9 Non-Profits to Consider for Giving Tuesday

After the spending sprees of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, Giving Tuesday—the Tuesday after Thanksgiving—is meant to create a movement of charitable giving at the start of the holiday season. There are so many worthwhile organizations to support that it’s hard to know where to begin. We crowdsourced non-profits focused on supporting moms and families from our contributing writers to inspire you to give this year! 

 One Mama

“OneMama brings maternal care, localized health and family services, as well as economic sustainability to women and their families in rural communities where people survive on under $1.25 a day. 100% of your donations go to building 250 clinics in these communities around the world. Unlike traditional nonprofits that rely mainly on donations to implement their projects, OneMama.org is additionally funded by makeup and skincare line, ShaBoom Beauty cosmetics. OneMama.org founder, Siobhan Neilland, was seeking ongoing funding for her nonprofit and found it near impossible to purchase all-natural, paraben-free, cosmetics. Her solution? Create a company that does both.” I hadn’t heard of this organization until very recently, when I saw one of their trucks parked here in the city! 

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New Red Shoes 

My New Red Shoes provides new shoes and clothing to Bay Area children in need. Having these items boosts children’s self esteem and confidence, provides a sense of normalcy, increases their school attendance, engagement and readiness, and improves the overall educational experience and quality of life for our community’s poorest students. “For children who are feeling disconnected, our gift is a reminder that we see them and that they belong to a community that cares.”

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Lucile Packard’s Children’s Hospital Therapy Fun Fund 

Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford’s Recreational Therapy Fun Fund ensures every patient spending their holiday in the hospital receives a gift. Plus, toys and books are needed year-round to stock the playroom, to celebrate birthdays spent in the hospital, and to engage patients at the bedside to help reach developmental milestones.

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There With Care

Based in Redwood City, There With Care partners with local hospitals (mainly Packard) to serve low-income families who have a child receiving long-term critical care. Often, these are families who have come in from out of town to our world-renowned medical facilities, and in many cases they have other siblings in tow. There With Care relies on volunteer help and supplies the families with groceries, gas cards, strollers and other items that make their lives easier. They have a special Sponsor-a-Family opportunity for Thanksgiving and Christmas as well.

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 Cakes 4 Kids

“Cake4Kids bakes and delivers birthday cakes for underserved children. They may be in group homes, at a domestic violence or human trafficking shelter, in low-income housing with or without a parent, or even homeless. We aim to raise their self-esteem and confidence with a seemingly simple gift on their special day. It may just be a cake, but the children we bake for know that a stranger took the time and effort to do something special just for them.” 

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 Little Wishes

“Little Wishes™ helps seriously ill, hospitalized children from losing their identity to illness by tapping into their passions. What makes our program unique (and why we keep the wishes little) is that a qualified child may make another wish 14 days after receiving a first wish and every 14 days thereafter!  Little Wishes™ offers meaningful support to children who endure frequent hospitalizations or who have been in the hospital for weeks, months and even years.” Our contributing writer Wendi volunteers with Little Wishes and shared how partnering with this organization brought deeper meaning to her own life.

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Safe & Sound

Safe and Sound is the child advocacy center in San Francisco that helps sexually abused children and their families. “For over forty years, we have partnered with local nonprofits to pioneer an approach to prevent child abuse and reduce its devastating impact.”

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Project Night Night

My son’s preschool participated in a drive to fill canvas bags for Project Night Night this year. It’s such a tangible, meaningful way for kids to get involved in donations. “Project Night Night provides over 25,000 Night Night packages a year to homeless children 12 and under. Each child who receives a package leaves a homeless shelter owning a book to encourage reading and family bonding, a security blanket which can be cuddled, and a stuffed animal which can become a cherished friend.” 

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Ruby’s Place

Ruby’s Place provides shelter and supportive services to families and individuals experiencing domestic violence and human trafficking. Ruby’s Place was the first incorporated Domestic Violence shelter in the state of California and has the only adult men’s human trafficking shelter in the United States.

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How do you plan to give back this year? Please share your favorite non-profits in the comments!