Make A Year-End Contribution To These Ditmas Park Organizations

Considering making a charitable donation before the clock strikes 12 tomorrow night? From tenants’ rights to animal advocacy to accessible healthcare and more, here are ten groups doing great work right in our neighborhood–so you’ll know your contribution is supporting and improving your own community.

• The Bonnie Youth Club, founded in 1949, serves youth ages 5-21 through high level baseball training as well as their “Support Service and Success” program, which helps young athletes find the best educational opportunities for them. The club aims to instill lifelong values in their players, including a strong self of self-esteem, personal responsibility, respect for diversity, teamwork, and community. Check out the BYC website for info on making a tax deductible donation via snail mail or online.

• CaribBEING, started by Ditmas Parker Shelley Worrell, provides cultural enrichment to our area by providing community exposure to contemporary Caribbean visual arts, music, dance, crafts and family activities, food, and primarily film. You can make a tax deductible donation here.

• CAMBA was founded in 1977, and since then has helped thousands of New Yorkers in the areas of economic development, family support services, HIV/AIDS services, legal services, education and youth development, and housing services and development. Recent projects include a supportive/affordable housing residence at 97 Crooke Avenue, a hydroponic farm that grows 70-80 heads of lettuce for Beyond Hunger Food Pantry clients every week, and giving away 500 turkey dinners to clients this Thanksgiving (with a lot of help from you, of course). See the great stuff CAMBA clients will receive thanks to your generous donation–and then give it!–here.

• Compost for Brooklyn keeps a garden on the corner of Newkirk Avenue and E 8th Street, and is dedicated to keeping green as well as teaching others about the benefits of composting locally and beyond. Learn how to make a tax deductible donation to help support their eco-friendly and educational efforts here.

• COPO works from their Coney Island Avenue office to assist low income immigrant families in our area, helping them reach their full potential as New Yorkers and stand up for the rights to which they’re entitled. They also aim to bridge gaps between Muslim and non-Muslim communities as well as government agencies. Learn why donating is good for you, then donate here.

• The Flatbush Reformed Church offers a ton of volunteer opportunities at their soup kitchen year-round, but still needs funds for operating costs to help hungry neighbors. To donate call the church office at 718-284-5140–or if you don’t have extra cash this year, maybe you still have one of the items on the church’s wish list.

• The Flatbush Tenant Coalition is made up of tenant associations from all over our area, empowering locals through education, legal services, mentorship programs, and more. Members of the coalition recently coordinated with Governor Cuomo’s office, leading to the subpoena of documents from Yeshaya Wasserman, a Brooklyn landlord alleged to be withholding repairs and overcharging tenants. See what your tax deductible donation will go toward, and help the group keep standing their ground here.

• Sean Casey Animal Rescue is a no-kill shelter that has been coming to the aid of local dogs, cats, birds, rodents, and reptiles since 1998. They care for and rehabilitate strays as well as surrendered animals, providing vet care and love for as long as they need. Besides volunteering, adopting, and giving your gently used linens to the shelter, you can make a tax deductible donation here.

• Sustainable Flatbush has a hand in everything, and a name that couldn’t be said any better. From teaching locals to garden and make the most of what they grow to advocating for green transportation and affordable housing, the organization shows its love for our neighborhood by working to preserve what’s already so wonderful about it (and maybe improve things like unsafe roads, which could use some work). Show you love them back with a donation online or by snail mail–details on both here.

• Third Root Community Health Center uses acupuncture, yoga, massage, herbal education, and more to help heal not only individual bodies, but social injustices within the healthcare system. In addition to offering a range of regular classes and special events as well as a resource library, Third Root’s licensed practitioners work on a sliding scale to make holistic healthcare available for all. You can donate to help Third Root keep healing our community here.

Photo via The Bonnie Youth Club