6-year-old Yousselyn Gomez finds a great pair of shoes for the new school year, at Ethical Friends of Children. She and her brother also found some fun toys too!
Photo by Judy Rosemarin
Six-year-old Yousselyn Gomez found a great pair of shoes for the new school year at Ethical Friends of Children. She and her brother also selected some new toys! Ethical Friends of Children is a free shop run by the Ethical Humanist Society of Long Island in Garden City. This outreach program assists more than 2500 children and their families each year by providing them with clothing, backpacks for school and infant furniture. The service is set up like a store so people can select what they want from a wide variety of clothes.
“’Customers are referred by many of the area’s social service organizations,” says Pat Spencer of Port Washington “and are supported by both religiously affiliated and private agencies funded by Nassau and Suffolk Counties.” Ethical Friends of Children, established in 1985, is staffed entirely by volunteers and there is no charge for any services. Individuals, families, or community groups donate gently used clothing and other things children may require, such as backpacks. Any cash donations go entirely towards purchase of needed items for children, such as diapers and formula.
Volunteers are always welcome to help sort, organize and deliver clothing and goods. “We will even pick up and deliver larger items like cribs,” says Judy Rosemarin of Long Beach “Sometimes it’s the only way needy families can obtain these important pieces.”
To volunteer or donate, please contact EFC Director Jim LoPresti at efoc@ehsli.org or call the EFC office at 516-280-5526.
People can also make a monetary contribution to EFC through www.ehsli.org/social-action/ethical-friends-of-children/
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