Community Corner

Patch Picks: Local Non-Profits Making a Difference

Local non-profits that are making a difference in the lives of people in Port Jefferson.

We went out and found some of the non-profits in our community that are making a difference. Some are helping feed the hungry, others are supporting the local library but all are doing their part to help improve life in Port Jefferson in some way, big or small.

Hope House Ministries was founded on the principle of the Gospel that teaches every life is sacred and unique, this nonprofit organization has a mission to provide compassion and care "for the poor, the marginal and the wounded among us."

Funded mostly by donations, Hope House helps alleviate the burden on state welfare programs while providing more than just Band-Aid solutions. They offer a holistic approach to healing that includes assistance and counseling. Their focus is primarily homeless teens, young pregnant women and young mothers with children. Hope House Ministries attempt to help those who come to them without hope become empowered individuals to help them succeed in the future.

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Save-A-Pet Animal Rescue is a non-profit organization in Port Jefferson that has been helping find homes for 700 to 1000 animals per year since 1999. These are pets that have been found homeless, abandoned or are brought in by people who can no longer take care of them. The organization provides spay and neuter services as well as any necessary medical care, and they match the best pet for the person or family looking to adopt.

In 1992, three women founded Sunshine Prevention Center as a place for children to learn to deal with the increasing challenges of everyday life, including divorce, violence, drugs and peer pressure.  The center takes a family-oriented approach to therapy, involving parents and guardians in the process. There are a variety of programs for children aged four to teens, designed with specific goals such as to teach social skills, anger management and responsibility. It also offers programs for adults. Basketball hoops, fences, cubby holes, play areas, a stage and the main building are all brightly painted to reflect the positive attitude that the center seeks to project.

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In 1978, a little girl named Karen was diagnosed with a fatal illness. Her neighbors got together and planned to raise money for her family so that they need not worry about paying bills and could concentrate solely on their little girl. After Karen passed, the extra money raised went to found a charity to help families in similar situations. Now, there are three offices serving the Tri-State area with one office established in Port Jefferson in 2001 to help out Long Islanders.

The organization will help families with children up to 21 years old. Social workers work with families to pay any home-related bills and any co-payments that insurance doesn't cover. The organization also hosts art therapy and counseling for siblings, bereavement and support groups. It also has toy drives throughout the year and a holiday toy program where people can sponsor a family to purchase presents.

The Friends of the Port Jefferson Free Library is a nonprofit volunteer organization dedicated to supporting the Port Jefferson Library and the community. In addition to hosting educational programs, the organization also raises money for the purchase of items and services that the library needs through the sale of donated books at its used bookstore on East Main Street, membership dues and other fund-raising events.

Welcome INN

Welcome INN (Interfaith Nutritional Network) is a faith-based organization that helps to serve the hungry and homeless in the community with a hot meal, no questions asked. Soup kitchens are held throughout the week at various churches in Port Jefferson and Port Jefferson Station. Volunteers are always needed to help setup, serve and cleanup.


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