Charity for Children, Inc. (“CFC”), a local not-for-profit organization that provides financial assistance and services to children with serious illnesses in Central New York, is very happy to announce it has expanded its mission to include meeting non-financial needs, as well. The launch of the “CFC Needs Network” forms a community of “go to” volunteers who will assist families by supplying in-kind services and donations, such as rides to medical appointments, room air purifiers, gently-used furniture and minor home repairs.   

Knowing that a helping hand can sometimes be more useful than a signed check, CFC envisions the Needs Network as an ever-expanding group of individuals who have agreed to receive a ‘Need-mail’ and will step forward when they can to donate their time, talent or connections to help a family. Charity for Children is a “Child” specific organization and hopes that by creating the CFC Needs Network families in Central New York with a child facing medical issues can have more of their diverse needs met. 

A family with a sick child often has basic needs which CFC can help meet from the financial contributions it has already collected. But, there are other needs – repainting a bedroom, replacing a carpet, repairing a leaking roof, providing an air purifier, or reviewing a lease and then talking to a landlord - which could be better met by non-cash donations of time, talent or items. Once such needs are identified, CFC believes the Needs Network will be able to quickly find the individual who can help by giving their time or ‘surplus’ rather than a check.

Nina Albino, executive director and found of Charity for Children said, "We like to think the CFC Needs Network will become a charitable ‘Craig’s List’ for Central New York or a ‘GiffordsList.org’ resource exchange for families  – one person’s extra stuff, skill or access to resources can fill a needy family’s basic requirements."

Volunteers who would like to be placed in the “Needs Network” should send their email address to CFC. They will be added to the Needs Network broadcast email that will go out whenever there is an unmet need identified. If they can help, they’ll reply to the email. If they can’t help, they don’t need to do anything.  And when the need has been met a second email will be sent out through the CFC Needs Network.