Whenever the holidays roll around, many people want to help those in need. But it’s sometimes tough to know the best way to do so. That’s why each year, I turn to local nonprofits that know how to turn good intentions into meaningful actions.
In past years, the response from readers has been soul-lifting. One year, readers provided every single one of the children’s books desired by the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Florida. Last year, when the Christian Service Center said it needed help pumping out port-a-potties, someone stepped up and provided that service as well. (Making a difference isn’t always sexy.)
This year we have suggestions for more than a dozen charities that help seniors, children, families, veterans and even animals in ways big and small.
Support a lonely senior. A gift of just $86 can provide a lonely and hungry senior with a week’s worth of nutritious meals, plus the invaluable gift of companionship, thanks to the Meals on Wheels program run by Seniors First (seniorsfirstinc.org).
Give the gift of reading. The Adult Literacy League (adultliteracyleague.org) helps brave adults who never mastered reading or who use English as a second language. It’s a powerful way to change a life. Just $25 can buy a student’s first set of books while $152 covers the cost of all four sections of a GED exam. Or become a tutor yourself. You don’t need expertise, and many tutors say it’s incredibly rewarding. Have questions? Call 407-422-1540.
Give time as a group. Maybe you have a church group, book club or group of friends looking to serve together. Well, Orlando’s Christian Service Center for the Homeless (christianservicecenter.org) is looking for groups willing to serve meals on a regular, monthly basis. The gift of time can be as meaningful as money. Sometimes even more so.
Give a kid a safe place. The Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Florida (bgccf.org) provides safe places for 13,000 kids to stay and study after school with mentors to boot. Families pay a nominal fee of $40 for an entire school year’s worth of services that actually cost the nonprofit $2,500. So you could consider covering either amount — or anything in between.
Lift someone’s spirits. For some people, the holidays can be painfully lonely, especially those struggling with mental illness. That’s why, for more than 60 years, the Mental Health Association of Central Florida (mhacf.org) has run “Project Cheer,” providing holiday-time care packages to those in behavioral hospitals. Just $20 covers the cost of a cheer package. The association hopes to deliver 500 of them this year.
Keep someone warm. Matthew’s Hope Ministries in Winter Garden (matthewshopeministries.org) helps those without homes learn job skills and get into permanent housing. And Matthew’s Hope meets its clientele where they are — often on the streets where it’s cold. A gift of $50 can provide winter clothes, including a hat, scarf and gloves.
Help neighbors in Seminole, Lake or Osceola counties. The Sharing Center in Longwood (thesharingcenter.org) stocks a food pantry for families throughout Seminole County and is looking for donations to help keep its pantry full. The Neighborhood Center of South Lake (tncsl.org) is looking for help both big and small — big donors willing to help purchase a $200,000 refrigerated truck and lots of donors willing to donate $15 to cover the costs of a week’s worth of meals for kids in need. And the Hope Partnership in Osceola (thehopepartnership.org) provides showers to those without homes and is looking for 25 people to give $60, enough to provide monthly showers for one person.
Help an animal. The Pet Alliance (petallianceorlando.org) cares for animals that would otherwise be neglected. And it takes a lot to feed, care and love on cats and dogs in six counties. So the alliance makes it easy to donate everything from pet food to cleaning supplies via the group’s Amazon wish list at petallianceorlando.org/ways-give/wish-list/
Ricardo Ramirez Buxeda/Orlando Sentinel
The Pet Alliance of Greater Orlando takes care of thousands of pets in need of good homes.
(Ricardo Ramirez Buxeda/ Orlando Sentinel)
Help someone get to and from work. Transportation is a big challenge for those who work many of the low-wage jobs in Central Florida’s service-sector economy. Many work full-time but can’t afford their own cars. That’s why the Homeless Services Network of Central Florida (hsncfl.org) is always in need of bus passes. A $50 donation covers the cost of one 30-day bus pass from Lynx.
Help someone rebuild their life. Both the Victim Service Center of Central Florida (victimservicecenter.org) and Harbor House of Central Florida (harborhousefl.com) help people right after a crisis strikes. So both are always in need of gift cards to places like Publix, Walmart, Target, and Wawa. To help victims of traumatic crime after anything from a stolen purse to a home invasion, you can email e-gift cards to Marketing@VictimServiceCenter.org or drop off or mail physical cards to 2111 E. Michigan St., Suite 210, Orlando, FL, 32806. And to help those fleeing domestic violence, gift cards can be mailed to P.O. Box 680748, Orlando, Fl. 32868.
Give someone their identity back. IDignity (idignity.org) is a unique and effective nonprofit that helps people who’ve lost their driver’s licenses and other IDs navigate what can be a byzantine system when you don’t have legal help or basic documents. For $400, you can cover all the costs associated with helping these folks get back both their identity and their dignity.
Support a caregiver. It can be tough caring for a loved one with memory loss. That’s why the Alzheimer’s & Dementia Resource Center (ADRCcares.org) helps caregivers with both emotional support and navigating the complicated health care system. Donations of any size can buy everything from informational books to paying for the staff who answer round-the-clock calls. You can also just spread the word about this good group to anyone who could use support.
Help someone end homelessness. Last year, the Coalition for the Homeless of Central Florida (centralfloridahomeless.org) helped 2,800 people move into permanent homes. That’s a big impact. A donation of $250 can cover virtually all the costs for helping one family begin that new, self-sufficient life.
Send someone to a special camp. Quest, Inc. (questinc.org) provides an array of services to those with developmental disabilities, including the opportunity for adults to attend Quest’s Camp Thunderbird. This week-long, overnight experience offers activities and fellowship tailor-made for a population that’s often overlooked. A gift of $1,000 covers the cost of a full week of overnight camp. But any gift helps.
Support a veteran. The Camaraderie Foundation (camaraderiefoundation.org) helps veterans dealing with “the invisible wounds of war.” A gift of $100 covers one mental health session while $1,500 covers the cost of a “Family Fun Day” for 100 veterans and their families. Or, if you’re looking to serve, the foundation is always looking for new board members eager to roll up their sleeves and make connections in this community.
Give to a group that supports many other groups. The Heart of Florida United Way (hfuw.org) supports nonprofits throughout the region on most every front you can imagine. That means $50 to the United Way can provide socks to elementary schoolers, $400 can buy a laptop used to help seniors access benefits and $1,000 can cover a struggling family’s mortgage.