The holidays are over, 2017 is here and it is back to work time. I hope everyone had a good break if you had time off and time with your loved ones and families. As the weather in New York enters the heart of the winter my thoughts often turn to those who are truly left out in the cold. The giving season may be over, but those in need require our help now more than ever. Here are just a few options to give of your time and/or money and help those who are less fortunate during the toughest time of the year:

1. Bowery Residents Committee (BRC). A fabulous organization that works to shelter and train the homeless so they can move to stable housing and stable lives. BRC shelters more than 1,600 people every night and they have had more than 10,000 people go through their programs. I had the privilege of attending their annual fundraiser last year and was impressed with the impact and no nonsense attitude the management team has, and the lives they have touched for the better.

2. Coalition for the Homeless. One of the longest established and most effective community organizations serving the homeless, the Coalition spends $0.89 out of every dollar received on programs across food, youth, job training, and of course shelter. One of my favorite aspects of the Coalition is their Bound for Success program, which focuses on one on one tutoring for homeless children.

3. The Times Neediest Cases. Focused to “give direct assistance to troubled children, families and elders,” the New York Times effort works with charities around the city to have as direct an impact as possible ranging from young mothers, to struggling high school students to immigrants. The campaign works through local religious and lay charities and has raised over $280 million dollars since its founding by the Times Publisher Adolph S. Ochs in 1911. This year’s campaign wraps up on February 3rd so consider helping others now.