It’s warm out.
Maybe it’s time to use that extra daylight in a t-shirt actively supporting an organization, instead of hibernating under covers and stream bingeing (though we all love a binge). Ranging from the arts to the sex trafficking rights, there’s bound to be a cause that makes your heart beat hard enough to lend a helping hand.
Take a look at some worthy causes below:
The Arts: Dorill Initiative
Dorill is a multidisciplinary arts organization committed to empowering youth to tell their stores and transform communities. Currently, the organization provides free Saturday arts education to youth in the Lower East Side, with the plans to expand to more of the city. Their goal is to help each young artist develop a deeper understanding of self, and advance their artistic expression.
Lend a hand: Volunteer, Donate
LGBTQ: Stonewall Community Development Corporation
The Stonewall Community Development Corporation is dedicated to providing affordable living solutions for LGBTQ seniors that allow them to enjoy their lives and live with dignity. They are currently exploring all models of development including mixed use, mixed income and cross-subsidies, and are in the planning stages of Stonewall Village, an elderly LGBTQ community.
Lend a hand: Volunteer, Donate, Dance the night away at their next event
Food: Rescuing Leftover Cuisine
Rescuing Leftover Cuisine aim to become the world’s most widely used solution for companies and individuals to eliminate food waste in their communities, making food rescue sustainable and universal, and food hunger a thing of the past. The bright idea no only eliminates thousands of pounds of waste but helps to feed those in need.
Lend a hand: Volunteer, Donate Food, Donate Funds
Education: Breakthrough New York
Breakthrough New York transforms the lives of talented children from low-income backgrounds by providing educational support from middle school through college and into careers. Additional support is provided through the students-teaching-students model, inspiring some talented young people to enter careers in education.
Lend a hand: Volunteer, Hire an Intern, Donate, Shop Smart
Animals: Badass Brooklyn Animal Rescue
Badass Brooklyn Animal Rescue is dedicated to rescuing amazing animals from not so amazing humans. The all-breed dog program is composed of a network of fosters and volunteers who work together to rescue sweet, loving, adoptable dogs from high kill, rural shelters in the southern U.S. states and get them adopted into wonderful forever homes.
Thinking of adding a new member to the family, the next adoption event is March 30th at Brooklyn Boulders.
Lend a hand: Volunteer, Adopt, Pay an Adoption Fee, Donate, Grab Gear
Addiction: Shatterproof
Shatterproof’s leadership team consists of doctors, executives, addiction specialists, and people affected by substance use disorders. They are committed to ending the devastation caused by the disease of addiction.
Lend a hand: Learn, Advocate, Volunteer, Fundraise, Donate
Environment: BK ROT
BK ROT is New York’s community-supported, bike-powered, fossil fuel free food waste hauling and composting service. Block by block they empower all New Yorkers to secure a waste-free and healthy environment for future generations.
Lend a hand: Volunteer, Buy Compost, Donate Food Scraps, Donate Funds
Sex Trafficking Rights: Restore NYC
Restore NYC won’t rest until every trafficked woman is found and restored. Restore NYC is a nonprofit organization working to end sex trafficking in New York and restore the well-being and independence of foreign-national survivors.
Lend a hand: Learn, Volunteer, Fundraise, Attend a Freedom Lab, Donate
Mental Health: Vibrant Emotional Health
Formerly known as the Mental Health Association of New York City (MHA-NYC), Vibrant Emotional Health’s groundbreaking solutions have delivered high-quality services and support, when, where and how people need it for over half of a century. Through state-of-the-art technology-enabled services, community wellness programs, and advocacy and education work, we are building a society in which emotional wellness can be a reality for everyone.
Lend a hand: Share their Online Services, Apply for a Job, Attend the Gala, Donate