LONG ISLAND COMMUNITY CALENDAR

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Every Sunday Amaryllis Horse Rescue holds an open house from 12-2pm at the farm's 93 Merchants Path address in Sagaponack. This is an excellent opportunity to learn of the rescue's mission and meet some pretty special horses! Donations are just $5 at the door. Every dime goes directly to the care of the horses!  www.HamptonsHorseRescue.com or 631-537-7335.

At Bideawee, we believe that our four-legged companions are important parts of the family. Saying goodbye to our loving animal companions can be a tough and very emotional journey. Bideawee wants you to know that you are not alone. Since there are many people experiencing the same loss Bideawee is now providing a support system to deal with your loss. 1^st Monday of every month 5:30 pm facilitated by interfaith Minister, Patricia Furino 3^rd Saturday of Every Month 10:00 am facilitated by Joyce Sabella, MSW. These support groups will be at Bideawee Adoptions, 118 Old Country Road, Westhampton. Please contact Bideawee in advance for this free service at 631-325-0200 ext. 113 or by email at heidi.gaumet@bideawee.org

Bideawee of Westhampton is launching “Fitness with Fido,” a free, weekly group walk for people and their dogs. The group will meet at 9:00 am on Saturdays at the Gazebo on the Village Green on Main Street in Westhampton. Dogs must be leashed, and it is recommended that participants bring water and drinks for themselves and their pet.  “Fitness with Fido” will take place weather permitting.  If it is raining or too warm (80 degrees or more) the walk will not take place that day. Call Heidi Gaumet at 631-325-0200 ext. 113 for any more information or questions you may have regarding this program.

Two female seal pups were found entangled and injured on Southhampton Beaches. The Riverhead Foundation rescued the seals and is nursing them back to health. The seals named "Bella" and "Rose" are receiving medical treatment and need your help. To find out how you can make a donation call 631-369-9840 or visit www.riverheadfoundation.org. The Riverhead Foundation relies on private donations for the recovery and treatment of injured marine mammals and sea turtles.

Pet owners, did you know that if your dog attacks a letter carrier, you could be held liable? Help your letter carrier deliver safely for you. Don’t think your fence is the only protection you need — responsible pet ownership includes making sure your pet is properly restrained. This message is a public service of your local Post Office.

Donate your car to Have A Heart Children's Cancer Society! Your donation will directly assist children with cancer. To make a donation or for further information, please call 631-470-1198, or log onto www.haveaheartcharity.org. All donations are tax deductible. Help make a difference today!

Nassau University Medical Center will be providing FREE mammograms to UNINSURED women over the age of 40 and FREE cervical exams to all UNINSURED women over eighteen one Saturday a month in East Meadow. Appointments are necessary. Call 516-572-3300 for more information or to schedule an appointment.

Volunteers are needed to form a new breast cancer coalition to serve Brookhaven Town. The Babylon Breast Cancer Coalition will offer training for volunteers in providing support services, education, advocacy and awareness, while Brookhaven Memorial Hospital will provide office space. If you're interested, call (631) 893-4110.
 

Self-help for Women with Breast or Ovarian Cancer is now available on Long Island. Women can now call SHARE’s ovarian cancer hotline at 1-866-53SHARE and talk to a trained hotline volunteer. And women or family members interested in volunteering can leave a message on the Hotline stating their interest. 

A special video on the latest trends in breast cancer treatment featuring medical experts explaining the latest in breast cancer screening, diagnosis, surgery, and reconstruction is now available free on the web at www.Adelphi.edu/nysbreastcancer.

Shop to fight breast cancer. Shop with your favorite online merchants - including Amazon, Ebay, Staples, JC Penney and Target - through OneCause and a portion of your purchase is given to The Maurer Foundation for Breast Health Education. To help save lives and shop visit www.MaurerFoundation.org. 

