The Montclair YMCA is a storied institution that has seen generations of families pass though its doors, swim in its pools, and take part in countless activities and services offered. To some, it is a place to sweat it out before work, or where parents are assured their children will be active and well cared for after school. It is also a place where children first swim on their own, where teens may get their first job, or where children enjoy a carefree summer of camp.  However the Y fits into the community, it does so with the mission to stretch across all socioeconomic backgrounds. Part of…

Many celebrate Christmas by squabbling over which relative's home to go to or what should and shouldn't make it onto the menu. But those who are homeless or otherwise indigent don't have the luxury of such holiday discord. Fortunately, there is one local organization that is making sure those in need can join together this Christmas for a holiday feast.Toni's Kitchen, Montclair's beloved soup kitchen (and so much more), will be hosting its annual Christmas dinner on December 25, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Anne Mernin, who works for Toni's Kitchen, says they expect between 80 and 100 patrons …

Among the things we take for granted in our relatively comfortable existences, shoes rate high on the list. We effortlessly change shoes to fit the weather, an activity, fashion, or just a whim. Whether they are exquisite red-bottom Louboutin's or Chuck Taylors from Target; new shoes are relatively easy to attain, even for the most cash-strapped. Sadly, this is not the case for a large portion of the rest of the world. After the devastating 2004 Tsunami, shoe executive Wayne Elsey attests to being moved by news coverage showing a single shoe washing up on the beach. The image of that shoe …

Although mostly a time for celebration, the holidays can also bring into sharp focus the financial hardships that many in our community struggle with. This week's Season For Giving focuses on just this population, with the United Way of North Essex's Annual Holiday Toy Drive. With the recent loss of Montclair's Social Service Department, it is agencies like the United Way that have stepped in to ensure those in need do not fall off the radar.  The United Way provides a broad list of programs and offers funding to organizations that encompass their core belief that "education, income, and …

With the infamous Black Friday and Cyber Monday descending upon us this next week, clearly the time for holiday shopping has begun. Just as it is an accepted notion that everyone should enjoy a Thanksgiving dinner, so should all children enjoy presents during this gift-giving time of the year. It is that belief that has led some local Girl Scouts to support a toy drive for the Hyacinth AIDS Foundation. The Hyacinth AIDS Foundation is a non-profit organization with an overall mission to "help people live with HIV, slow the spread of the epidemic, and serve as a critical voice in the public …

If you are the type who has the best intentions about donating food but then lets that bag of canned groceries linger because you just can't seem to get it to the donation drop-off spot, then Check-Out Hunger is the charity for you. Quite simply, while at your supermarket checkout counter, you can simply peel off colored slips and donate $1, $3, or $5, which goes directly to programs at New Jersey Food Banks. Generally located right next to the gum and gossip magazines, the checkout slips are an impulse item worthy of your attention.Supermarkets participating in Check-Out Hunger include: A&P…

Got turkey? The Montclair Human Needs Food Pantry is seeking all the trappings of Thanksgiving for food packages that will be distributed to needy families in the area. Since its inception in 1982, the Food Pantry has served the Essex County area by providing not only food—as the name suggests—but also clothing, household goods, and even medical screening services. But now, with Thanksgiving only a few weeks away, the Food Pantry is collecting turkeys and items for Thanksgiving food packages, such as cranberry sauce, stuffing, sweet potatoes, pie crust and filling. Because of limited freezer …