Every year, for #GivingTuesday, I put up another photograph of hands. This one belongs to Josh, before we were married. It is one of the most generous hands I know.
Ok so we’re back here again, living through the week where every day has a #Name that is supposed to inspire us to spend spend spend for the holidays. For the most part, I tend to plug my ears and pretend it’s not happening until maybe halfway through Hanukkah when I panic because we haven’t started to deal with getting gifts out to the Jewish half of the family in a timely manner. (Maybe this year will be different?)
But one hashtag I wholeheartedly support is #GivingTuesday, which shines a light on giving to the non-profit organizations that do so much of the heavy lifting in our communities– especially now, as government funding is being cut right and left. I feel like so much attention lately has been placed on political campaigns (at least in my inbox)… It’s important to turn our attention to other areas, all of which are in dire need of support as well.
Here are some of the orgs my family is thinking about giving to this season:
Chef José Andrés founded the World Central Kitchen in the wake of the 2010 hurricane that devastated Haiti, because he believed that food can be an agent for change. The WCK has expanded to serve underfed communities all over the world (including the US!) with a network of Chefs all working “to empower people to be part of the solution, with a focus on health, education, jobs, and social enterprise.”
The 24 Hour Plays bring together marquee artists to create time limited theater around the world. And by “time limited,” I mean write, cast, compose, and produce entire pieces of theater in 24 hours. They also mentor a young diverse group of theater artists (24 Hour Nationals) and raise money to benefit The Lilly Foundation, which uplifts women in theater. Storytelling is a crucial way that we as humans make sense of our surroundings, and the group experience of watching a live performance fosters the type of community that is so important, particularly during these turbulent times. Oh and also, I’m on the board, so this crew is especially near and dear to my heart!
The Studio Museum in Harlem showcases and supports the work of artists of African descent and celebrates black culture and its influences on both art and society. It is more than a museum, it is a cultural nexus, a central gathering place for learning, exchanging ideas and for celebration by and of the African diaspora in all of its incarnations. Art + Community = Better everything. Just saying.
Next we have two organizations devoted to our oceans, which, by the way, cover the vast majority of the Earth’s surface. Surfrider Foundation is all about protecting the oceans, waves and beaches for the use and enjoyment of all earthlings. Oceana focuses specifically on the world’s oceans and works to protect and restore them to their former richness and diversity. It is the largest preservation and advocacy organization focused entirely on the undersea world.
Earth Justice may have the best tag line of all of these groups. Quite simply, we should all support Earth Justice “because the world needs a good lawyer.” Tell me about it.
Girls Who Code is all about eliminating the gender disparity in the tech world by teaching girls how to code. Many of these girls just happen to be people of color and come from disadvantaged neighborhoods, which is also a profound change from the predominately white male tech universe we see today. Sort of like the incoming freshman congresspeople, but I digress.
And last, but definitely not least, the good people over at Refinery29 have put together this list of ways that you can help victims of the devastating fires in California. Thousands of Americans have lost everything and are now homeless for the forseable future. FEMA, it seems, is overwhelmed and not super effective. Even a small bit of cash or in kind donations will go a long way.
Oh and if you want more ideas, click here and here for two past #GivingTuesday posts…
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