CMYK.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/LPL-Glenna-CMYK.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/LPL-Glenna-CMYK.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/LPL-Glenna-CMYK.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2549,"url":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?p=2549","url_meta":{"origin":2707,"position":5},"title":"FROM THE EDITOR: September is National Suicide Awareness Month","author":"Sarah Hall","date":"September 3, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"This is our arts and style issue, so you\u2019re about to read a lot of relatively light-spirited articles about fashion, music and the arts. So let\u2019s start with the heavy stuff, all right? September is National Suicide Prevention Month. We tend not to talk about suicide and mental health, because\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Causes"","block_context":{"text":"Causes","link":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?cat=104"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/woman-1006100_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C676&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/woman-1006100_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C676&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/woman-1006100_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C676&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/woman-1006100_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C676&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/woman-1006100_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C676&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2707","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2707"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2707\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2708,"href":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2707\/revisions\/2708"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/2359"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2707"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2707"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2707"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}