Your special event doesn't have to be a benefit to benefit others. After your event is over, your leftover food, flowers and decor can still help other people—it just takes a little extra planning.
Just think: Corporate events usually involve countless hours of work and lots of dollars, and then much of the results—food, flowers, decor—often get tossed into dumpsters at the end of the evening. (According to nonprofit organization City Harvest, about 50 million pounds of good, edible food are thrown away each year by New York City food businesses.) But this doesn't have to be the case. Many nonprofit and charitable organizations take donations, giving your handiwork a second life. Your leftover flowers can brighten the day of a nursing home resident. Or your custom-made costume can add color to a theater production for underprivileged children.
Here's one important thing to remember: There's no risk for you. Thanks to the 1996 Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act, you assume no liability for donations. And you can feel good knowing your extra food, flowers, paper goods, costumes and sets are going into the hands of people who can use them. So here are some great resources to help you help someone else:
FOOD IDEAS
Caterers With a Mission
What they do: Caterers With a Mission collects unused food from events for the Bowery Mission homeless shelter.
How you can help: A donation pickup can be arranged a few days before an event, or food can be dropped off at 227 Bowery 24 hours a day.
Who to contact: Call Caterers With a Mission founder Jay Marcus at 516.924.8309.
City Harvest
What they do: City Harvest feeds hungry New Yorkers by rescuing unused food from catered events, restaurants and bakeries and delivering it to soup kitchens, homeless shelters and other organizations.
How you can help: At least a day before your event, call City Harvest to schedule a pickup. Or call to schedule a regular pickup from your company cafeteria, catering company or restaurant.
Who to contact: Check City Harvest's Web site at www.cityharvest.org for safe storage and packaging guidelines for unused food, and call Leonard Wilder at 917.351.8700 for information and arrangements.
Greyston Bakery
What they do: Nonprofit Greyston operates on a simple plan: create elaborate desserts and donate all profits to the Greyston Foundation for community development and social improvement. The company is also committed to offering employment opportunities to underprivileged individuals.
How you can help: Order one of Greyston's towering cakes for a special event or send their tarts, pies or brownies as corporate gifts.
Who to contact: Call the bakery at 800.BUY.CAKE, or order through their Web site at www.buycake.com.
Rock and Wrap It Up!
What they do: The nonprofit volunteer organization collects food from catered events and delivers it to local shelters and soup kitchens. In more than 400 cities, Rock and Wrap It Up! collects unused perishables from backstage catering, corporate and school cafeterias and catered events. The group also consults the United States Conference of Mayors on how to expand anti-hunger initiatives.
How you can help: Include a contractual obligation in your catering contract or in a letter to your caterer, stating that unused food will be donated to local soup kitchens, and that Rock and Wrap It Up! will make the arrangements. Call Rock and Wrap It Up! at least a few days in advance to arrange for pickup.
Who to contact: Call Rock and Wrap It Up! founder Syd Mandelbaum or school administrator Rose Foley at 877.691.FOOD, or browse the organization's Web site, www.rockandwrapitup.org.
LEFTOVER FLOWER IDEAS
Nursing Homes
There are more than 20 nonprofit nursing homes in the five boroughs. Most of them have activities and recreation departments, but they don't have much cash for decor or party goods.
How you can help: Instead of throwing away flower arrangements, paper goods or decorations left over from an event, call a nursing home at least a day in advance to arrange a donation. Unfortunately, you'll probably have to deliver the items yourself, but here are two homes that are located in Manhattan:
Greater Harlem Nursing Home
30 West 138th Street: Call director of activities and volunteers Marian Reddick at 212.690.7400 ext. 230. Donations can be dropped off 24 hours a day.
Bialystoker Home and Infirmary for the Aged
228 East Broadway: Call director of recreation Katarina Belko at 917.408.6268. Donations can be delivered 24 hours a day.
LEFTOVER DECOR AND COSTUME IDEAS
Nonprofit Theater Companies
New York City has a host of small theater companies that operate on shoestring budgets. Many troupes are in need of costumes, scenery and props, and can adapt used equipment for their performances.
How you can help: If you are building customized sets, or using props or costumes that you'll throw away, consider calling a nonprofit group to offer your leftover materials. If you call a day or two in advance, these groups can usually travel to a local event to pick up clothing and equipment:
Materials for the Arts
What they do: Materials for the Arts is an umbrella arts organization run by the city that distributes donations—like used office equipment, kitchen items and chairs—to more than 2,700 arts programs across the city.
How you can help: The group will accept props, scenery items and office equipment at its warehouse facility in Long Island City, Queens.
Who to contact: Check Materials for the Arts' Web site http://www.mfta.org for a list of needed items, or call Jesse Charland at 718.729.3001 ext. 207. Pickups must be arranged two weeks prior to the event, or drop-offs are accepted Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 9 AM to 3 PM.
Attic Salt Theatre Company
What they do: Attic Salt members create workshops, plays and children's theater designed to educate and to bring theater to people who wouldn't otherwise experience it.
Who to contact: Call Jeff Catanese at 212.330.7100. The group can pick up items immediately after an event.
