As 2022 draws to a close, it’s the perfect time to think about giving back, as many organizations are sorely in need of support after the tumultuous last few years. However, finding the right place that really makes an impact and fosters the type of change you want to see in the world can be challenging.
If you need help figuring out where to start, look no further: Below are 10 organizations working on a number of different issues — from education and elderly care to animal advocacy and mental health — that are sure to put your dollars to good use.
1. Best Friends Animal Society
The folks at Best Friends Animal Society work nationwide to provide the best homes for cats and dogs. In addition to its efforts on the ground, BFAS is also aiming to turn every shelter in the United States into a no-kill facility by 2025 — and it hopes to bring that mentality to communities at large too.
2. National Diaper Bank Network
One in three American families has a diaper need, and parents around the country have faced ongoing shortages throughout the pandemic. Organizations like the National Diaper Bank Network support diaper providers across the U.S. and help them also create sustainable operations that can better serve those local to them.
3. United We Dream
United We Dream is the United State’s most prominent network of immigrants led by young people, all of whom advocate for the rights and dignity of all immigrants and distribute important information about reform efforts to community members in real time.
4. The 19th
Nonprofit news org The 19th — whose name derives from the 19th Amendment, which granted women the right to vote — seeks to increase the amount of coverage centering women, women of color, and LGBTQ+ people in the United States while also strengthening its community and providing resources on the issues that matter to its audience.
5. Girls Who Code
A stalwart in the world of STEM education, Girls Who Code has an expansive number of programs dedicated to closing the gender gap in tech. That starts with supporting elementary school-age girls who want to learn about programming all the way up to women in college and beyond.
6. Alzheimer’s Foundation of America
Did you know that more than 10 percent of Americans ages 65 and older have Alzheimer’s? That’s where the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America steps in to help. The org has a number of functions: It provides resources to individuals and families who are navigating the disease, offers free initial screenings, and supports caregiver training nationwide to make sure people have the most up-to-date information and research.
7. Sad Girls Club
Sad Girls Club provides quarterly scholarships to help women and girls — especially those of color — afford one-on-one talk therapy, which can often be out of reach. The organization also aims to destigmatize mental illness and create spaces where participants can feel safe to express how they’re feeling.
8. Committee to Protect Journalists
The media is in a precarious spot in many countries, and the Committee to Protect Journalists works across the globe to promote press freedom. In particular, it defends professionals in the field who are at risk of being attacked, imprisoned, or killed, while also supporting folks who are fighting to write, photograph, and film what they want.
9. Trans Lifeline
Trans Lifeline is a grassroots hotline and micro-grant organization that offers trans peer support and a welcoming community. It’s run by and for trans people and aims to create a place where all trans folks can survive and thrive.
10. Meals on Wheels
Thanks to Meals on Wheels, millions of elderly Americans every year are provided with food directly to their doors. More than that, though, the organization cares about the overall nutrition of the country’s seniors and has programs and resources dedicated to that.
Lily Herman is a New York-based writer and editor. You can find her on Twitter.
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