Wednesday, Nov. 24

Haiti Art Exibit

Haitian Nation has extended A Painting & a Poem for Haiti art exhibit featuring emerging & established local artists of Haitian, South African, Brazilian origin & national artists displaying paintings & sketches for sale to benefit the Rural Haitian Project & Haiti SOFTHOUSE project, thru Nov. 30 at the Museum of Contemporary African Diasporan Arts (MoCADA), 80 Hanson Place, Fort Greene, Brooklyn. For information, visit www.haitiannation.us.com or call (630) 452-2023.

Saturday, Nov. 27

Jazz

Central Brooklyn Jazz Consortium presents the 11th Anniversary Concert Steve Kroon Sextet, N.Y.’s hottest Latin jazz band & featuring Q City Soundz, 4:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. at Jazz 966, 966 Fulton St., Brooklyn. Tickets $25/advance or online at www.cbjcjazz.org or $30/door.

Sunday, Nov. 28

Sunday Platform

The Brooklyn Society for Ethical Culture, 53 Prospect Park West at 2 St., in Park Slope, presents its Sunday Platform Colloquy: On Gratitude, an opportunity for group reflection to support & inspire the quest for a life of meaning, joy & responsibility, 11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. in the main hall of the Meeting House. Free & open to the public. For information, call (718) 768-2972.

Monday, Nov. 29

Jazz

The Schomburg Center for Research In Black Culture, 515 Malcolm X Blvd., N.Y. presents A Touch of Taylor sponsored by Jazzmobile & featuring a panel & performance with Jimmy Owens, Dave Gibson, Normal Simmons, Frank Wess & Paul West, 7:00 p.m. Tickets: $10 available at The Schomburg Shop at (212) 491-2206.

Tuesday, Nov. 30

Networking

The Greater N.Y. Chamber of Commerce is holding a networking event for business & civic leaders at the NYGARD Fashion flagship store, 1431 Broadway, corner of 40 St., N.Y. Members: free; Guests: $15. RSVP to (212) 686-7220 or register online at www.ny-chamber.com. For information, call (212) 686-7220.

Wednesday, Dec. 1

Business Workshop

CAMBA, Small Business Serivces, 884 Flatubsh Ave., 2nd Fl., corner Church Ave., Brooklyn, is holding a free workshop Free Money for Your Business focusing on how to research & apply for free money, take advantage of new laws & little known secrets, free money grants & fast cash eligibility & more, 3:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. Registration required; call (718) 282-2500 or email smallbiz@camba.org.

Thursday, Dec. 2

Art Exhibit

The Carter Burden Center for the Aging presents Works on Walls II, a group mixed media show featuring the work of 20 New York based older artists including photos, paintings & sculpture, thru Dec. 30, Tues. - Sat., 11:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. at Gallery 307, 307 Seventh Ave., Ste. 1401, N.Y. For information, call (646) 400-5254.

ONGOING

Holiday Gift Drive

The Westchester County Dept. of Social Services is organizing a gift drive for local youngsters living in foster homes or residential centers. Unwrapped gifts can be brought to seven locations throughout the county, donors can sponsor a child, cash donation or contribution will be accepted as well as gift bags to help with wrapping, through Dec. 10. For more information & drop off locations, call Ms. Sabater at DSS (914) 995-5545 or email bms7@westchestergov.com.

Toy Drive

The Brooklyn Music School is sponsoring a holiday performance & toy drive for the children of Fort Greene & residents are encouraged to send a tax deductible donation payable to Brooklyn Music School, Frank Alvarado, 126 St. Felix St., 11217. The performance is on 12/18 for children & families from the PAL Quincy Head Start Program & the Auburn Family Shelter. For more information, call Mr. Alvarado at (718) 638-5660.

Police Athletic League

PAL provides boys & girls with recreational, educational, cultural & social programs & is asking for tax deductible donations of books, art materials or sports equipment or giving the gift of time by volunteering. Donations may be sent to PAL, 34 1/2 East 12 St., N.Y. 10003 or by logging on to www.palnyc.org & clicking on “Donate to PAL under the About Us tab. To become a volunteer click on Get Involved under the same tab for an application. For more information, contact Mr. Sumpter-Delves at (212) 477-9450 ext. 390 or visit volunteer@palnyc.org.

