Dead Serious News: Giving Tuesday Update and More

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End of Year Giving Season is Here

Today, the day after Giving Tuesday, I am very grateful. On many fronts, it’s been a tough year for nonprofits. Despite the record spending on Black Friday, initial reports are that charitable giving was down yesterday, and in general this year. Perhaps because people were donating to political campaigns, or were worried about the economy, or were dealing with personal crises, fundraising has been tough. And we are no different – I’ve been worried too.

But yesterday was different for us. We have never really focused heavily on Giving Tuesday. And in fact, we didn’t do a major push yesterday either (notice we did not crowd your inbox with a single email!!). We did some posts on social media but that was it. But your generosity was evident anyway! We raised $13,000 in donations yesterday and several more people mailed in checks that we have yet to receive, so we are on our way to a strong end of year fundraising season. We received gifts ranging from $10 to several thousand dollars, and we were touched by them all. We know that everyone has a different capacity to give and we understand that small amounts are sometimes given from people who struggle to make ends meet and we appreciate each of you that sacrificed to make a difference in the lives of terminally-ill New Yorkers. And it added up to a successful day!

But yesterday was just the beginning of our fundraising season. We need every penny we raise and I hope you will join me in making a contribution this year. In fact, I increased my donation by 10% this year because I know how difficult raising money can be, and I know how important this mission is to so many people. Just this morning we provided support to a family in crisis and we didn’t have to ask them for a dime for our care. Your gifts make that happen.

Dan Cosmo Grupp, a family member of a gentleman we supported a few months ago and pictured above with his father, said this about his experience with End of Life Choices New York:

EOLCNY was critical in guiding us through our end of life choices. Their support helped us understand options we didn’t know about, and create a plan that minimized my father’s suffering. We couldn’t have done it without them. He had a peaceful end to his life that might have otherwise been a disaster.

Make your End of Year gift here to support New Yorkers with end of life planning and support.

As always, we wish you and your family a wonderful holiday season. Thank you for your support.

Mandi Zucker, LSW
Executive Director

Would you like to Provide Direct Support to NYers?

A lot of folks have inquired about volunteering with EOLCNY and we are excited that our program is expanding. If you are interested in providing direct support to New Yorkers who reach out to us for End of Life guidance, then we need you! Register now for our FREE training taking place on December 12th at 7pm via Zoom. You’ll learn the basics of active and supportive listening, how to help people plan for a good death, and more. Used the QR code or click this link to register.

Ask Us Anything

Q: Which state utilizes Medical Aid in Dying the most?

A: Oregon, which was the first state to pass the law, consistently has one of the highest percentage rates of utilization in this country. This could be because as the law has existed for longer, more people are aware of the option. In 2022, 431 people received the prescription in Oregon and 278 used the medication to hasten their death. California, with a much larger population, had 1,400 prescriptions in the same year and approximately 500 people took the medication. But that is a smaller percentage than in Oregon.

If you have a question you’d like answered, send it here!