Flatiron Partnership Surpasses 'Gifts for the Greater Good' Goal; Invests $20,000 in Neighborhood Businesses

This week the Flatiron/23rd Street Partnership surpassed its "Gifts for the Greater Good" fundraising goal of $10,000-which the Partnership has matched for a total of over $20,000-to purchase more than 450 holiday gifts from 16 neighborhood retailers to give to families experiencing homelessness.

The Partnership raised $11,697 through a "Gifts for the Greater Good" GoFundMe page, bringing the total amount to $21,678 after the Partnership's match. The remaining money left after the gift purchases will be used in January to buy needed items at Flatiron and NoMad retailers for local organizations serving those without shelter.

The initiative launched three weeks ago with the two goals of boosting local shops whose businesses have been severely impacted by the COVID pandemic and bringing joy to local families who are experiencing homelessness during this especially challenging year.

The Flatiron Partnership finalized the bulk gift orders this week and distributed the gifts to two local nonprofit organizations that support homeless families: Hearts of Gold and the Harmonia Shelter, which is managed by Services for the Underserved. Hearts of Gold has delivered the gifts to homeless mothers and children in a decked-out "Santa Bus," and the Harmonia shelter will be distributing the gifts to its client families on Christmas Day.

"This has been a hard year for everyone, but our fellow New Yorkers who are experiencing homelessness have been especially vulnerable to the COVID pandemic and its economic consequences," said James Mettham, Executive Director of the Flatiron/23rd Street Partnership. "We're grateful to the Flatiron and NoMad community and other New Yorkers who have generously supported 'Gifts for the Greater Good.' We hope this initiative will bring some joy to our neighbors in need this holiday season, while generating much-needed revenue for our neighborhood retailers."

The gifts were purchased at the following Flatiron and NoMad businesses: Rizzoli Bookstore, Memories of New York, the National Museum of Mathematics (MoMath), Little Folks NYC, Sundays, J & M Hardware, P.C. Richard & Son, Il Fiorista, Barbering by Marcus, Butterfly Studio Salon, Cohen Fashion Optical, Fotografiska New York, The White Company, 10/10 Optics, Rituals, and Seven Grams Caffé. Additionally, the Thursday Boot Company has donated dozens of like-new leather boots to be given to Hearts of Gold and Harmonia families.