MANAYUNK

By Rachel Jenkins

It’s become a part of our culture that much of the holiday season is fueled by sales. Holiday advertising is a solid block of cheerful faces pushing toys, games, clothes, and jewelry in the hopes that they will wind up under someone’s Christmas tree. We here in Manayunk know as well as anyone how exciting holiday shopping can be—Small Business Saturday is an important way to support local businesses with your patronage and find great unique gifts. But it’s easy to get caught up in the chaos, and we know our residents have so much more to give. That’s why we’re looking past Black Friday and Cyber Monday and getting involved with a national movement dedicated solely to charitable giving: Giving Tuesday.

In 2012, Giving Tuesday was created when the 92nd Street YMCA in New York City and the United Nations Foundation had a vision for a more charitable holiday season—one that starts in local communities. They wanted to set aside a national day for people to remember that the Christmas season is much greater than the sum of the presents under the tree or the stuffers in a stocking.

For those reasons, Giving Tuesday can also serve to remind us what makes communities like Manayunk truly great. A neighborhood like ours runs on a lot of heart. It’s the families, the neighbors, the small business owners, and the less fortunate in the community that truly matter and deserve to be remembered during this special time of year. A holiday gift to them doesn’t have to be physical or monetary—it can be your time, a well-selected donation to a local charity, or even just your supportive voice of a cause you believe in. Giving Tuesday is about harnessing the power of social media and a community spirit of generosity to give back to those who need it most.

So on Tuesday, November 29, we ask you to pause amid the holiday rush and remember to give back. Talk about what you’re doing to celebrate the day on social media using the hashtag #GivingTuesday and #MYNK, donate to your favorite charity, and use this season of giving to make a difference in someone’s life. Here are a few organizations in our area that you can get involved with this year:

Manayunk Meals & More, 4312 Main Street

• Manayunk restaurants are pitching in to donate approximately 900 hot holiday meals to those in need, especially seniors and the disabled in our neighborhood. You can help by dropping off nonperishable food items and toiletries to Main Street retailers (and the MDC office), which will be distributed to those in need along with the holiday meals.

Thanks4Giving Clothing Drive, 6074 Ridge Avenue

• Drop off your unwanted clean clothes for every season–from shirts and shorts to hats and gloves–to participating organizations in the Roxborough/Manayunk area (again, including the MDC office). All donations will benefit those who need it most in our area and will be accepted until the end of the year. A list of locations can be found here!

North Light Community Center, 175 Green Lane

• North Light always has a variety of donation and volunteer opportunities, but this is the time of year when they need it most. This holiday season, give your time as a driver to deliver food and other donations to the less fortunate, help an elementary school child with their homework, or assist with general office maintenance.

Northern Children’s Services, 5301 Ridge Avenue

• Northern Children’s Services supports low-income children and parents in the Roxborough/Manayunk area. Year-round, they are looking for donations of toiletries, school supplies and books, new or gently used pots and pans, disposable diapers, and more.

Journey’s Way, 403 Rector Street

• Organized by Intercommunity Action in Roxborough, Journey’s Way is a 55+ community that provides elders in the area with an outlet for socializing, education, creative programming, and counseling. They are always looking for monetary donations, as well as talented people to volunteer to help with cooking, teaching classes, and answering phones.

The Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education, 8480 Hagy’s Mill Road

• If you are passionate about animals and protecting local wildlife, The Schuylkill Center aims to create a meaningful relationship between people and nature through education and preservation. You can get involved by making donations of Dawn dishwashing detergent, canned dog and cat food, sterile gauze, brooms and mops, and more.

The Salvation Army Roxborough Citadel Corps Community Center, 6730 Ridge Avenue

• During the holidays, the organization collects donations for their “Christmas Toys and Food” Program, to stamp out hunger and give less fortunate children a present to open on Christmas morning. If you’re interested, you can also volunteer your time as a classic Christmas Bell Ringer to support the charitable organization.