Where Prosek Will be Donating This Giving Tuesday
Kelly Whalen, Remy Marin, Kearney Dewing
As we approach giving season around the winter holidays, it is a great time to give back to the causes close to our hearts. Check out some of the organizations to which Prosekians will be donating their money and time this Giving Tuesday.
Kelly Whalen: Be My Eyes
Throughout this extended work from home period, we’ve been glued to screens. While my eyes feel tired after a long day looking at my monitor, phone and TV, I’m constantly reminded how lucky I am to have the ability to see – in fact, I’m not sure I could do my job without it.
During the pandemic, I started volunteering with Be My Eyes – a mobile app that connects blind or visually impaired people with volunteers who can help them with everyday tasks, like reading an expiration date on a gallon of milk or describing the color of a jacket. Describing the interactions as “volunteering” feels like a stretch - when I get an alert that someone needs me to help read ingredients or identify which snack is which, it’s an easy ask and usually a quickly solved problem.
The app has totally taken off, and over 4.3 million volunteers are available to help the 266,139 blind or low-vision users – likely thanks to the ease of use. While I look forward to returning to in-person volunteering when it’s safe, this Giving Tuesday, I’m grateful that technology has enabled us to help others virtually and effectively.
Remy Marin: Sgt. Pepper’s Friends
Most people who know me – or have been on a Zoom call with me over the last eight months – know about my two rescue cats, Arlo and Lanai. My husband and I adopted them three and two years ago, respectively, from a foundation called Sgt. Pepper’s Friends.
Sgt. Pepper’s Friends is a non-profit animal rescue organization that finds and cares for neglected, abandoned and sick dogs and cats in Aruba, where the organization is based and where there is sadly, a huge population of homeless pets. They have an animal shelter, run a trap-and-release spay/neuter program to reduce the homeless population, and adopt animals to homes around the world.
Arlo and Lanai have brought endless joy into our home, and while we can’t fit any more animals into our Brooklyn apartment, we donate to Sgt. Pepper’s Friends every Giving Tuesday in their honor, and to help more pets find the care and loving homes they deserve.
Kearney Dewing: Pine Street Inn, Warm up the Holidays 2020
As a Pine Street ‘Innbassador,’ I am part of a group of young professionals committed to helping to end homelessness in Boston. We have launched our annual Warm Up the Holidays campaign – a drive to provide holiday gifts of warm clothing, winter essentials and gift cards for every guest staying at Pine Street Inn's shelters, individuals supported by the Street Outreach Team, and for every tenant staying in Pine Street Inn’s permanent supportive housing.
These gifts will provide physical (and emotional) warmth during the harsh winter season and these unprecedented times. If you’d like to help me support Pine Street on this Giving Tuesday, please reach out! A donation of just $30 buys a sweatshirt, hat, scarf, gloves and a gift card for those in need. 