The Giving Circle, an all-volunteer Saratoga Springs-based nonprofit, is partnering with GlobalFoundries and the Saratoga County Economic Opportunity Council (EOC) to gather donations for Superstorm Sandy victims who need help getting back on their feet. A team of volunteers will be heading down to Staten Island Nov. 18 to deliver necessary supplies and help familie

Saratoga County EOC, located at 40 New St. in Saratoga Springs next to the YMCA entrance, will accept donations Nov. 14 through Nov. 16 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. GlobalFoundries employees are also doing a donation drive this week to gather needed items for the Staten Island trip.

The Giving Circle got started after Hurricane Katrina and has made dozens of trips to the Gulf Coast during the past six years. The organization also engaged in relief efforts to help Schoharie County residents after Tropical Storm Irene flooded much of the area. 

“The Giving Circle has a long history of helping communities after natural disasters,” said Ron Deutsch, president of the Giving Circle. “Superstorm Sandy hit close to home, and has devastated many areas in New York and New Jersey. We feel compelled to help since this is right in our backyard.”

The nonprofit is also recruiting more volunteers interested in going down to help families in need and to work in a relief shelter set up by Project Hospitality in Staten Island to house displaced families.

If you’d like to volunteer or get more involved, you can sign up on the group’s Web site at www.thegivingcircle.org. 

For more information, please contact Ron Deutsch at 469-6769 or e-mail at mkd67@aol.com.

--Jennie