6 Charity Events You Can Support During the Holidays

The holidays are the time for giving, not just to our family and friends but those less fortunate than ourselves. However, it can sometimes be challenging to know where to start. We know your holiday to-do list is already long enough, so we’ve researched and found these awesome charity events you can support close to home during the holidays.

Peekskill NAACP Freedom Fund Awards Ceremony

Dust off your best holiday outfit for the Peekskill National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) Freedom Fund Awards Ceremony. Held at the Paramount Hudson Valley Theater in Peekskill, 34 minutes southwest of Carmel, this event celebrates the people who promote positive change, justice, and peace in the local area. Money raised through admission and raffle tickets also supports the Peekskill chapter of the NAACP. The cost of the ticket includes access to the event’s open bar and after-party. Special guest appearances should make this an evening not to forget.

Date: Nov. 12.
Time: 6 p.m. for the VIP reception and 7 p.m. for general admission.
Location: Paramount Hudson Valley Theater, 1008 Brown St., Peekskill.
Cost: $80 general admission, $100 VIP tickets.

Generation Impact: The Big Launch 2022-2023

Young people are planning big things in Greenwich, 45 minutes south of Carmel, and they want you to get involved. As a young person, it’s easy to feel powerless. However, you’ll soon realize that you can do big things if you join forces with like-minded people when you become part of Generation Impact.

Generation Impact is an initiative for high school girls committed to working together for positive change, and it all kicks off at the Big Launch in November. The program encourages 100 members to raise or donate $100. When the program ends in April 2023, that money will become a $10,000 grant for a local non-profit organization committed to helping young people. Past grants have helped a domestic violence crisis center, mental health services, and a homeless shelter. Register your interest via the Eventbrite website to get involved in the latest round of giving.

Date: Nov. 13 for the Big Launch, Jan. 29 for the Big Review, and April 2 for the Big Give.
Time: 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Location: To be confirmed.
Cost: Free registration for events, $103.50 yearly membership/donation, including fees.

Ann’s Place Festival of Trees

Celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Festival of Trees in Danbury, 21 minutes east of Carmel. Since its inception, this event has raised more than $3.5 million for Ann’s Place, which supports local cancer patients. Admiring the decorated trees is sure to get you in the holiday spirit. The Festival of Trees Boutique features artisanal and handmade items you won’t find in department stores. They’re perfect for your loved ones this holiday season. Try your luck in the raffle or charity auction for a gift they won’t forget. Face painting, craft classes, and LEGO stations will keep the kids busy.

Stay late on Friday for Sip, Stroll, & Shop. This evening event provides the perfect opportunity to kickstart your festive spending. Return after hours on Saturday for Taps & Trees, a strictly adults-only event with craft brews from more than 10 local breweries, pub food, and live music. Make sure to buy a separate ticket if you want to enjoy these events.

Date: Nov. 18-20.
Time: Noon to 5 p.m. on Nov. 18, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Nov. 19 and 20, 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. for the Sip, Stroll, & Shop event, and 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. for Taps & Trees.
Location: The Summit, 100 Reserve Road, Danbury.
Cost: $10 for general admission, $5 for seniors, $85 for Taps & Trees, and $15 for Sip, Stroll, & Shop.

Taste for CHASE.

It’s worth taking the 75-minute drive to Wallingford in your new GMC vehicle to enjoy the festivities at the annual Taste for CHASE. Just make sure you bring a designated driver because you won’t want to miss indulging in the spirit and wine tasting. Taste tapas-style dishes while you enjoy the blues and classic rock tunes from Blues on the Rocks.

The Taste for CHASE event is always a lot of fun, but there’s a serious reason behind it. Chase Broussard created The Chase Fund two weeks before succumbing to lymphoma. The illness claimed his life just three days before his 27th birthday. This event remembers him and supports the nurses who help cancer patients every day. Chase believed that cancer research was adequately funded, so he created his foundation to help the guardian angels he felt were often overlooked. Ticket sales, raffle tickets, and a silent auction all benefit this worthy cause.

Date: Nov. 26.
Date: 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Location: Farms Country Club, 180 Cheshire Road, Wallingford.
Cost: $100.

Holiday on the Lake

The full program wasn’t yet finalized at the time of writing this article, but this year’s Holiday on the Lake is already shaping up to be one of Carmel’s best. Families can stroll around the Christmas village, watch live music and the tree lighting, and meet Santa Claus. Join the evening Santa Stroll and make a donation to the American Cancer Society.

Date: Dec. 3.
Time: All day.
Location: Various locations around Carmel.
Cost: Free.

A Night of Hope for MBC

Do your part to end metastatic breast cancer at the annual Night of Hope benefit dinner in Danbury, 23 minutes east of Carmel. The event ticket includes a seated dinner with beer and wine. Your donation will go to Ann’s Place and the Cancer Couch Foundation, a privately funded Connecticut non-profit committed to cancer research. The night celebrates the life of the Cancer Couch Foundation founder, Rebecca Timlin-Scalera, who passed away in 2019. So, wear your holiday best and raise a glass at this event, knowing you’re doing your bit to help support others and cancer research.

Date: Dec. 3.
Time: 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Location: Amber Room Colonnade, 1 Stacey Road, Danbury.
Cost: $150 for an individual ticket; corporate sponsorship packages are also available.

Are there any holiday charity events that we’ve forgotten? Make sure you contact the Meadowland GMC team so we can add them to our list.

Photo Credit: charity by airpix is licensed with CC BY 2.0

Tags: Charity
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