"As a mom, I love the idea of making GivingTuesday a family tradition. Not only does your participation give you the warm, fuzzy feeling that only spreading goodwill can bring—but involving your kids in the process is a great way to model caring for others during this season of gratitude and giving back.
There’s no wrong way to take part in this celebration of generosity either! You can do a simple good deed like leave cookies at your neighbor’s door or help fund the causes that matter to you most. No matter what you choose, GivingTuesday is a day to spread holiday warmth and cheer. It’s a time to celebrate giving in all its forms.
Below, we’re breaking down everything you need to know about GivingTuesday. Plus, read on for 10 charities to consider donating to this year.
What is GivingTuesday?
GivingTuesday is a global day of charitable giving and generosity that takes place annually on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving in the United States. In a season of excess—from family feasts to mountains of presents—this day is a built-in reminder to think outside of ourselves and do good for others.
When did GivingTuesday start?
GivingTuesday started in 2012 as a hashtag and was created by the 92nd Street Y in New York City and the United Nations Foundation. It started as an initiative to encourage people to give back following the ultra-consumerism of Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales. Today, the GivingTuesday initiative still exists as a concept, but there is now also an independent nonprofit organization with the same name that encourages year-round generosity.
Charities to Support on GivingTuesday
Below, we’re sharing 10 accredited, trustworthy, and transparent charities that are supporting moms, children, and families in need. This GivingTuesday, consider donating to any of the following family and mom-focused organizations—any amount can make a difference in the lives of others!
1. Every Mother Counts
Mission: “Our mission is to make pregnancy and childbirth safe, respectful, and equitable for every mother, everywhere.”
What Your Dollars Do: Put your donation to work to combat the maternal health crisis and help ensure pregnant people across the globe have access to the resources they need for a safe and healthy pregnancy and birthing experience. Your support helps provide public education on issues impacting maternal health and birth justice, positions communities to fight for change, and funds community-based health programs that directly serve women most in need.
This Charity Is Right For You If… You’re passionate about supporting moms-to-be in vulnerable and marginalized communities.
2. Black Mothers’ Breastfeeding Association
Mission: “To reduce racial inequities in breastfeeding support for African Americans by building foundational networks of support, and strengthening systems to overcome historical, societal, and social barriers to breastfeeding success.”
What Your Dollars Do: Your donation to the BMBA supports programs aimed at empowering and educating Black mothers on their breastfeeding journey. Members of the group have free access to the organization’s doula program. This connects expectant mothers with birthing and postpartum support for safer, healthier childbirth. Your dollars also fund the charity’s breastfeeding support group and peer counselor program.
This Charity Is Right For You If… You’re troubled by the lack of breastfeeding resources and support for Black mothers, and you want to do something about it.
3. Hour Children
Mission: “To help incarcerated and formerly incarcerated women and their children successfully rejoin the community, reunify with their families, and build healthy, independent, and secure lives. Hour Children’s name acknowledges the key hours that impact the life of a child with an incarcerated mother: the hour of her arrest, the hour of their visit, and the hour of their reunification.”
What Your Dollars Do: Donations to Hour Children support women who are both currently and previously incarcerated in New York. Your contributions have the power to fund programs that strengthen bonds between moms and their children while in the prison system. Your dollars go toward supportive housing, food access, therapeutic counseling for women and kids, job skills training and mentoring, and educational opportunities for moms to expand their horizons.
This Charity Is Right For You If… You believe in the power of a strong, stable mother-child connection, and the life-giving potential of a second chance.
4. The Trevor Project
Mission: “To end suicide among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer & questioning young people.”
What Your Dollars Do: A charitable gift to The Trevor Project helps at-risk LGBTQ+ youth access the organization’s national, 24/7 crisis line, secure and confidential online chatroom, and crisis intervention text messaging. Your funding also supports the charity’s educational resources for suicide prevention and community resources geared toward raising awareness and fighting for legislative change that benefits the LGBTQ+ community.
This Charity Is Right For You If… You want to fight for a better, more hopeful future for LGBTQ+ kids and their families.
5. Easterseals
Mission: “For more than 100 years, we have worked tirelessly with our partners to enhance quality of life and expand local access to healthcare, education, and employment opportunities. And we won’t rest until every one of us is valued, respected, and accepted.”
What Your Dollars Do: Donating your dollars to Easterseals will power programs that serve people of all ages with disabilities. For families with young children specifically, Easterseals offers an early intervention program. This program evaluates infants and toddlers developmentally, providing supportive services like speech, physical, and occupational therapy.
