One of the quickest — and coldest — charity events of the year, the annual Polar Bear Plunge at Main Beach, will not be held this New Year’s Day, leaving East Hampton food pantries without the many thousands of dollars usually generated by participation fees. This comes at a time when demand for their services is at an all-time high. East End Cares and the Clamshell Foundation have been able to funnel donations totaling in the six figures to the privately run food programs. Even so, it is difficult to keep up with the demand.
Other groups are being tapped, too, like Meals on Wheels in East Hampton Town, which delivered more than 18,000 dinners to residents in 2020. And, while nutrition is a critical need, there are a host of organizations that are struggling as the pandemic rolls on, many of which could not hold their annual fund-raisers because of Covid-19 restrictions this summer.
From the Amagansett Historical Association to the Watermill Center, a growing list of groups that would welcome contributions can be found on The Star’s website. These include the area’s libraries, which have served as a lifeline for homebound and quarantining people, offering streaming movies and television, music downloads, e-books, and audiobooks, all free.
We encourage readers to visit easthamptonstar.com/giving to see what might move them, and, we hope, make a contribution.