Give Joyfully and Fearlessly

1. What issues do you care about? You can make a difference on a wide array of issues—especially during this uncertain time. There are many ways in which you can give and make an impact. Your donations could. . .

• Provide humanitarian care in communities that need it most by helping to build life humanitarians with Youthlinc
• Fight for a healthy and long-lasting environment with the Center for Biological Diversity
• Make a better future for children by providing counseling, homework, and SAT help with A Place Called Home
• Rescue and rehabilitate ill and injured seals and sea lions with the Marine Mammal Center
• Help low-income people get medical care that they can afford with Access Partnership
• Help build better global communities with Child Family Health International

These are just a few examples from the GreatNonprofits 2016 Top-Rated Nonprofit List.

2. Go with your heart—are you interested in having a local impact or national? National organizations tend to have more impact in raising awareness and policymaking, and therefore can have broader impacts. The advantage of local giving is that you can get more involved with an organization in addition to donating. There are thousands of nonprofits in each major city providing services ranging from meals for the elderly to legal aid for the low-income. Find your city’s list of nonprofits: Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Columbus, Dallas, Denver, Houston, Honolulu, New York, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Portland, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose, Seattle, Washington, D.C., and more.

3. Go visit the nonprofit and experience it for yourself. Many nonprofits have community outreach events—and you can drop by and talk to them at their table at the community fair, or at their open house. Walk around and see if you can meet some of the people they serve—talk to them and get a sense of what services they value and their experience with the organization. Sign up to volunteer and see firsthand the work of the nonprofit. By volunteering, you will meet other volunteers, even some board members or clients, and get to witness their program firsthand.

And remember, you have just a couple of more weeks to make your 2016 tax-deductible donation count. Giving unleashes endorphins—so give to a worthy cause, and enjoy the true season of giving!