This Charity Is Right For You If… You are dedicated to seeing children with disabilities and developmental delays get the support they need to succeed.
6. Black Mamas Matter Alliance
Mission: “The Black Mamas Matter Alliance (BMMA) is a Black women-led cross-sectoral alliance that centers Black mamas and birthing people to advocate, drive research, build power, and shift culture for Black maternal health, rights, and justice.”
What Your Dollars Do: Trusting in the wisdom and ability of Black women to fight for issues most affecting their communities, Black Mamas Matter Alliance works to “cultivate a deep bench of Black women leaders recognized for their expertise, contribution, and work.” Donate to BMMA and your contributions will help shine a spotlight on the women across the country fighting for improved maternal health outcomes for Black women, centering their voices and strengthening their platforms.
This Charity Is Right For You If… You’re ready to go to work for a safer, healthier motherhood experience for Black women and their babies.
7. Love146
Mission: “Journeys alongside children impacted by trafficking today and prevents the trafficking of children tomorrow.”
What Your Dollars Do: Love146 is a global human rights charity with programs based in the United States, the United Kingdom, and the Philippines. Give today and your donation helps the organization with its three-prong approach to end child trafficking—abroad and right here in the United States. Donations fund prevention and survivor care programs. You will also be supporting the charity in its work to collaborate with international rescue groups to guide young victims to safety. Survivors of child slavery are able to have trauma-informed care, legal aid, and crisis intervention.
This Charity Is Right For You If… You’re focused on bringing an end to the horror that is child trafficking. You want an impactful way to help youth heal from past trauma.
8. Sandy Hook Promise
Mission: “Educate and empower youth and adults to prevent violence in schools, homes, and communities. Through our proven, evidence-informed Know the Signs programs and sensible, bipartisan school and gun safety legislation, we teach young people and adults to recognize, intervene, and get help for individuals who may be socially isolated and/or at risk of hurting themselves or others.”
What Your Dollars Do: The charity was founded by the families of victims of the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. Sandy Hook Promise is taking an active role in ending violence affecting our youngest citizens. Donate to this charity and you can expect your dollars to help provide a no-cost, evidence-based, and comprehensive training program for students and adults. These programs aim to identify those most likely to cause harm to themselves or others. Sandy Hook Promise also advocates for policy change. This includes change at the federal and state level to protect the safety and well-being of kids and families.
This Charity Is Right For You If… You’re ready to provide practical solutions for ending the epidemic of gun violence in American schools.
9. Feed the Children
Mission: “Committed to ending childhood hunger. In the U.S. and around the world, we provide children and families with the food and essentials kids need to grow and thrive.
What Your Dollars Do: Feed the Children works to end hunger and malnutrition in children around the world. But here in the United States, the donations they receive go to work to support kids and their families. These donations go directly to communities by distributing food donations to local pantries and by offering school-based support in areas of need. The organization also responds to communities hard hit by natural disasters. Donations bring in much-needed food and supplies when families need them most.
This Charity Is Right For You If… You’re committed to providing kids with the healthiest start in life by ensuring they have access to good, nutritious food.
10. Ronald McDonald House Charities
Mission: “Provide essential services that remove barriers, strengthen families and promote healing when children need healthcare.”
What Your Dollars Do: Donating to the RMHC would help provide programs and services to families during their hospital stay or their healthcare journey. These programs help with essential needs to lessen the financial burden families take on when they have a sick child. This includes things like lodging, buying meals, or having a family room for respite. Other programs, like their McDonald Care Mobile program, provide basic medical services. These services help with preventative care and teaching families about early diagnosis of serious illnesses. If you are unable to give a monetary donation, consider volunteering with a chapter near you.
This Charity is Right for You If… You’re passionate about family-centered care in healthcare. You want to alleviate some of the financial burden and stress families take on when caring for a sick child.
Lizzie Goodman, Contributing Writer
Lizzie is an editor and writer specializing in pregnancy, child development, and parenting. She lives in Chicago with her husband and two young daughters in a funny old house filled with books.
Patty Schepel, Editorial Intern
As the editorial intern, Patty works with The Everymom’s team on pitches, creating original articles, updating existing content, photo sourcing, writing shopping product descriptions, inputting freelance articles, and more. When she’s not working, you can find her spending time with her family, training for half marathons—she ran one 16 weeks pregnant—traveling, cooking, reading a rom-com, and keeping her sourdough starter, Rose, alive.