How you can help victims of coronavirus in New York region
NEW YORK (WABC) -- With the cases of COVID-19 rising dramatically by the hour, there are a growing number of people who need help because of the novel coronavirus pandemic.
Some, of course, have been sickened by the virus, but many others are suffering from the economic consequences of the shutdowns designed to stem the spread of the illness.
SEE HOW COMMUNITIES ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE HERE!
WABC-TV Channel 7 has assembled this list of trusted charities that are offering needed aid at this time. These are safe places where you can send aid from the comfort and safety of your home. They are a good way to avoid giving to scam operations that are taking advantage of people's generosity at this sad time.
Donations for Victims of the Coronavirus
New York City Boroughs (Manhattan, Queens, The Bronx, Brooklyn & Staten Island)
Senior Citizens
Meals on Wheels: In response to the coronavirus crisis, this program is giving home-delivered meals to the elderly. The meals are nutritious and shelf stable.
- Location: 355 Lexington Ave. New York, NY
- Needs: Needs financial assistance in order to provide 200,000 in-home emergency meals
- Website: https://www.mealsonwheelsamerica.org/
Presbyterian Senior Services: Provides professional hands-on consultations and vital information for those with serious health conditions such as Alzheimer's and Dementia. In response to the coronavirus crisis, they are providing daily to-go meals for older adults age 60 and older.
- Location: 2095 Broadway Suite 409 New York, NY 10023
- Needs: Financial assistance
- Website: https://www.nycservice.org/organizations/1777
Homeless
St. Ann's Corner of Harm Reduction: St. Ann's Corner of Harm Reduction provide non-judgmental quality access to health resources to persons for whom the social stigma attached to their illicit drug use, HIV/HCV status, poverty, race, gender identity, homelessness, or health undermines their ability to access the services they require and deserve. During the coronavirus crisis, they have kept their doors opened and are providing daily to-go meals.
- Location: 886 Westchester Ave, The Bronx, NY 10459
- Needs: Financial assistance
- Website: https://sachr.org/donate/
St. John's Bread & Life: Since 1982, St. John's Bread & Life has worked to alleviate hunger and poverty in Brooklyn and Queens. They serve nearly 3,000 meals to hungry New Yorkers every day.
- Location: 795 Lexington Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11221
- Needs: Financial assistance, toiletries, cans, and baby items (baby wipes and formula)
- Website: https://www.breadandlife.org/
The Bowery Mission: The Bowery Mission is helping people experiencing homelessness. During the coronavirus crisis, The Bowery Mission is taking care of our most vulnerable neighbors.
- Location: 227 Bowery, New York, NY 10002 / 90 Lafayette Street New York, NY
10013
- Needs: Financial assistance, Grab & go meals, pre-packaged sandwiches & salads,
pre-packaged snacks, Bottled water, Fresh & frozen meat, cans, and cleaning
supplies
- Website: bowery.org/donate
The Salvation Army: The Salvation Army has significantly increased its preparation for an impending outbreak in the United States and has ramped up efforts to mitigate the spread of the virus, especially among the homeless and other vulnerable populations. In response to the coronavirus crisis, they are participating in planning conversations with NYC Emergency Management around mobile food delivery (e.g., delivering prepared meals to seniors who depend on them at NYC Department for the Aging senior centers).
- Location: Multiple locations in the tri-state area
- Needs: Financial assistance
- Website: give.salvationarmy.org
Women and Families in Need
Lenox Hill Neighborhood House Women's Mental Health Shelter: Lenox Hill Neighborhood House Women's Mental Health Shelter is helping homeless women aged 45-and-over living with severe and persistent mental illness. Contributions will continue to feed, shelter, support and serve the most vulnerable New Yorkers.
- Location: 643 Park Ave, New York, NY 10065
- Needs: Financial assistance
- Website: www.lenoxhill.org/donate
Ronald McDonald House New York: Ronald McDonald House New York provides temporary housing for pediatric cancer patients and their families in a strong, supportive and caring environment that encourages and nurtures the development of child-to-child and parent-to-parent support systems. In response to the coronavirus crisis, they are delivering catered meals in to-go containers as well as wellness and kid-friendly care packages to each of the families that are stationed in their institution.
- Location: Multiple locations in the tri-state area
- Needs: Financial assistance
- Website: https://www.rmh-newyork.org/
WomenKind: Womankind works with survivors of gender-based violence to rise above trauma and build a path to healing. In response to the coronavirus crisis, Womankind services will transition to phone and email, with the exception of their Residential Programs. Womankind's 24/7 emergency residences will remain staffed and emergency services will continue
- Location: 32 Broadway 10th floor, New York, NY 10004
- Needs: Financial assistance,
- Website: www.iamwomankind.org/donate/
Pets
ASPCA Adoption Center: The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) was founded on the belief that animals are entitled to kind and respectful treatment at the hands of humans and must be protected under the law. In response to the coronavirus crisis, they are continuing to keep their animals safe and healthy with a limited amount of staff.
