Long Island Giving Help Together is my column where I shine a light on a different Long Island-based charity each month.
For this column, I focus on EAC Network, which is a not-for-profit organization that empowers, assists and cares for over 65,000 people in need through programs that protect children and seniors, promote healthy families and communities, and empower individuals to take control of their lives.
EAC Network was formed in 1969 in Port Washington to help students with special needs. The organization has since expanded to meet a growing need to help people across Long Island and New York City.
It has offered hundreds of programs supporting individuals in the areas of children and youth services, family and community services, behavioral health and criminal justice services, senior and nutritional services and career assistance services.
One important service offered by EAC Network is to help children who are victims of child abuse and neglect, or who are involved in the foster care system or child trafficking. EAC Network provides supervised visitation between non-custodial parents and their children, promotes child passenger safety and offers mentors for at-risk youth.
Specifically, EAC Network’s ‘Chance to Advance’ initiative works with children in foster care, matching them with volunteer mentors to serve as role models, providing positive outlooks and enrichment opportunities through life skills workshops and activities.
EAC Network also works with seniors, acting as guardians for those who are unable to manage aspects of daily life on their own. It offers a ‘Community Guardianship’ program that helps manage the affairs of incapacitated adults to allow them to maintain their independence as much as possible.
Through this program, EAC Network ensures individual needs are met through comprehensive assessment, service planning, regular visits, ongoing support and reporting to the court. Services include making arrangements for food, shelter, clothing, safety, healthcare, social and financial needs.
Another important initiative from EAC Network is its ‘Vocational Services’ program, which provides participants with skills to obtain and retain employment, particularly with at-risk populations.
As part of this program, EAC Network works with people that have pending charges or criminal backgrounds to provide job readiness, employment placement and other transitional services to help them become productive self-sufficient members of the community.
If you’d like to help EAC Network, you can do so by donating funds or goods, or by volunteering, attending an event, or hosting a fundraiser. EAC Network is hosting its 35th annual ‘Golf For Good’ event on May 5, 2025 at the North Hills Country Club in Manhasset, bringing people together for fun-filled outdoor, fresh air golfing event that will benefit people in need within our community.
For more information please visit EAC Network’s website at https://eac-network.org/.
Kayla Donnenfeld, shining a LIGHT for Charity
Kayla is a Roslyn High School student
kdonnenfeld26@roslynschools.org
