Livingston CARES’ mission is to help communities and individuals locally, regionally, statewide, nationwide and globally in humanitarian projects including disaster relief and recovery efforts. CARES also provides a resource and information repository for individuals and organizations wishing to contribute to disaster recovery efforts. 
Livingston CARES Newsletter Issue 4
November, 2020
News and Updates:
ROC The Day

On December 1, 2020, ROC The Day will begin online! This is a twenty-four hour online fundraising event run by United Way of Greater Rochester for different not-for-profits in the Rochester area. Livingston CARES, as well as hundreds of other organizations, are involved in this event. This makes it easy to donate to multiple organizations you care about at once. Consider helping Livingston CARES if you can, any amount helps!
A Statement Regarding Livingston CARES Trips:

Due to the ongoing Coronavirus-19 Pandemic, the Board of Directors made the difficult decision not to run any service trips January of 2020. The health, safety, and wellbeing of all trip participants and community members involved remains a top priority for Livingston CARES, and we look forward to hopefully running service trips in different areas of the United States in May of 2020.

As a result of this decision, we are in the process of finding ways to become involved in the Geneseo community. Activities for the Spring Semester are under planning and will be communicated soon!
An Update on Our Statement of Solidarity with the Black Community
Fulfilling one of action steps outlined in our Solidarity Statement with the Black Community, our board members and interns will be participating in an implicit bias training with the help of SUNY Geneseo's chief diversity officer, robbie routenberg during our board meeting on November 23, 2020. The event was previously scheduled for October, but was postponed.

Our pre-trip trainings for volunteers and leaders are being updated to include a sense of background knowledge about diversity and inclusion in the areas they will be serving. All participants will be educated on the history of their trip location, as well as the group of people they are going to help.

We are devoted to continue seeking new, exciting and creative ways to amplify the voices of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) through our organization and welcome any input from the community.
How Can You Help This Holiday Season?

There's multiple ways you can support Livingston CARES this time of year!

If you are planning on online shopping this holiday season, consider browsing and shopping through Amazon Smile. This is a subdivision of Amazon that donates a portion of qualifying purchases to a non-profit organization of your choosing. Livingston CARES is available to select as charity. Follow these directions to connect your Prime account with Livingston CARES.
Actions Regarding the Ongoing and Recent West Coast Wildfires:
The ongoing Silverado Fire in California. Image Source: NBC, LA.
In the past few months, over five million acres were burned on the West Coast due to uncontrollable fires. This is almost 23,000 times the size of SUNY Geneseo's campus. Currently, fires continue to rage and people are becoming dislocated due to the ongoing Silverado Fire. Due to the size and large impact these fires have had on hundreds of thousands of lives, Livingston CARES is looking to help those who have been affected or disrupted by these fires.

At the September CARES meeting, our board moved to approve a fund that provides aid to support communities impacted by the fires on the West Coast as well as those impacted by the hurricanes and flooding in the gulf coast and south eastern United States. The recent landfall of Hurricanes Delta and Zeta further demonstrate the need for help in these regions. The project will be called the "2020-2021 Disaster Recovery Fund" and donations can be directed to these two areas of need.

We are in the process of establishing relationships with West Coast colleges and universities to hopefully help people rebuild their lives in the future. We are continuing to mobilize different student groups on campus including students involved in Greek life or sustainability efforts, as well as the Community Service Assistants to form a comprehensive action plan to help.

If you are interested in donating to the 2020-2021 Disaster Recovery Fund please use the link below.
The State Employees Federated Appeal (SEFA) 2020 campaign has begun! There are lots of different prizes you can be entered to win if you donate; including a two night stay at the Big Tree Inn. State employees are encouraged to donate if able to, any amount helps! Our donation goal this year is $45,000.

You can donate to a variety of organizations. Livingston CARES is able to be selected as a charity, as well as other charities around New York.
Upcoming Events
Virtual Reunion for Service Trip Groups!

After the positive feedback we received fro our 15th Anniversary Celebration we have decided to host virtual reunions for specific trips and locations! We are hoping these virtual events will help you reconnect with your fellow trip participants and reminisce about your experiences.

We currently have three reunions scheduled for the following dates and trips:

  • 2019 trip to the Florida Keys - Wednesday, November 18, 6:00 - 7:00 pm
  • Register here!
  • January 2006 trip to Biloxi - our inaugural Livingston CARES trip - Monday December 7, 6:00 - 7:00 pm
  • Register here!
  • 2011 trips to Biloxi - Wednesday, December 9, 6:00 - 7:00 pm
  • Registration coming soon!

If you volunteered on one of the trips and want to be added to the contact list for these reunions, or if you don't see your trip here and want to organize a reunion for your group, please email CARES@geneseo.edu and we'll connect you!
Did you want to catch up on Livingston CARES' history?

If you wish to see the impact Livingston CARES has had throughout the years, you can use this link to view 15 years of trips, programs, people, projects, and more:
If you'd like to be added to our mailing list please send an email to cares@geneseo.edu with your contact info and we'll add you to our distribution list.