While many of us are enjoying down time with friends and family, so many nonprofit fundraisers are working double time this week. Because the final week of the year is also the busiest time for charitable giving – just 2 more days to take advantage of that charitable giving tax benefit, folks! So we want to honor the hustle of those who are securing the resources nonprofit organizations need for the year ahead.
In fact, we decided that the best holiday gift any of us could ask for is a strong nonprofit sector, ready for the work ahead in 2017. So as a holiday present to LightBox Collaborators, we made a gift in each person’s honor to the charity of their choice. “This is so much better than a fruit basket,” noted our colleague Phuong Ly, who selected ACLU of North Carolina for her gift.
- Claudette Silver chose Organization United for Respect, the largest workplace-based organization of retail workers. Claudette wanted to support Organization United for Respect because “their work is particularly relevant now given that their largest base is with Walmart, the largest private employer of women as well as black, Latino and white working people in the United States today. In a moment of stark divides, Organization United for Respect holds a unique place given Walmart’s geographic reach and multiracial, majority women workforce.”
- Dionna Humphrey shared her gift with the National Coalition to End Homelessness, a national network of people who are currently or have experienced homelessness, activists and advocates, community-based and faith-based service providers, and others committed to a single mission: To prevent and end homelessness while ensuring the immediate needs of those experiencing homelessness are met and their civil rights protected.
- Ryan Schwartz selected Center for Artistic Activism, a place to explore, analyze, and strengthen connections between social activism and artistic practice because “this is the future of activism. They know how to win over hearts and minds while sustaining the energy of activists. They urge people to imagine the future we want to create, and then use art and experience to build long-lasting movements. If you haven’t read Dream: Re-imagining Progressive Politics in an Age of Fantasy by one of their founders, Stephen Duncombe, put it on your holiday reading list!”
- Janna Zinzi opted to share her gift with We R Listening, which matches positive and supportive women with young women ages 13-22 who are in search of answers and guidance to questions about life. Because, really, who doesn’t need a mentor to help navigate the big questions?
- Isobel White chose Circle of Health International, an organization ensuring quality care to mamas and babies in crisis situations around the world. “In my activism and my consulting practice, I largely focus on social and economic justice issues within the U.S. But now more than ever, I’m feeling the need to do what I can to ease suffering in other parts of the world as well. I chose Circle of Health International because they are working on the ground in Syria to provide health care to mothers and infants.”
- Renee Alexander selected Uniting NC,which works to make North Carolina a place in which all people – including immigrants – have the opportunity to thrive and to engage in communities. She focused on Uniting NC because “I grew up in North Carolina, and I’m saddened by what I see happening there politically. I wanted to support an organization that extends Southern hospitality to everyone, because that is what I want my home state to be known for, rather than bigotry and bathroom bills.”
No matter which organizations you choose, we hope you’ll share your gifts – of time, talent or treasure – to strengthen the nonprofit sector for the year ahead.
Image courtesy of Echo & Co.
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LightBox Collaborative Founding Partner Holly Minch has been rage donating since November 9.