Much of what is donated in Verona every year stays in Verona. We have drives to support first responders and families with medical emergencies. We have scholarships and essential services to fund.
But some calls are for charity beyond our borders, like the many toy drives organized at this time of year. The Cadette Girl Scout troop at H.B. Whitehorne has a collection box at the Learning Express store, and you can pick a specific child to shop for. The Verona High School Student Council does an annual toy drive for Newark’s Hawkins Street School and needs wrapped, labeled gifts appropriate for students in kindergarten through fourth grade dropped off at Verona High School. Verona PBA Local 72 is collecting unwrapped toys for children ages 5 to 17, which can be brought to police headquarters at 600 Bloomfield Avenue.
These aren’t the only ways to give in Verona on Giving Tuesday 2023. Here are other groups that need community support:
GIVING TUESDAY 2023
- Verona Public Library Foundation: Launched in November 2022, it is dedicated to raising funds from larger gifts and endowments to enhance the resources and services at the Library.
- Friends of the Verona Public Library: Since 1984, the Friends have supported the Library’s children’s, teen and adult programs, and other needs. They also run the big December sale of used books, which this year runs from December 1 to December 4.
- The Hilltop Conservancy: Since 2003, it has worked to restore the woodlands and grasslands of the 284-acre Hilltop Reservation on Verona’s west side.
- Holy Spirit Food Pantry: The Episcopal Church opens its food pantry to anyone in need on the fourth Saturday of every month, and it accepts donations of food and financial support.
- The Junior Women’s Club of Verona: Its members have been doing social and charitable work in Verona since 1926; newer programs include its Packs With Purpose school supplies drive and Verona Fights Hunger Week.
- Minette’s Angels Foundation: Our home-growth breast cancer charity honors a nurse who once lived in Verona by helping patients and their families, supporting research, and offering scholarships to students in nursing and medical programs.
- WINGS Cancer Support: Offers educational programs in the healing arts and group support to help cancer female cancer patients regain physical, emotional, and spiritual health.
- Rosemarie’s Rescue Ranch: An all-volunteer, all-foster rescue organization that has been saving the lives of dogs and cats since 2016.
- Verona Children’s Fund: Created in 1984 to provide a variety of assistance to children, is supported solely through private donations; to support it, send a check payable to the fund to Town Hall.
- Verona Fire Department: While the town supplies its trucks, volunteer firefighters and community donations make the VFD run.
- Verona Foundation for Educational Excellence: VFEE gives teachers grants for programs to expand, enhance, and enrich the classroom learning experience.
- Verona C.H.I.L.D.: Supports and advocates for Verona students who receive special education services.
- Verona Lions Club: If you need a wheelchair, hospital bed, cane, or crutches, the Verona Lions can supply it from their free Hospital Loan Closet, thanks to community donations.
- Verona Municipal Alliance Committee (VMAC): For more than three decades, it has supported programs to prevent the misuse and abuse of alcohol, tobacco, and other substances.
- Verona Music Parents Association (VMPA): It supports music education across the district.
- Verona Park Conservancy: For more than two decades, it has worked with the Essex County Parks Department to maintain and improve our park, which was designed by the Olmsted Brothers.
- Verona PBA Local 72: The PBA turns donations into Christmas trees for families in need, holiday cheer at special needs schools and support for many other community groups.
- Verona Rescue Squad: The all-volunteer squad has been providing free emergency medical services to Verona since 1927. Its website lists many ways that you can support the squad, from memorial donations to Amazon Smile.
- Verona School Community Association (SCA): Each of Verona’s six public schools has an SCA, which support a wide variety of school programs.
- VeronaTogether: This nonprofit is only a few years old, but it has already turned cornhole tournaments into powerful fundraisers.
- Verona UNICO: The Italian-American service organization runs the big 5K race through town to fund college scholarships.
- Verona Voices: The 50-year-old chorus holds an annual concert, community sing-along, and more.
- Woman’s Club of Verona: It supports scholarships and many other groups, through its town-wide garage sale and Share Your Light Night.
Photo by Ben White on Unsplash