—Samantha Melamed & Suzanne Ito
Just think: Corporate events usually involve countless hours of work and lots of dollars, and then much of the results—food, flowers, decor—often get tossed into dumpsters at the end of the evening. (According to nonprofit organization City Harvest, about 50 million pounds of good, edible food are thrown away each year by New York City food businesses.) But this doesn't have to be the case. Many nonprofit and charitable organizations take donations, giving your handiwork a second life. Your leftover flowers can brighten the day of a nursing home resident. Or your custom-made costume can add color to a theater production for underprivileged children.
Here's one important thing to remember: There's no risk for you. Thanks to the 1996 Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act, you assume no liability for donations. And you can feel good knowing your extra food, flowers, paper goods, costumes and sets are going into the hands of people who can use them. So here are some great resources to help you help someone else:
FOOD IDEAS
Caterers With a Mission
What they do: Caterers With a Mission collects unused food from events for the Bowery Mission homeless shelter.
How you can help: A donation pickup can be arranged a few days before an event, or food can be dropped off at 227 Bowery 24 hours a day.
Who to contact: Call Caterers With a Mission founder Jay Marcus at 516.924.8309.
City Harvest
What they do: City Harvest feeds hungry New Yorkers by rescuing unused food from catered events, restaurants and bakeries and delivering it to soup kitchens, homeless shelters and other organizations.
How you can help: At least a day before your event, call City Harvest to schedule a pickup. Or call to schedule a regular pickup from your company cafeteria, catering company or restaurant.
Who to contact: Check City Harvest's Web site at www.cityharvest.org for safe storage and packaging guidelines for unused food, and call Leonard Wilder at 917.351.8700 for information and arrangements.
Greyston Bakery
What they do: Nonprofit Greyston operates on a simple plan: create elaborate desserts and donate all profits to the Greyston Foundation for community development and social improvement. The company is also committed to offering employment opportunities to underprivileged individuals.
How you can help: Order one of Greyston's towering cakes for a special event or send their tarts, pies or brownies as corporate gifts.
Who to contact: Call the bakery at 800.BUY.CAKE, or order through their Web site at www.buycake.com.
Rock and Wrap It Up!
What they do: The nonprofit volunteer organization collects food from catered events and delivers it to local shelters and soup kitchens. In more than 400 cities, Rock and Wrap It Up! collects unused perishables from backstage catering, corporate and school cafeterias and catered events. The group also consults the United States Conference of Mayors on how to expand anti-hunger initiatives.
How you can help: Include a contractual obligation in your catering contract or in a letter to your caterer, stating that unused food will be donated to local soup kitchens, and that Rock and Wrap It Up! will make the arrangements. Call Rock and Wrap It Up! at least a few days in advance to arrange for pickup.
Who to contact: Call Rock and Wrap It Up! founder Syd Mandelbaum or school administrator Rose Foley at 877.691.FOOD, or browse the organization's Web site, www.rockandwrapitup.org.
LEFTOVER FLOWER IDEAS
Nursing Homes
There are more than 20 nonprofit nursing homes in the five boroughs. Most of them have activities and recreation departments, but they don't have much cash for decor or party goods.
How you can help: Instead of throwing away flower arrangements, paper goods or decorations left over from an event, call a nursing home at least a day in advance to arrange a donation. Unfortunately, you'll probably have to deliver the items yourself, but here are two homes that are located in Manhattan:
Greater Harlem Nursing Home
30 West 138th Street: Call director of activities and volunteers Marian Reddick at 212.690.7400 ext. 230. Donations can be dropped off 24 hours a day.
Bialystoker Home and Infirmary for the Aged
228 East Broadway: Call director of recreation Katarina Belko at 917.408.6268. Donations can be delivered 24 hours a day.
LEFTOVER DECOR AND COSTUME IDEAS
Nonprofit Theater Companies
New York City has a host of small theater companies that operate on shoestring budgets. Many troupes are in need of costumes, scenery and props, and can adapt used equipment for their performances.
How you can help: If you are building customized sets, or using props or costumes that you'll throw away, consider calling a nonprofit group to offer your leftover materials. If you call a day or two in advance, these groups can usually travel to a local event to pick up clothing and equipment:
Materials for the Arts
What they do: Materials for the Arts is an umbrella arts organization run by the city that distributes donations—like used office equipment, kitchen items and chairs—to more than 2,700 arts programs across the city.
How you can help: The group will accept props, scenery items and office equipment at its warehouse facility in Long Island City, Queens.
Who to contact: Check Materials for the Arts' Web site http://www.mfta.org for a list of needed items, or call Jesse Charland at 718.729.3001 ext. 207. Pickups must be arranged two weeks prior to the event, or drop-offs are accepted Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 9 AM to 3 PM.
Attic Salt Theatre Company
What they do: Attic Salt members create workshops, plays and children's theater designed to educate and to bring theater to people who wouldn't otherwise experience it.
Who to contact: Call Jeff Catanese at 212.330.7100. The group can pick up items immediately after an event.
—Samantha Melamed & Suzanne Ito