The Suffolk County Police Athletic League holds it's free IDENT-A-KID program. The child identification packet includes emergency contact info, medical history, photograph, DNA sample, safety tips and thumbprints. This free program is available every Thursday from 4:00-6:00 PM at Suffolk County Police Headquarters in Yaphank. For more information call 631-852-6109.

Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Long Island is looking for caring men and women to be volunteer mentors. Just spending time with a child-talking, doing homework, or watching a movie-goes a long way toward making a child feel special. These little, seemingly ordinary moments, become big magic in the mind of a child in need of additional guidance in their life.  Call 1-888-412-BIGS and find out how you can become a Big Brother or Big Sister to a child in your community today.

Does your child know what to do if a stranger drives up in a car? Do you have a secret password to keep your child safe? And what would your child do if they got separated from you in a store? Arnold Applebee and his cast of characters can come to your school or organization and teach the kids how to stay safe courtesy of the Rose Brucia Foundation and Good Samaritan Hospital Medical Center. To schedule all the puppets from Applebee Pond call 631-234-4667.

You could help a youth get better grades and share your academic skills with others. YES needs volunteer tutors to help children in Bay Shore, Brentwood, Central Islip and West Islip. For more information on how you can help call 631-587-5172.

For more than 20 years, New York Institute of Technology’s Vocational Independence Program has been educating individuals with learning disabilities and higher-functioning autism spectrum disorders. If you are the parent of a high school special education student call 631.348.3354 to find out about the road to independence.

Be a lifesaving part of a child’s life and sponsor a child in need of intense pediatric therapy. Join Bright steps Forward to help financially disadvantaged children with neurological disorders like Cerebral Palsy and Autism. To sponsor one of the forty five children on the waiting list to receive therapy call (954) 491-6611.

Did you know the wrong size shoes can wreak havoc on a child’s feet? The New York State Podiatric Medical Association encourages parents to start out on the right foot by having your child’s feet measured every time and buying shoes that do not need to be broken in.  For more foot-friendly advice visit www.NYFootSpecialists.com.  

The best way to prevent child abuse and neglect is to support families.  If you know a parent that is struggling with a child let them know that you are there for them. Offer your support by watching the children and encourage the parent to seek other help. For more about how you can help or if you need help call the Child Abuse Prevention Program at 1-(866)-922-CAPP.

Cancer - sickle cell anemia - heart disease - leukemia hearing these words is devastating enough but imagine hearing them about your child? When faced with a medical crisis, a parent wants to make sure that their child is well cared for with the best medicine and doctors around. But having their family nearby can be one of the most important factors in helping a child recover. The Ronald McDonald house of long island provides a caring home environment for families of children undergoing major medical treatment in local area hospitals. Located in new Hyde Park, the house that love built has 42 bedrooms with kitchens, laundry facilities and numerous communal areas. Since 1986, the Ronald McDonald house of long island has served more than 12,000 families, the majority of who reside right here in Nassau and Suffolk counties. Find out how you can get involved by volunteering your time or making a donation. Visit the Ronald McDonald house of long island online at www.rmhlongisland.org. Help them grow so they can help children heal.

Are you looking for your preschooler to get a HEAD START? The children's community HEAD START, with centers in Port Jefferson and Ronkonkoma, offers a comprehensive preschool program for income eligible families. There is no cost if you qualify. Call today at 631-585-3131 to give your child the head start they need for success in school and life.

Do you have room in your heart and home for a child in need? There are many teens in foster care who need a safe home until they can be reunited with their parents. You can make a difference in a teen’s life. If you have love and a home to share and would like to find out about special training to become a foster parent then call Lutheran Social Services of New York at (212) 870-1138.

Fight obesity in children with a new technology that allows parent to manage and pay their child's meals at school. MealpayPlus is a prepayment system that allows parents to make online payments and gain access to student's meal accounts. MealpayPlus is offered at the William Floyd School District. For more information visit www.mealpayplus.com.

