Lately, we have been thinking about how sometimes the best gift can be the one you give, not receive, and what better recipient than the local community? So, in the spirit of the holiday season, we decided to switch up our annual gifting guide for a giving guide and instead put together a list of ways to give back – Nantucket style.
Christmas for the Coasties
Did you know there are 24 men on duty at Brant Point Station who safeguard our waters and assist our community in times of need? The Brant Point Spouses Organization is celebrating their selfless acts with a holiday party next Wednesday. Due to COVID, their holiday party hasn’t taken place for the last three years. Gifts and contributions can be made until Wednesday. Email gaelan@fishernantucket.com – or reach out to them on Instagram at @brantpointspousesorg if you are interested in gifting! In addition to the 24 men in uniform, there are 13 Coastie wives and 17 children.
Nantucket Food Pantry
Anyone looking to donate to the Food Pantry may do so at their non-perishables donation bin inside the mid-island Stop & Shop or at the Food Pantry itself. Located at 10 Washington Street, the Food Pantry accepts donations year-round on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 3-6 PM.
If you want to make a different impact, head to assistnantucket.org, where you can make a monetary donation to help alleviate “food, rental, utility and medical travel insecurity on Nantucket.”
INKY Santa’s Toy Drive
Initially founded by Tom and Betsy Holden as a Toys for Tots affiliate in 1985, what we now know as Inky Santa’s Toy Drive has long been operating on the core belief that every child deserves a magical holiday experience. Inky Santa was reimagined in 2015 to become a strictly local organization, reaffirming its mission to “make a real and positive change in the community.” Its continued success in doing so is no small feat and is thanks, in part, to over 200 volunteers that come together each year to organize donations, shop for gifts, and wrap hundreds of presents for over 400 local children! Find out how you can get involved here.
NPD Giving Tree
For their fourth consecutive year, the Nantucket Police Department is hosting their Giving Tree in the lobby of the Public Safety Building located at 4 Fairgrounds Road. Notecards with wish list items for children in need in the Nantucket community will be placed on the Giving Tree and can be picked up anytime if you want to participate. The giving tree will be in the lobby until December 19th, and wrapped gifts should be returned by 4:00 p.m. that day. If you cannot make it into their lobby but would still like to participate, you can contact Det. Amanda Schwenk at aschwenk@police.nantucket-ma.gov.