Gifting with Intention, A List of Charities

As we enter into the holiday season, we wanted to take note of various charities, many of which are in New York City, as an easy entry point for those interested and able to give as the year comes to a close.

At The Primary Essentials, we believe in gift giving with intention and there is no better way to give than with a donation.

With love,
Lauren 

St. John’s Bread & Life

Based in the Bed-Stuy community since 1982, St. John’s Bread & Life offers healthy and wholesome food programs and comprehensive human services. They connect homeless individuals and families with health care access, assistance working toward self-sufficiency and stability, application support, and mail services.

City Harvest

A New York City-based charity focused on supporting food insecurity across the five boroughs. Their programs work with food donors, community food programs, community residents, and local businesses to offer fresh, nutritious food free of charge to over 1.5 million New Yorkers in need.

Fresh Youth

Working to empower immigrant and first-generation youth in northern Manhattan across education, mental health, youth development programs, and family support working with the New York Common Pantry.

Kids N Culture

An academic enrichment program for low-income high school students working through culturally rich curriculum, professional mentoring, and international study travel. Since its inception, Kids N Culture has taken students to over 20 countries with a 100% high school graduation success rate and 95% matriculation rate into four-year colleges.

God’s Love We Deliver

Focused on food, GLWD cooks and home-delivers nutritious, medically-tailored meals free of charge for people too unwell to shop or cook for themselves. They work with nutritious assessment, education, and counseling to better support people in need including their children.

All Stars Project Inc

Working with the developmental power of performance, All Stars Project transforms the lives of youth from poor and underserved communities. Bridging racial, economic, and social divisions, their after school development program is a new way of engaging poverty with measured success.

The Hope Program

Empowering New Yorkers to build sustainable futures combining professional training, adult basic education, industry certifications, work wellness services, internships, and job placement with long-term support. For individuals facing deep structural barriers to employment including histories with the criminal system, homelessness, substance abuse, and low educational attainment.

Coalition for the Homeless

Offering comprehensive services to the homeless populations of New York City across food programs, crisis services, housing programs, job training for homeless and low-income women, youth programs, and advocacy for long-term solutions to the homeless crisis.

Trust for Public Land

A pan-US coalition working toward access for nature and the outdoors, close to home and in the cities and communities where people live. Creating parks and protecting public land as a matter of health, equity, and justice. Trust for Public Land works alongside communities across the country to create, protect, and steward nature-rich places that are vital to well-being.

Grow NYC

Focused on food access and agriculture, zero waste programs, green space, and education, Grow NYC works with a robust network of greenmarkets, food scrap drop-offs, clothing collections, and urban farms in all five boroughs. Additionally, the program fosters future environmental stewards providing tens of thousands of children each year with environmental programs.

The Good Dog Foundation

The Good Dog Foundation helps to train dogs, which help to heal humans.  Working with hospitals, schools, senior residences, community centers and more, the foundation trains and certifies therapy dogs.