SEA CLIFF, N.Y. — As holiday need rises across Long Island, a Sea Cliff–based tech startup is stepping in to help local nonprofits raise funds and stay connected with the communities they serve.
Family & Children’s Association (FCA) is one of Long Island’s oldest health and human service nonprofit organizations, supporting more than 35,000 people each year through programs that focus on stability, safety, mental health, substance use disorder support, senior services, and pathways to long-term self-sufficiency.
“This holiday season, the need for basic essentials has risen sharply, especially among runaway and homeless youth, isolated seniors, and families experiencing housing or financial instability,” said Paige O’Brien, Chief Development Officer and Vice President of Strategic Advancement at FCA.
That picture is echoed at the neighborhood level through grassroots efforts like the Love Your Neighbor Project in Sea Cliff. Launched in May 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, its mission is to connect the community through “social goodness.” Since then, LYNP has supported over 100 community projects and scholarships and reinvested over $70,000 locally to benefit families, small businesses, and nonprofits.
“Love Your Neighbor Project works to strengthen our community by connecting people with resources, support, and one another,” said Jennifer DeSane, Strategic Neighbor at LNYP. “When neighbors know where to turn and local groups can coordinate, it’s much easier to lift each other up when times are tough.”
As demand grows, some local businesses are finding ways to support the nonprofits meeting it. In Sea Cliff, that includes Quvent, an event platform that helps groups run registration, ticketing, and fundraising for in-person and virtual events. Launched in October, the company is offering Long Island 501(c)(3) nonprofits a free year of its fundraising tools so they can keep more of what they raise for local programs and services.
“Long Island has a long tradition of neighbors looking out for each other,” Busching said. “Making our platform free for local nonprofits is our way of making sure more of every dollar they raise goes back into their programs.”
As the holiday season begins, nonprofits across Long Island are bracing for a demanding stretch, and community support remains essential. At FCA, teams are already seeing rising requests for youth shelter, senior assistance, and family stabilization services. O’Brien says added support for fundraising can make a real difference.
“At FCA, we witness every day how a single act of generosity can transform the course of someone’s life. Our events and year-end giving aren’t just fundraisers — they’re what empower us to keep saying “yes” when our community needs us most.”
Long Island residents who want to help can donate to Family & Children’s Association at fcali.org or the Love Your Neighbor Project at lynp.org and nonprofits interested in Quvent’s free fundraising tools can contact [email protected] or visit quvent.com/longisland.
