Photos

Thank you to everyone who participated in The Great Give Back 2024! Check back often as pictures from this year’s events are submitted and uploaded. All libraries will be listed alphabetically. Check back in 2025 for details about next year’s event!

Jump to a Library System:
Clinton-Essex-Franklin Library System
Four County Library System
Finger Lakes Library System
Suffolk County Public Libraries
Mid-Hudson Library System
Nassau County Public Libraries
Ramapo Catskill Library System

Clinton-Essex-Franklin Library System

Keeseville Free Library
Hygiene cart donations for The Great Giveback 2024!

Four County Library System

William B. Ogden Free Library
We participated in the GGB this year collaborating with our local Humane Society: Heart of the Catskills in Delhi, NY for a kitten adoption event. They brought 6 adorable kittens which community members came to play with. In addition, we had a basket to receive donations with a wishlist of items from the Heart of the Catskills. In exchange for donations, patrons received a handmade bookmark.

Finger Lakes Library System

Seneca Falls Library
We asked our patrons to donate brand new stuffies that would be given to North Seneca Ambulance.  The EMT workers like to give each of their pediatric patients a new stuffie on ambulance rides to help ease their worry and keep them calm during a potentially traumatic event. This was a program they had before covid, but needed some assistance getting back up and running.  Our patrons absolutely loved the idea of helping out kids in need!  We were able to collect 31 new stuffies for North Seneca Ambulance!!

Waterloo Library & Historical Society
Waterloo Library & Historical Society collected new toys for the Seneca County Christmas Project.

Mid-Hudson Library System

Beekman Library
We welcomed Town & County K9 ResQ Inc. a non-profit devoted to finding loving homes for adoptable pets and keeping current pets with their owners and out of the shelter system when times are tough.
They brought Oliver, who was interviewing potential humans for a forever home.

Nassau County Public Libraries

Baldwin Public Library
Results of the Great Giveback — approximately 1000 snack bags for the INN.

Bellmore Memorial Library
This year the community participated in the Great Give Back by providing donations for the organization MOMMAS House.

Glen Cove Public Library
The Glen Cove Public Library ran a health and hygiene drive and collected items that will be distributed to local organizations in need.

Hewlett Woodmere Public Library
Hewlett Woodmere Public Library ran a month-long art supply drive for the Goodman Family iShine Afterschool Progam, a local organization that provides support and after school programming for children dealing with illness and loss. 

Lakeview Public Library

North Merrick Public Library
We had a pet food drive (which will go until Oct. 31), an adoption event with Bobbi and the Strays and Christina’s Animal Safe Haven Inc.. Teens assisted at the event and also made dog toys by upcycling t-shirts donated by staff and patrons. 

Port Washington Public Library
PWPL will be collecting food and personal care items for local pantries.

Suffolk County Public Libraries

Brentwood Public Library
We had 62 teens participate in our event (a 50% increase from last year!), and they earned a total of 256 hours! Our teens participated by doing the following:
-88 bags made
-Decorating bookmarks that will be given out to patrons and used for outreach events
-72 bookmarks made
-Painting mini-canvases that are going to be used for the library’s November Art Gallery Display.
-68 canvases made
-Making birthday bags that will be distributed to local children.

Comsewogue Public Library
Attendees were invited to a Family Carnival where they were asked to donate nonperishable
food items for local people in need. Volunteers also created more than 70 care kits using community
donations which will be distributed to local not-for-profit organizations that assist unhoused individuals.
Comsewogue was featured in the Port Times Record (TBR NewsMedia)!

Emma S. Clark Memorial Library
69 teen volunteers made blankets for shelter pets, which was just one of the projects offered at Emma Clark Library.

Hauppauge Public Library
Teen volunteers decorated tote bags for the Great Give Back event on Saturday 10/19. The bags will be used to distribute food for the Long Island Cares Thanksgiving food drive.

Middle Country Public Library
All ages of patrons attended- kids, teens and adults!
Patrons participated in projects and a collection drive that gave back to our local community. Creative projects included: pocket hugs, mum containers, and warm rice socks for shelter pets. Attendees packaged seeds for our seed library, planted daffodil bulbs outdoors and brought new gloves and/or hats to be donated to local pantries and shelters. It was a heart-warming day!

North Shore Public Library
Donations the residents of the North Shore Public Library made to Maureen’s Haven Homeless Outreach. We collected 222 personal hygiene and first aid items. Our Teens also created 20 stay warm bags that included items needed for winter months. 

Quogue Library

West Babylon Public Library
We have been “giving back” all month long. Our teens have been busy with so many activities; they created pet adoption boards for our local animal shelter, they made lavender satchels for patrons to take at check out, and made memory boxes for hospice patients.

Ramapo Catskill Library System

Cragsmoor Free Library

Highland Falls Library
This was our 6^th year participating in The Great Give Back where we collected donations of dog and cat supplies for the Hudson Valley SPCA (located in New Windsor). This year we also included Animal Saints Rescue Society (located in Fort Montgomery). The animal shelter and rescue group are grateful to our patrons for their generous donations!