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. While there are a great number of amazing organizations to donate to, here at Life is Good OC, we love to support everything local. So here are our top 3 Orange County Nonprofit Organizations to support this Giving Tuesday!
1. Goodwill of Orange County
Goodwill is much more than a thrift store—in fact, did you know Goodwill OC is Orange County’s largest nonprofit organization? For every dollar spent at an Goodwill OC store, more than 94 cents of every dollar spent in their stores goes directly into their workforce development programs that fuel their mission. That means that you can start a cycle of good not just with monetary donations but with donations of your old gently used goods too!
Goodwill OC employs hundreds of job coaches that work alongside 19,000+ individuals each year to help them find meaningful jobs 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.
An extra bonus? We give when we shop at their stores or on shopgoodwill.com, too! And when we buy secondhand, 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 a home to call their own. It’s their mission to make sure that decent and affordable housing remains available to everyone, and as housing prices continue to soar here in Orange County, that mission becomes more important than ever.
This year, Habitat OC is hosting a virtual build where you can watch how your donation dollars bring a home literally from a blueprint to a fully built and beautiful home. To make it even more fun, your donation enters you into a giveaway where one lucky winner will get a behind-the-scenes look at Habitat OC and work alongside their team on the West Washington Ave build site in 2025!
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, furniture, and appliances 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!
3. Child Guidance Center
The Child Guidance Center in Orange County plays a pivotal role in nurturing the mental health of children and families. Their commitment to empowering youth to reach their full potential through innovative mental health programs is unparalleled. By addressing emotional and behavioral health needs early, they ensure long-term well-being for our community’s children.
Child Guidance Center also makes a focused effort to help veteran and military-connected families in order to address their unique challenges and needs through their Strong Families, Strong Children program. As a result, your donation to the Child Guidance Center can also bolster their SFSC initiative, ensuring vital assistance reaches our community’s veterans and their families, nurturing their mental and emotional well-being.
If you’d like to make your donations go a little further while also having a fun and festive time, you can consider buying tickets to their 42nd Annual Holiday Tree Fantasy event held at the Balboa Bay Resort in Newport Beach this Sunday, December 8, 2024. This event gives you the opportunity to enjoy lively entertainment, participate in a silent auction for gift packages (now also available online!), and even get the opportunity to win a beautiful designer Christmas tree! Learn more, bid on incredible gifts, or get your tickets here.
