How to Give Back to Your Community

Why not give a little back to your community this holiday season by volunteering or donating to some worthy causes. You'll feel good about your contribution and be helping those in need.

Bellmore & North Bellmore Fire Departments

The Bellmore and North Bellmore Fire Departments are constantly accepting new applications for membership. Qualifications for membership include: You Must be at least 18 years old, You must be a citizen of the United States, You must pass a department sanctioned medical exam (at no cost to the applicant), You must successfully pass a criminal and arson background check, You must be willing to respond to alarms, and attend required training, meetings, company and department functions. Benefits of membership include: enrollment in a retirement system, a tax exemption for all homeowners, emergency services training.

Bellmore & North Bellmore Libraries

The Bellmore and North Bellmore Libraries accept donations of new and used books.

Bellmore-Merrick EMS

Bellmore-Merrick EMS is a not-for-profit organization based out of Bellmore. Volunteer emergency medical workers are needed throughout the year.

Community Parent Center

In North Merrick, the Community Parent Center is Bellmore-Merrick's resource center for parent and community education programs. The Community Parent Center also provides a wide range of workshops on a variety of other topics including: healthy lifestyles and activities, discipline, sibling rivalry, self esteem, peer pressure, communication, stress reduction and getting ready for middle school. The Center and its services are available to families with children grades Pre-K-12.

Long Island Crisis Center and Pride for Youth

The Long Island Crisis Center and Pride for Youth offers 24-hour, seven-day a week telephone crisis hotline from teams of highly trained counselors. Volunteer time or donate money to keep this organization operational.

Grace Lutheran Church

Bellmore's Grace Lutheran Church accepts non-perishable food donations for the Lutheran Social Services food pantry in Uniondale. The church office is open from Monday through Thursday 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

St. Barnabas

St. Barnabas Roman Catholic Church also maintains a food pantry for local needy families.

Bellmore Kiwanis

The Bellmore Kiwanis Club has the local community in mind when they conduct their charitable events. To become a member, volunteer or donate, visit www.bellmorekiwanis.org.

American Red Cross – Nassau County Chapter

The American Red Cross offers emergency assistance, crisis preparedness, health and safety services, training courses and youth services to millions of Long Islanders. Make a donation online or become a volunteer.

Toys for Tots

Nassau County has joined the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve in collecting toys for needy children for the Toys for Tots program. Drop-off boxes for new, unwrapped toys will be located at 17 Nassau County locations through Dec. 20.  Click here for a list of drop-off locations available throughout Nassau County.

Salvation Army

The Salvation Army has a variety way of ways to give to programs that put food on tables, help the mentally and physically disabled, seniors, children and formerly middle-class people who have fallen on hard times. The easiest way to give is to toss spare change into a red kettle, usually found outside a grocery store. All money raised at red kettle sites stays in the community in which it is given.

Island Harvest

Island Harvest is the largest hunger relief organization on Long Island. Their volunteers and staff collect, good surplus food from over 600 local restaurants, caterers, farms and other food-related businesses and distribute it to a network of close to 500 soup kitchens, food pantries, and other places where those in need can access it. They devote 97 cents of ever dollar donated to their programs. Monetary contributions are accepted, as well as food donations.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Long Island

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Long Island provides volunteer mentors to children in need of an additional positive and caring adult in their lives. Contact your Nassau County office located in Levittown at 731-7880. Online donations are also accepted. To schedule a pick up for clothing, vehicle or furniture donations, call 631-234-0000.