If you are stressed or frustrated by a crying baby, put the baby down in a safe place and walk away. Crying does not harm a baby but SHAKING a baby can cause brain damage and death. This message is sponsored by Kohl’s Cares for Kids and Schneider Children’s Hospital of the North Shore Long Island Jewish Health System. For more information visit www.SchneiderChildrensHospital.org.

The Fresh Air Fund is currently recruiting volunteer host families to open their hearts and homes to a New York City child for up to two weeks this summer. With your help children can enjoy the beauty of Suffolk County on Long Island. Children on first time visits are from six to 12 years old and qualify for the program based on financial
need. For more info please call 212-897-8890 or visit www.freshair.org.

Protect your child ... and help bring the missing home. Learn more by visiting www.criminaljustice.state.ny.us/missing or call 1-800-FIND-KID. A message from the New York State Missing and Exploited Children Clearinghouse.

Just because the kids are out of school doesn’t mean they have to stop reading. Build, draw, write, paint, dance, sing, explore, and create! Everyone can be creative this summer at your local public library's summer reading program, Be Creative @ Your Library. Fun activities are planned for all ages. Stop in and pick up a flyer of summer events or visit your library's webpage. All activities are free and open to the public.

Hope for a Cure Foundation for Parkinson’s Research has launched www.Parkinsonscommunity.org – a new concept in online support groups. The site is the first to provide an open forum for people affected by Parkinson's disease to exchange information and ideas. Visit the 24/7 chat room, message board and general information at www.Parkinsonscommunity.org. 

You can make a difference in someone’s life if you listen carefully! Response Hotline is looking for people to join their team of volunteer crisis counselors. Learn a rewarding, new way of listening, and have an experience of a lifetime. Bi-Lingual volunteers needed! For information on their free, upcoming training program visit www.ResponseHotline.org, or call the hotline at (631) 751-7500.

If you’re going through a difficult time and need to talk, help is just a click away!   Response of Suffolk County offers an online crisis-counseling program called Hear2Help. Visit www.ResponseHotline.org.

NarcononR, a non-profit, public organization that specializes in helping people with drug or alcohol addictions offers free assessments and more than 11,000 referrals. Drug addiction can be overcome and Narconon can help. Call 800.468.6933 or visit www.stopaddiction.com.

Response of Suffolk County provides a 24-hour crisis hotline and now has an ONLINE program called Hear2Help. Hear2Help is a safe place for adolescents to seek support and understanding online and to talk about their struggles. Hear2Help counselors can be reached weekday afternoons at www.ResponseHotline.org, or you can call Response at 631- 751-7500. All calls are free and confidential.

Ronald McDonald House Charities of the New York Tri-State Area will award over $500,000 in scholarships to graduating high school seniors for their college education. Scholarship applications are available online at www.rmhc.org. You can also call the scholarship hotline at 866-851-3994 or ask your high school counselor for more information.

A new web site – www.LookCloserOnline.com – helps Long Island teens recognize signs of trouble in their friends and to support them in getting help. This unique on-line campaign resembles Facebook and MySpace and features trained crisis counselors with supportive words and links to mental health resources. The program is sponsored by the Long Island Crisis Center in partnership with the Nicole Schiffman Foundation. For more information visit www.LookCloserOnline.com.

Outreach Project offers life-changing care for families affected by drug and alcohol abuse. To learn about Outreach's services and how you can help visit www.OPINY.org.  Outreach... reaching out to build healthy lives on Long Island.

Peconic Baykeeper is a non-profit organization that works to protect and sustain the South Shore and Peconic Bays of Long Island. We accomplish this by working to improve water quality and productivity in these ecosystems, emphasizing the intrinsic connection between our bays and our communities.
Click here for more information.

Bags for the People is a non-profit organization that provides people with a sustainable alternative to plastic bags. Please visit www.BagsforthePeople.org to learn more about the many programs and events and how you can help reduce the use of plastic bags.

