5 Charities to Donate to This Holiday Season

The holidays are here, the most popular time of year for donating to charities. People donate during the holidays to help those less fortunate than themselves and for tax purposes. The end of the year presents a unique opportunity to donate to charities once you have an idea of your annual financial picture. In this article, you will find information on some of the top charities to donate to this year, hand-selected by our team here at Blackstone Career Institute for their prestige and commitment to helping those in need. Each charity is related to a career field that we offer at Blackstone.

Innocence Project

Anyone interested in the legal field will agree that freeing wrongfully incarcerated people and working to prevent more wrongful convictions in the future is a critical mission to upholding the honor of America’s justice system. The Innocence Project was founded in 1992 and has since helped to free or exonerate hundreds of people who have been wrongfully convicted of crimes in the U.S. The organization works on individual cases as well as on advocacy and policy change initiatives across the country. If you are passionate about vindicating the innocent, the Innocence Project is a great organization to consider donating to!

ASPCA

This top pick goes out to our Veterinary Assistant students. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) was the first animal welfare organization in North America, founded in 1866. In the time since, it has led the charge of animal protection and rescue. The ASPCA fights the cruel treatment of animals by rescuing animals in need and facilitating their adoption to safe and loving homes. They also provide veterinary care, respond to disasters, facilitate behavioral rehab programs, and train shelter professionals, among other initiatives. If you love animals and want to help furry friends in need, the ASPCA is the place to donate to this holiday season!

The HealthWell Foundation

Those interested in the medical field know that one of the primary barriers to people getting the care they need in the U.S. is cost. The U.S. differs from many other Western countries when it comes to healthcare, and costs for care in the U.S. are higher than anywhere else in the world. This means that many people who are sick and struggling with their health cannot afford the care they desperately need. That’s where the HealthWell Foundation comes in. The HealthWell Foundation has helped hundreds of thousands of people get access to the health care they need but cannot afford.

Every dollar donated to the HealthWell Foundation goes toward grants and services desperately needed by people suffering from life-altering diseases and those who are chronically ill. The HealthWell Foundation has awarded more than 3 billion dollars in copayment assistance since 2004! The foundation is well-established and has strong relationships with many patient advocacy groups, allowing them to reach those in need more effectively. If you have a place in your heart for folks who are struggling with illness and cannot afford adequate healthcare, the HealthWell Foundation would be an excellent organization to donate to this holiday season!

Charitable Smiles

Are you headed into or currently working in the dental field? You might be passionate about helping people with their dental health. If this applies to you, the charity Charitable Smiles is a great choice for somewhere you can donate to this holiday season. Charitable Smiles is an organization that helps people get the dental care that they need but cannot afford. By working closely with thousands of existing dental practices and dentists, the organization uses every dollar donated to help people in need to afford dental care; no money is spent on building new clinics or infrastructure.

Charitable Smiles assists dental offices and dentists by allowing them to provide care to people who could not otherwise pay for dental services. For every one million dollars donated, Charitable Smiles can help 7,200 people get the dental care services they need!

No Kid Hungry

Did you know that one in five children in the United States lives with hunger? Those who love and work with kids will feel the pain of this reality in their hearts. Thanks to No Kid Hungry, you can make a difference in a child’s life with a simple donation. No Kid Hungry is known for being an incredibly efficient charity, turning every dollar donated into ten meals for children! They accomplish this incredible feat by using donated funds to support school and community meal programs, and they advocate for laws and policies that protect America’s children from experiencing hunger.

No Kid Hungry also provides grants to communities across the U.S. that struggle with high child hunger rates, and the charity offers research and training to community leaders and educators to help them do the important work of feeding hungry children. Any American who wants to live in a country where no child has to go hungry should consider a donation to No Kid Hungry!

Where will you donate to this holiday season?

You may want to choose a cause to donate to that is on your heart. Consider what you are passionate about. Think about where you want to see a change in the world and be a part of that change!