Please Join Me in MAKING A DIFFERENCE

With the holidays upon us, it's a time to give gifts to our loved ones, friends and customers.

We buy gifts for our loved ones but how often do we remember those in need who we could all MAKE A DIFFERENCE for?  There are wonderful groups doing important work whose donations are suffering. Here is my annual list of places where you can MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

I am proud to be a part of Halstead Property's philanthropic arm, Halstead Helping Hands. Halstead is proud to partner with New York Cares in its annual coat drive.

60,000 New Yorkers spend each night in homeless shelters. 23,000 of those New Yorkers are children. With those kinds of numbers, services are stretched thin and resources are limited. Please help provide at least a little warmth this winter by donating a coat. That warmth you provide goes beyond the physical as well, serving as a respite from the cold and an embrace from a caring neighbor.

If you have a gently used coat you’d like to donate please contact me.

Additionally, this holiday season, rather than buying expensive gifts, I will be making donations to charity in the names of my loved ones, friends and customers. It's like giving twice!

Here is a list of top national registered charities you may want to consider.

Alzheimer's Associaton 
To eliminate Alzheimer's disease through the advancement of research; to provide and enhance care and support for all affected; and to reduce the risk of dementia through the promotion of brain health.

American Cancer Society
The American Cancer Society is the nationwide community-based voluntary health organization dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem by preventing cancer, saving lives, and diminishing suffering from cancer, through research, education, advocacy, and service.

American Heart Association
Our mission is to build healthier lives, free of cardiovascular diseases and stroke. That single purpose drives all we do.

America's Second Harvest (New name is FEEDING AMERICA)
The nation's leading domestic hunger-relief charity

Darfur - Not On Our Watch
Focusing global attention and resources towards putting an end to mass atrocities around the world.

Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS
The Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation seeks to prevent pediatric HIV infection and to eradicate pediatric AIDS through research, advocacy, and prevention and treatment programs.

Feed The Children
Feed The Children provides food, medicine, clothing, educational materials and other essentials to children and their families domestically and internationally.

Habitat for Humanity
Habitat for Humanity International is a nonprofit, ecumenical Christian housing ministry. HFHI seeks to eliminate poverty housing and homelessness from the world and to make decent shelter a matter of conscience and action.

Juvenile Diabetes Foundation
JDRF is to find a cure for diabetes and its complications through the support of research.

March Of Dimes
Dedicated to improving the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality.

MS Society
The MS Society is a collective of passionate individuals who want to do something about MS now-to move together toward a world free of multiple sclerosis. They help each person address the challenges of living with MS by funding cutting-edge research, driving change through advocacy, facilitating professional education, and providing programs and services that help people with MS and their families move their lives forward.

North Shore Animal League
North Shore Animal League America, headquartered in Port Washington, NY, is the largest no-kill animal rescue and adoption organization in the world.

ONE
ONE is Americans of all beliefs and every walk of life - united as ONE - to help make poverty history

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
St. Jude is unlike any other pediatric treatment and research facility. With research and patient care under one roof, St. Jude is where some of today's most gifted researchers are able to do science more quickly. All patients accepted for treatment at St. Jude are treated without regard to the family's ability to pay.

Stand Up To Cancer
Stand up to cancer raised funds for research in unprecedented effort to end cancer's reign
as a leading cause of death

Encourage-Kids Foundation
Encouraging all kids facing health challenges to be carefree kids by creating environments and experiences that help them through each step of their medical journey 

STOMP Out Bullying
The national leading anti-bullying/cyberbullying organization for kids and teens in the U.S. Created in 2005, STOMP Out Bullying™ has become the most influential anti-bullying organization on the U.S. and beyond. It focuses on reducing and preventing bullying, cyberbullying, sexting and other digital abuse, educating against homophobia, racism and hatred and deterring violence in schools, online and in communities across the country. It teaches effective solutions on how to respond to all forms of bullying; as well as educating kids and teens in school and online, providing help for those in need and at risk of suicide, raising awareness, peer mentoring programs in schools, public service announcements by noted celebrities, and social media campaigns. An additional focus educates parents on how to keep their children safe and responsible online. (Full Disclosure - the writer of this blog is the founder and chief executive officer of this charity)

Susan G. Komen For The Cure
The largest grassroot network of people working together to save lives, empower people, ensure quality care, and energize science to find a cure.

UNICEF
Raises funds for programs and increasing awareness of the challenges facing the world's children. The oldest of 37 national committees for UNICEF worldwide, they are part of a global effort to save, protect and improve children's lives.

For other registered charities please visit www.guidestar.org