If you’re online on Giving Tuesday, you’ll be inundated with requests for donations for non-profits. The day has become an annual tradition, following Thanksgiving, Black Friday and Cyber Monday, as a way to give back to the community organizations that help make life better for people.
And, why stop at Giving Tuesday? Your year-end, holiday-time giving can stretch throughout December. (And you should be giving back all year-round, too!)
But often lost in the online mix of posts and pleas that has become Giving Tuesday are smaller, more local or regional non-profits that either don’t have the same social media pull or audience as larger groups or don’t have the staff or volunteers to really push their message.
So, I’m going to help you out, with my “ultimate list of giving,” personal recommendations for non-profit groups that could use your support.
My personal recommendations
First up, local and regional non-profits that are special to me, holding particular personal meaning or importance, linked directly to where you can find their donate pages or buttons:
- North Star LGBT Center of Winston-Salem
- PFLAG Winston-Salem
- PFLAG Charlotte
- Charlotte Pride
- Pride Winston-Salem
- Guilford Green Foundation
- Equality North Carolina
(bonus: all items in the ENC store are 10% off Dec. 1-14)
The “Ultimate List”
And other local, Charlotte-area LGBT community groups worth your time and your dollar. All linked to websites or other online homes.
(Please note, not all groups may be independent 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organizations; you might have to contact them for more information on how to support. Also, some groups might be classified as something other than 501(c)(3) groups; please contact the organizations and if you need tax advice, don’t take it from me. Consult your tax preparer.)
- Carolina Softball Alliance
- Carolinas CARE Partnership
- Charlotte Black Gay Pride
- Charlotte Business Guild
- Charlotte Front Runners
- Charlotte Gay and Lesbian Fund
- Charlotte Pride Band
- Charlotte Rainbowlers
- Charlotte Royals Rugby Football Team
- Chi Psi Omega Fraternity, Inc.
- Different Roads Home
- Freedom Center for Social Justice
- Gay Men’s Chorus of Charlotte
- LGBT Democrats of Mecklenburg County
- MCC Charlotte
- MCC New Life
- Mecklenburg LGBT Political Action Committee (MeckPAC)
- One Voice Chorus
- PFLAG Cornelius/Lake Norman
- Prime Timers of Charlotte
- PRISM
- Queen City Tennis Club
- Rebirth Church
- Regional AIDS Interfaith Network
- Southern Country Charlotte (Queen City Stomp)
- Stonewall Kickball Charlotte
- Time Out Youth
- Unity Fellowship Church Charlotte
Suggestions for the Raleigh area: James Miller, executive director of the LGBT Center of Raleigh, was kind enough to pop in and give me a list of the Raleigh-area groups he thinks need a bit of support. Here are three of his suggestions, including his org of course!
You might also want to check out:
And if you must…
If you find yourself itching to take your dollar and support groups working on national causes, I understand. Here are my suggestions:
- Campaign for Southern Equality (great regional southern work!)
- Campus Pride (they do work in Charlotte and Carolinas)
- Equality Federation
- GLAAD
- GLSEN
- Inclusive Scouting Network
- Scouts for Equality
- Soulforce
Have your own?
Have your own favorite local non-profit or community group you think deserves support? Comment below with the organization’s name and a URL to their website or donation page!
P.S. — I might be occasionally throughout the day adding a few more groups that pop into my mind.
