Ossining Shriners stay true to ethos, drop off donations at Westchester nonprofits
The nonprofit fraternity is steeped in hundreds of years of tradition with charity as their driving goal.
The men from Ossining Shriners come from all different parts of New York and they all have different professions – but one thing they have in common are their big hearts.
The nonprofit fraternity is steeped in hundreds of years of tradition with charity as their driving goal.
Today, true to their ethos, they started their holiday donations, beginning at Lifting Up Westchester, where they dropped off 200 hats and sets of gloves in anticipation of their Thanksgiving meal at the soup kitchen.
"We usually call and ask them what they need and then we'll purchase it and then make sure that they get it," says the Shriners Illustrious Potentate Lathan Franks.
"On Thanksgiving day, I'm going to be there with volunteers and we like to hand out gloves and hats to our guests that come to the soup kitchen," explains Nancy Inzinna, of Lifting Up Westchester. "The weather is now dropping and it’s gotten quite cold. Many of our guests are walking to the soup kitchen and living on the street."
The Shriners then moved on to the Coachman Family Center where they donated 200 towels and washcloths.
"Just to make a little change, a little impact. They say if you can make a change on one, you've made a change on many," says Johnn Blalock, a member of The Shriners.
"We know that there are a lot of people out there who are not as fortunate as we are, so we try to give back to the community and make sure that we service our community in any way they can," explained Lathan Franks.