Toys for Tots

Edward Mangano, Nassau County & the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve is collecting toys for needy children at locations in East Meadow, Mineola, Hempstead, Westubry & Uniondale thru Dec. 20. For exact locations visit www.nassaucountyny.gov.

Toy Drive

MAG & N.Y.S. Senator Shirley Huntley are holding a Tots-2-Seniors Toy, Book, Clothing & Coat Drive calling for donations to be taken to the office of the senator at 133-24 233rd St. in Laurelton, N.Y. as well as the Rochdale Village Senior Center, 169-65 137 Ave., Jamaica, in preparation for the Tots-2-Seniors Holiday Celebration on Sat., Dec. 11, in the senator’s office, 12 noon - 2:00 p.m. Refreshments, entertainment & gifts for all. For information, call (718) 949-1601 or (718) 712-2061.

Toy Drive

Help the Ina Dillon TV Show & Simms Tax Services put smiles on needly children’s faces in the Flatbush neighborhood for the holiday season by donating a toy today to be dropped off at Simms Tax Services, 1478 Flatbush Ave., Brooklyn. For information, call (917) 349-8948 or (718) 859-5800.

Donations for Seniors

The Carter Burden Center for the Aging is asking for donations for its senior citizens in the way of craft supplies, especially yarn & knitting supplies, unopened holiday gifts for men & women such as sweaters, socks, hats, gloves & scarves, large print edition books, etc. as well as volunteers to assist with filing, telephone coverage & delivering meals to the homebound. Donations can be sent to the center at 1484 First Ave., N.Y. 10075. For information, visit www.burdencenter.org or call (212) 879-7400 ext. 204.

Holiday Food Drive

Hilltop Hanover Farm, 1271 Hanover St. in Yorktown Heights is holding a Holiday Food Drive, Tuesday thru Friday, 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. in November & December where you can drop off non-perishable canned & dried goods for distribution to local food pantries at the Farm Stand or Building C. For information, visit hilltophanoverfarm.org or call (914) 962-2368.

Holiday Drive

The Institute for Community Living is holding a drive to donate a wrapped gift of a new toy, book, clothing item or even a gift card with a minimum value of $20 for a child in need. Contact Sharon at ssorrentino@idinc.net or leave a message at (212) 385-3030 ext. 3226 for a gift tag that includes the gender, age & clothing size of a child. Gifts should be dropped off in Manhattan at 40 Rector St., 8th Fl. or in Brooklyn at 161 Emerson Place, near Pratt Institute between 9:00 a.m. & 5:00 p.m. weekdays until Dec. 3.

Holiday Fair

The annual Grand Central Holiday Fair, featuring vendors of one-of-a-kind jewelry, handmade women’s & children’s clothing, holiday ornaments, home accessories, glass sculptures, hand loomed knitware, art & books, imported African crafts, toys & more, will be open thru 12/24, 10:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m., Monday thru Saturday (except Thanksgiving Day) at Vanderbilt Hall & Bridge, Grand Central Terminal, Lexington Ave., at 42 St. For information, call (212) 340-2345.

Art Exhibit

TRA Gallery, 35 Claver Place, Brooklyn presents the third annual Represent Brooklyn Art Exhibition featuring the works of 27 Brooklyn artists on display thru Dec. 11. Gallery hours: Mon. - Thurs. (by appointment) & Fri. 4:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. & Sat. 1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. For information, visit www.therisingartsgallery.com or call (718) 498-6082.

Health & Wellness

How safe is the water you drink? Are you aware that there may be harmful substances in your drinking water with the potential for contributing to illness & disease. Call Chudi at (917) 751-3571 for a free analysis of your drinking water & a consultation on how to change your water to enhance your health and well-being.

Winter Aches & Pains

For anyone suffering from rheumatism or arthritis symptoms try this massage with Jamaican Bath Fountain Pimento Oil, a “complete alternative medicine cabinet in a bottle,” an all natural, chemical & preservative free herbal medication that relieves stiff joints, sore muscles, nerve damage & a host of other ailments. Call Sandra at (866) 223-2414 to arrange for an appointment to come to your nursing home or church for a free massage so you can experience this Jamaican phenomenon for yourself.

Compiled by

Ida Eisenstein

©2010 Community Newspaper Group