Livingston Philanthropies Inc. (LPI) founder and director Jeff Friedman has put out a request to readers to participate in the Livingston-based charity’s “Personal Shopping and Shipping to the Homeless” initiative.
“On behalf of LPI and the other fine Livingston service organizations gracing our town, I am respectfully asking our ever-generous residents to consider keeping a portion of their holiday giving local this year,” Friedman said. “Keeping your giving local – within Essex County, for example – is worth serious consideration, especially this year during the ongoing pandemic. COVID-19 continues to be particularly punishing to those living out on the streets or in shelters just a few miles down the road from Livingston.”
“LPI’s ‘Personal Shopping and Shipping to the Homeless’ initiative is continuing to grow this month,” he continued. “As volunteers are not currently working with gently used items, philanthropic Living-ston neighbors are purchasing new coats, hats, gloves, scarves, diapers, hotel toiletries and men’s clothing online. It’s actually fun to find and take advantage of readily available sales and promotions. These true godsends are either shipped directly to LPI’s long-time distribution partners; shipped here to LPI ‘World Headquarters’ (a.k.a. my garage); or dropped directly by donors at ‘World Headquarters.’
“Livingston service, religious and educational organizations have been stepping up with collection initiatives, drives and contributions. May I invite yours to partner with Livingston Philanthropies? For those who would like to help LPI provide for the poor, but don’t have the time or the desire to personally shop, please empower LPI volunteers to do the personal shopping for you by contributing locally to LPI, P.O. Box 247, Livingston, NJ 07039 or instantly at paypal.me/lpinj. Donations are 100 percent tax-deductible.”
Friedman concluded, “Thanks so much to the many Livingston residents and organizations who have already stepped up. I am also reminding our friends that LPI is not the only worthwhile charity in Livingston. If not a local contribution to us, there are other organizations doing needed work, as well. Scottish author and minister William Barclay may have said it best: ‘In the time we have, it is surely our duty to do all the good we can to all the people we can in all the ways we can.’ ”
Photo: For the fourth year, an anonymous local benefactor donated 700 to 800 plush animals for distribution to the poor. Shown here, LPI founder Jeff Friedman loads hundreds for immediate delivery to distribution partners NESF, the Willing Heart Community ...
