Hello! We hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday for those who celebrate. This time of year is often a time when individuals focus on how to improve the world by supporting special causes. However, choosing just one or two organizations to support can be difficult. Prioritizing who needs the most help can be daunting.
So to help you, I thought I would give you ten more recommendations. A couple weeks ago I recommended ten Mightycause fundraisers you could consider supporting. This week I present ten non-Mightycause causes that are still close to my heart. Feel free to add your own favorite efforts in the comments section!
1. Jodi’s Voice
Founded on a foundation of tragedy, Jodi’s Voice is an amazing organization run by Angela Daffron. Striving to protect stalking victims from their attackers, Jodi’s Voice is working hard to strengthen laws and offer support to those who need it most.
2. Fugees Family
We have a unique opportunity to help this wonderful organization today! The Fugees Family organization, founded by Luma Mufleh, exists to offer educational and other kinds of support for refugee children. Luma herself immigrated to the U.S., so she understands many of the obstacles that can meet people who are new to the country. The journey is even more difficult when families do not have a lot of money. Fugees Family offers specialized training and they are trying to build the first ever school for refugee children. Simply following the instructions here can result in helping the Fugees more than any one donation of money. It’s a great group!
3. SMAC! Sock Monkeys Against Cancer
Last year at this time this organization was in the process of fundraising so the project could get off the ground. Those efforts resulted in success (thankfully). Throughout this year, the SMAC monkeys, Nomo and Phoenix, have been refined and have been sent already to many people, adults, and children, who are fighting against cancer. There are numerous ways to support the cause. The best place to go is the Facebook page. Watch the inspirational stories, and say hello!
4. Americans for Responsible Solutions
This organization was founded by Gabby Giffords and her husband, Mark Kelly. Gabby Giffords was a victim of gun violence, but rather than becoming bitter or otherwise irrational, Gabby and her husband started this organization to try to keep the conversation civil but moving forward. The content is not partisan and the objective is simply to strengthen anti-gun violence laws. You can follow this organization and see how you can help by visiting their Facebook page.
5. The Trevor Project
This is a wonderful suicide/crisis prevention organization that offers one-on-one counseling, catering specifically to youth (ages 13-24) in the LGBTQ community. Unfortunately, the good that the Trevor Project can do has been highlighted over the last few years in the wake of increased media coverage of youths who take their own lives as the result of bullying and maltreatment. The organization needs support so they can support others. It’s a very worthy cause.
6. ImAlive
Like the Trevor Project, ImAlive offers telephone support for people in crisis. I had the honor of helping to fundraise for this organization in September and as a result of those efforts, the ImAlive support team will now be able to offer 24/7 support for people who need it. Every little bit we can do to help organizations like this is wonderful.
7. The Newtown Action Alliance
Newtown was in the news almost exactly a year ago for reasons no town wants to be in the spotlight. Newtown is the location of Sandy Hook Elementary, where the tragic massacre of teachers and students occurred on December 14, 2012. As is the case with so many admirable people, the Newtown Action Alliance formed to create something positive in the wake of something tragic. The organization has been striving all year to concentrate on how the town has pulled together after the tragedy and it has also been working towards creating stronger anti-gun violence laws. You can follow them on their Facebook page.
8. Doctors Without Borders
This is one of my favorite organizations in part because they promise to offer help to anyone, regardless of race, creed, or religion. Doctors without Borders is currently concentrating a lot of their efforts on the people of the Philippines, who are still suffering after Typhoon Haiyan. They are involved in many other projects worldwide as well.
9. BlankiesforBoston
This amazing group of people came together on the very day of the Boston Marathon bombings. The mission was and remains simple: create blankies (a.k.a. tangible hugs) for the victims, victims’ families, and first responders impacted by the tragedy. The group currently numbers 910 people, and hundreds of blankies have been made with love and donated. If you are a crafter, take a look at the Facebook page, as the effort is still going all these months later.
10. Hugcrafters
Hugcrafters is another group that spun off Homespun Helpers (a group I co-founded in 2007). This group is also a spin-off of the Blankies for Boston page. The work that the Blankies for Boston team accomplished inspired some facilities to ask for continued, long-term donations of blankies for all patients. The effort is still very new but already 183 people have joined in. Again, if you love crafting for charity, this is a great place to join in! You can do so by liking this Facebook page.
Giving does not always have to be monetary. At a time when many people do not have a lot of money to give, it is important to remember that helping to spread the word, making in-kind donations, or voting so that organizations can win fundraising contests can be just as powerful.
What are your favorite causes? Let’s spread the love!