Patch Picks: Non-Profits Making A Difference

Welcome to Patch Picks, where we highlight editor and reader picks of great local businesses, destinations, services, organizations, ways to spend a day off, and more. 

You’ll find useful lists to help you, your family, friends, and significant others find the best places for everything from Sunday brunch to New Year’s Eve celebrations, pumpkin patches, date night destinations, florists, girlfriend nights out, kids party places, parks and more.

Today is Give 5 Day at Patch. Many of you may not be familiar with it, but its our philosophy being part of a community means giving back. We here at Patch, donate our time as volunteers, at charitable organizations making a difference in the community. 

So today Patch Pick's highlights five Hauppauge non-profits: 

* -  Holiday Magic is a hands-on, grassroots organization that works with over 20 other Long Island non-profits to provide needed goods to needy and homeless children. This past December it collected hundreds of "Dear Santa" letters, ran collection drives and donations to send shoppers to create a Christmas for hundreds of children. Much of the organization's time was spent shopping and wrapping this December to bring smiles to children. 

*Long Island Association for AIDS Care -  In its 25th year, LIAAC is a community-based, not-for-profit agency that provides services to Long Islanders infected by AIDs/HIV, those at high risk and their families. It provides educational classes, testing, a hotline, case management, support groups and more to HIV residents in Suffolk and Nassau County. 

* -  LI Cares is one of the largest food banks on Long Island that serves as a resource for more than 560 agencies helping to fight hunger and poverty on Long Island. It operates out of a 25,000-square-foot warehouse on David Drive by holding donation drives to keep non-perishable food items, frozen foods, coats, school supplies, pet supplies and more ready for those in need. It continues to expand its reach adding a Mobile Food Pantry in 2010. 

* -  One of the biggest challenges for Long Island's future generations is finding affordable housing and overcoming the costs of an initial home in Nassau or Suffolk County. Long Island Housing Partnership is a nonprofit organization that provided mortgage counseling for those struggling and first-time homeowners, offers assistance on down payments and neighborhood stabilization, keeps track of home ownership opportunities and more. It advocates for more affordable housing developments and future homeowners. 

* -  This charitable organization focuses on providing aid and assistance those those with cerebral palsy, their friends and families. It focuses on making sure they receive health care needed, providing health care from those specializing in cerebral palsy, runs educational programs for children with cerebral palsy, residential programs, adult day services, rehabilitative services, vocational services and the list goes on. In order to support itself, the UCP hosts several fundraising events throughout the year in Hauppauge and the surrounding areas. More information is available on their website. 

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