Everyone knows that after Thanksgiving the countdown officially begins to finish all of our holiday shopping. But as marketing and spending keeps increasing for Black Friday and Cyber Monday, there has been an increasing call to pause, reflect on our rapid spending for material goods, and consider instead how we can give back in a meaningful way.
Enter Giving Tuesday, a global generosity movement. On this day we look to find ways in which we can use our dollars to give back. If you’re like us, you’re probably eager to take part in that generous spirit but feel super stuck trying to figure out who best to give your money.
While there are all kinds of amazing organizations to donate to, here at Life is Good OC, we love to support everything local, so we especially want to support OC Nonprofit Organizations who are doing the most to support our local community!
1. OC Goodwill
Goodwill is much more than a thrift store—in fact, did you know OC Goodwill is Orange County’s largest nonprofit organization? For every dollar spent at an OC Goodwill store, 92% goes directly into their mission programs to provide meaningful job placement programs to those in need of a hand up.
The OC Goodwill employs hundreds of job coaches that work alongside individuals facing challenges to help them find a meaningful job and personal success. This includes people with physical and mental disabilities, those with mental health diagnoses, young adults with a past in the justice system, veterans transitioning from military to civilian life, and more.
This year, Goodwill is specifically working to raise $100k for their exciting new Training Center for Success. This new training center will take the form of a mock store, in which people facing barriers can job train in a low-stakes environment. Your Giving Tuesday dollars will go toward ensuring that they can build the confidence they need to reach success.
An extra bonus? We give when we shop! And when we buy second-hand, we also promote a greener and more sustainable world. Win? Meet win.
2. Habitat for Humanity of Orange County
There’s no place like home for the holidays, and it’s Habitat for Humanity of Orange County’s goal to ensure that everyone has one to call their own. It’s their mission to make sure that decent and affordable housing remains available to everyone, and while housing prices continue to soar here in Orange County, that mission becomes more important than ever.
While you can support Habitat for Humanity with a simple donation, this organization also offers a retail shop called ReStore, which resells high-quality home-improvement products and furniture that come in through donation. This means you can shop for great new furniture to furnish your home for the holidays while also helping someone else do the same! Who knew shopping for things you would already buy could make such an impact?
3. United to End Homelessness
Do you know the top 2 reasons for homelessness in Orange County? The answer might surprise you. While it’s definitely no secret that the cost of living here in SoCal is crazy, it is still somewhat shocking to discover that the most common reasons for homelessness here are (1) finding and keeping affordable housing and (2) difficulty finding jobs that pay a sustainable wage.
Around 400 people experiencing homelessness have passed away just this year here in Orange County. United to End Homelessness works with dozens of other local service providers to make sure that number becomes 0 in the future and #EndHomelessnessOC for good. As a result, when we give to United to End Homelessness, it’s almost like we are donating to several organizations at once!