Long Island Cares is looking for volunteers. To help hungry Long Islanders visit
www.LICares.org.
 

Suffolk County Helen Keller Services for the blind is seeking volunteers in all areas of Suffolk County to spend two hours a week visiting blind, elderly people who are home bound. Visits may include specialization, reading mail, and sometimes transportation to the store or doctor. For more information, call (631) 424-0022.

Madonna Heights Services provides emergency housing for homeless women and adolescents. Their primary goal is to help these women and their families stabilize their lives by providing them with temporary, emergency housing along with supportive services. They have shelters in North Babylon, Farmingdale, Dix Hills, Deer Park, Riverhead, and Northport. With your help, 1000 women and their children found refuge in Madonna Height's Shelters last year. It is through your support that the agency will be able to continue to offer young women in need the gift of a hopeful future. To find how you can help please call (516) 671-1253 or log on to www.sco.org.

The American Red Cross Suffolk County Chapter is seeking volunteers for the Shelter Reserves team.  These volunteers will assist Red Cross workers at shelters that are safe places to ride out a hurricane, severe storm or other environmental disaster. To volunteer call 631 924-6700.

"One call does it all". The Town of Brookhaven is here to help. Do you need assistance? Do you have a question about your town? Just call 451-TOWN (451-8696) and get your questions answered. From seasonal questions, to waste management questions to parks and recreation questions and more. For more information visit www.Brookhaven.org

Help provide groceries for families in need. The Circle of Love Ministry Worldwide Church is in need of donations to fill their church food pantry that feeds 100 families each week. All goods are accepted including meat, poultry and fish.  Fresh vegetables and dairy items are needed for the children.  The pantry also accepts food gift certificates. For more information on where to drop off food call 631-789-4552.

Help Long Island Cares - the Harry Chapin Foodbank - by collecting your very own Celebrity Doodles on Ceramics! Collect these authentic, replicated celebrity doodles – from Phil Collins, Nelson DeMille, Grace Slick and more on a ceramic with a portion of the proceeds going to feed Long Island’s hungry. To purchase your ceramic visit www.LICares.org or call 516 356 1205.

Programs pair seniors who want to stay in their homes with working individuals or students who are looking for living space with affordable rent. In Nassau, call 516-292-1300 ext. 2312. In Suffolk, call 631-647-3100.

Adult Day Care programs like Day Haven help families care for frail older adults and loved ones with Alzheimer's or dementia by providing stimulating day time activities in a safe and supportive environment. Visit Day Haven on-line at www.dayhaven.org
or call 585-2020.

Are you an honorably discharged veteran? Are you in need of long- term hospital help, but don’t think there are any options for you? If you answered yes to both of those questions, you are probably entitled to more benefits than you realize. If you or someone you know is in search of assistance, but are not sure if you qualify, call our toll free number at 1-866-331-1944.

Honor a soldier who has served our country by sending them DVDs. DVDs4Vets is looking for new and used DVDs to be sent to military veterans in Veteran's hospitals, Vet centers, clinics and State Vet homes. For more information visit www.DVDs4Vets.org.

The Girl Scouts of Nassau Count are looking for volunteers who would like to volunteer at the U. S. Open at Bethpage State Park June 15th-21st. Volunteers would help run the concession tent on the 12th hole of the Black Course for the Girl Scouts of Nassau County. To be a part of the excitement of the US Open and attend a training session visit www.GSNC.org.

The Mental Health Association of Nassau County, INC. needs volunteers for its compeer program. Volunteers are matched in one-on-one friendship relationships with adults who are recovering from mental health issues and are currently in treatment.  Call 489-2332 EXT. 1257 for any questions or more information on this program.

Mercy Medical Center is seeking volunteers as evening and weekend staff for the gift shop. High school and college students, retirees or anyone in-between jobs is welcome. If you or someone you know would be interested in this or the many other volunteering opportunities at Mercy call (516)705-1391.