- Location: 424 E 92nd St, New York, NY 10128
- Needs: Financial assistance,
- Website: aspca.org/donate/
Staten Island Hope Animal Rescue: Staten Island Hope Animal Rescue specializes in the rescue and placement of abused, unwanted and abandoned companion animals. During the coronavirus crisis, they have stopped in store adoption for two weeks but are still dedicated to taking care of the animals in their care.
- Location: 2795 Richmond Ave, Staten Island, NY
- Needs: Financial assistance, fostering, and adoption
- Website: https://www.lenoxhill.org/donate
New Jersey
Homeless
Nourish.NJ: Nourish.NJ offers food, housing, work readiness, medical, social and educational services 365 days a year in a warm, safe and caring environment, free of charge, no questions asked. During the coronavirus crisis, they are offering "to-go meals" and pre-packed groceries.
- Location: 36 South Street Morristown, NJ 07960
- Needs: Financial assistance.
- Website: https://nourish.nj
Women and Families in Need
Oasis Haven for Women and Children: Oasis is changing the lives of women and children by breaking the cycle of poverty through compassionate programs designed to feed, clothe, educate, and empower women and children in need. During the coronavirus crisis, they are offering "grab and go" meals at lunchtime and distributing basic needs-emergency food packages, cleaning supplies, baby diapers-to the community.
- Location: 59 Mill Street Paterson, NJ
- Needs: Financial assistance, toiletries, can food, diapers, baby wipes, and
cleaning products.
- Website: https://oasisnj.org
Pets
Claws: Claws is not a shelter. They focus their time and efforts to rescue and foster abandoned or unwanted cats and dogs in the Bergen County, NJ area. CLAWS has no paid employees, receives no funds from the state, and exists solely on donations and money from fundraisers and adoption donations. During the coronavirus crisis, they are dedicated to taking care of the animals in their care.
- Location: 172 Closter, NJ 07624
- Needs: Financial assistance, dry cat and kitten food, canned cat and kitten
food, toiletries, and pet carriers cleaning
- Website: www.clawsadopt.org/donate
Long Island
Homeless
Mary Brennan Inn Soup Kitchen: The Inn provides a broad variety of essential services to assist those challenged by hunger, homelessness and profound poverty. Due to recent health concerns regarding the Coronavirus, the Mary Brennan Inn Soup Kitchen will be handing out bag lunches to-go on weekdays until further notice.
- Location:
- Needs: Financial assistance, grab & go meals, pre-packaged sandwiches & salads,
pre-packaged snacks, water, juice boxes bottle, fresh & frozen cold cuts, cans, plastic
bags, and brown paper lunch bags
- Website: https://the-inn.org/donatefunds/
Women and Families in Need
Ronald McDonald House of Long Island: Ronald McDonald House of Long Island provides temporary housing for pediatric cancer patients and their families in a strong, supportive and caring environment which encourages and nurtures the development of child-to-child and parent-to-parent support systems. In response to the coronavirus crisis, they are delivering catered meals in to-go containers as well as wellness and kid-friendly care packages to each of the families that are stationed in their institution.
- Location: Multiple locations in the tri-state area
- Needs: Financial assistance
- Website: https://www.rmhcnym.org
Westchester County
Food
Feeding Westchester: Driven by the belief that access to healthy food is a basic right for all people, Feeding Westchester leads hunger action programs and mobilizes the resources needed to eradicate hunger in Westchester County. During the coronavirus crisis, they have stopped accepting food drives and donated food however they are still helping to feed the community by distributing food.
- Location: 200 Clearbrook Road, Elmsford, NY
- Needs: Financial assistance
- Website: https://feedingwestchester.org/donation-page/
Homeless
Lifting Up Westchester: During the coronavirus crisis, Lifting Up Westchester has been helping their hungry and homeless neighbors by providing them with healthy food, safe shelter and a plan to get through this pandemic. Meals at their soup kitchen have transitioned from sit down meals to grab and go healthy brown bag lunches.
- Location: 35 Orchard St White Plains, NY 10603
- Needs: Financial assistance
- Website: https://www.liftingupwestchester.org/
Here are some additional ways to help out:
Support local businesses by buying gift cards:
Stores and restaurants are hurting, as they close due to the safe-at-home orders around the area. Buy a gift card to help the local businesses now and use it once they're back open.
Donate funds or food to a local food bank:
With unemployment skyrocketing during the coronavirus outbreak, many families will find themselves needing help for the first time. Over 37 million people don't have access to nutritious food, including 1 in 12 seniors and 1 in 7 children. Click here for information about finding a local food bank to support.
Give blood:
Donors are needed urgently. Here are some of the organizations facilitating donations:
- American Red Cross Greater New York
- New York Blood Center
- American Red Cross New Jersey Region
- American Red Cross Connecticut Region
- Vitalant
Make sure you're protecting yourself and others out in public:
CDC recommends wearing cloth face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain (e.g., grocery stores and pharmacies), especially in areas of significant community-based transmission.
