7 Non-Profits that Give Back to Children
The holidays should be a magical time for children, but sadly, that isn’t always the case. Poverty, the loss of a parent, or a lack of food can make what should be a happy time in a child’s life miserable. It’s not surprising that at this time of year we look for children’s charities to support, whether through toy drives or charities that help children year-round.
Below are seven of our favorite children’s charities to support, with links to each to help you decide whether they’re causes you’d like to donate time or money to.
KaBOOM!
The charity with the funny name, KaBOOM! builds playgrounds, skate parks, athletic fields and ice rinks in low-income neighborhoods so children have safe areas to play and exercise. In the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the charity built hundreds of new playgrounds along the Gulf Coast and also renovates older playgrounds every year.
Project Linus
If you get a warm feeling watching It’s Christmas Time Charlie Brown, Project Linus is one of the best children’s charities to support. Named after the blanket-loving Linus, the organization provides security blankets to children who are ill or have suffered trauma. You can either make a cash donation or volunteer to make quilts, comforters, afghans, or receiving blankets for the organization. Linus would be proud!
My Stuff Bags Foundation
When looking for children’s charities to support, many people look for non-profits that help make life easier for traumatized kids, including as abused, neglected, and abandoned children. Many of these kids wind up at crisis centers or foster homes with no possessions at all. My Stuff Bags Foundation provides children with My Stuff Bags filled with clothing, toiletries, security blankets and toys, because every kid should have something to call her own.
Newborns in Need
Newborns in Need provides clothing and baby supplies to needy babies, including those born into poor families and premature babies. The charity is always in need of blankets, clothing, sleepers, hats, booties, bottles, disposable diapers and pacifiers. With a donation, you can make a child’s entry into the world a little less stressful for his or her parents.
No Kid Hungry
No Kid Hungry has a simple mission: to end childhood hunger across the USA. It’s more challenging than it sounds: one in six American kids doesn’t get enough to eat. The organization supports programs that provide nutritious breakfasts, teaches families how to cook healthy, affordable meals, and works with government officials to confront the problem head-on.
Our Military Kids
Our Military Kids offers grants for sports, fine arts, and tutoring to the children of deployed or injured National Guard and Military Reserve Kids. The programs supported by the organization help children deal with the anxiety of absent parents or watching a parent recover from injuries suffered in the line of duty.
Reach Out and Read
Reach Out and Read educates pediatricians and nurses in the value of reading, and provides books to an estimated 1.7 million needy kids each year. In addition to money and, new books, the organization will also accept gently used books.
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