Following Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday, Giving Tuesday has finally arrived! Today, your favorite nonprofits are eagerly awaiting your charitable giving.
At 11:30 AM, the Catalogue for Philanthropy of Greater Washington will partner with the DowntownDC BID to celebrate Giving Tuesday at the Downtown Holiday Market. According to Bob Wittig, the Executive Director of the Catalogue for Philanthropy, Giving Tuesday is the third-largest day of giving in the country. “There’s real power in collective giving,” he says. “If people give 25, 50 bucks to an organization, that can quickly add up for a small nonprofit to raise several thousand dollars in a very short period of time.”
Last year, Catalogue of Philanthropy partner nonprofits raised over $400,000 in 24 hours, a number they’re hoping to beat this year. On Giving Tuesday, Wittig says, “everybody can be a philanthropist.”
You can find more than 200 area nonprofits, all of which the Catalogue for Philanthropy this Giving Tuesday has vetted, here. They’re all worthy of your money. Here are ten we’re particularly enthusiastic about this year:
Anacostia Watershed Society
The Anacostia has suffered from decades of pollution and neglect. The Anacostia Watershed Society dedicates itself to cleaning up the river’s shores.
Where your gift goes: A $100 gift provides the supplies to remove 7,500 pounds of trash.
Can you give a little more? An $1,000 gift supports a local classroom in growing wild rice and wetland plants.
Ayuda
Ayuda welcomes immigrants with a wide range of specialized legal assistance and social services for the men, women, and children who need it.
Where your gift goes: A $100 gift provides food, diapers, and Metro cards for immigrants.
Can you give a little more? A $5,000 gift supports legal or therapeutic services for three immigrant families.
The Child & Family Network Centers
CFNC works to bring a quality, early childhood education to Alexandria’s at-risk youth. This year PNC Bank is matching donations up to $5,000, and while they’re primarily fundraising for a new playground, you can support their work in other ways.
Where your gift goes: A $100 gift provides to healthy meals and a snack for a child for a month.
Can you give a little more? An $1,200 gift covers the cost of a month of preschool for a child.
Josh Anderson Foundation
Through their Our Minds Matter program, JAF offers teens critical mental healthcare and resources to prevent suicide. Their after-school club model works to reduce the stigma around mental health.
Where your gift goes: An $125 gift can send one student to the Our Minds Matter summit.
Can you give a little more? An $1,800 gift sponsors a club at a new school for a year.
Operation Renewed Hope Foundation
Operation Renewed Hope Foundation works to end veterans’ homelessness with long-term shelter to hold vets over until they can find permanent housing and wrap-around case management.
Where your gift goes: A $100 gift pays for gas cards for two veterans.
Can you give a little more? A $1,000 gift covers a veteran’s security deposit.
Parkinson Foundation of the National Capital Area
PFNCA works to improve the quality of life of those impacted by Parkinson’s disease with exercise, communication, and education programs to support both physical and emotional health.
Where your gift goes: A $100 gift supports an exercise session for 25 people living with Parkinson’s.
Can you give a little more? A $1,000 gift supports a webcast with a physician sharing information on the disease for 300 people.
Prince George’s Child Resource Center
PGCRC provides a variety of family support services for free, including parenting education and childcare, and has staff that speaks Spanish, French, Dari, and Farsi.
Where your gift goes: A $10 gift provides a breastfeeding course, while a $25 gift provides diapers for a newborn.
Can you give a little more? A $1,000 gift provides a mother with 10 weeks of post-partum depression counseling.
The News Literacy Project
In the era of “fake news,” more and more educators have sought ways to bring news literacy into their classrooms. To assist teachers, News Literacy Project launched the Checkology virtual classroom to help students sort through information and know what to trust. A NLP board member will match donations up to $2,000.
Where your gift goes: A $100 gift provides three teachers with an online training.
Can you give a little more? A $1,000 gift funds a news literacy workshop for 10 teachers.
SYMAL (Supporting and Mentoring Youth Advocates and Leaders)
SYMAL builds LGBTQ youth leaders, provides a safe and supportive space for teens, and launched a housing program for LGBTQ youth last year.
Where your gift goes: A $50 gift provides snacks to youth in their after-school programming.
Can you give a little more? A $1,000 gift funds a college scholarship.
Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless
There are almost 7,000 homeless people in DC. From six community sites, WLCH offer direct legal representation to people facing homelessness at no cost and helps them find permanent, affordable housing.
Where your gift goes: A $100 gift buys 100 street rights cards to keep people informed of their rights.
Can you give a little more? A $1,000 gift supports legal advocacy for five families denied emergency shelter.
