Louisville charities are gearing up for GivingTuesday, which takes place on Tuesday Nov. 30.
This 24-hour event was created in 2012 as a simple idea: Designate one day to encourage people to do good. What started as an idea has grown into a year-round global movement that inspires hundreds of millions of people to volunteer, donate, collaborate, and celebrate generosity.
Many people participate in Giving Tuesday through donations of money, time, or resources to their favorite charities. According to the most recent data available from the Urban Institute, there are more than 1.54 million charitable organizations in the United States.
While Americans generously gave $471.44 billion to charitable organizations in 2020, many small, local charities don’t get a fair share of the pie. Below are 10 lesser-known, Louisville-based charities that work to make a direct impact on the people who need help in Louisville.
Feed Louisville
Feed Louisville was founded at the beginning of the pandemic by Chef Rhona Kamar, of Prana and Ramsi's Cafe on the World and Donny Greene, a seasoned outreach volunteer who has been working in solidarity with people experiencing homelessness in Louisville for years. The effort has grown into a network of chefs, restaurants, food companies, farmers, outreach workers, and countless other volunteers who work together daily to get close to 3,000 meals a week directly to people living on the streets.
ChooseWell Communities
Since 2014, ChooseWell has faithfully journeyed with young families working to maintain sobriety while improving the health and well-being of their families. Their goal is to improve the odds of maintaining parental sobriety and stability during the most fragile and precious time of their children’s development. ChooseWell creates a community that equips Louisville families in recovery with children under 5 to choose well for their futures.
La Casita Center
La Casita Center enhances the well-being of Louisville's Latinx community through education, empowerment, advocacy, and wellness. La Casita Center works intentionally to build a thriving community based on mutual support and respect.
Hildegard House
Hildegard House is Kentucky's first and only comfort care home. Through the support of the local community and with the help of many volunteers, Hildegard House provides a home and compassionate care for individuals at the end of life who have no home or loved ones to care for them so that they may die with dignity.
Up for Women and Children
In 206, Up for Women and Children identified a community need for women: The community needed a safe space for homeless women and children to go during the day to access showers, laundry, case managers, and social services. Its mission is to provide a healthy, safe environment for homeless women and children that offers opportunities and encouragement for achieving self-sufficiency.
My Dog Eats First
My Dog Eats First provides pet food, supplies, veterinary care, and additional services to the homeless and underserved persons with pets in Louisville. Keeping the homeless united with what in most cases is the only living thing that provides them with companionship, protection and unconditional love is the group’s mission.
Wilderness Louisville
Wilderness Louisville, Inc., is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2013 with a mission to champion Louisville’s natural areas, from Jefferson Memorial Forest--the nation’s largest municipally-owned urban forest--to the small green spaces in local neighborhoods. Wilderness Louisville works in partnership with the Louisville Metro Government’s Department of Parks and Recreation to promote the development, stewardship and community awareness of these important public spaces.
Kentucky Refugee Ministries
Kentucky Refugee Ministries (KRM) is a nonprofit refugee resettlement agency based in Louisville that provides resettlement services to refugees through faith-and agency-based co-sponsorship to promote self-sufficiency and successful integration into our community. KRM is committed to offering access to community resources and opportunities, as well as to promoting awareness of diversity for the benefit of the whole community.
Louisville Grows
Louisville Grows is an environmental, 501 (c) (3) nonprofit whose mission is to grow greener, healthier neighborhoods through urban agriculture, urban forestry, and environmental education. Its vision is to foster green, just, and sustainable communities within the city of Louisville.
Whitney/Strong
Whitney/Strong focuses on promoting responsible gun ownership and ending gun violence by taking a non-partisan approach to gun legislation in Ohio, Kentucky, and at the federal level. Its mission is to act on data to implement educational opportunities and fund research to find science-based steps to reverse the pervasiveness of gun violence.
Most local charities survive only through the generosity of local residents. If we all do something, no one has to do everything. Can you spare a little of your time, talents, or money to help out the groups who help the less fortunate in Louisville?
What can you give on #GivingTuesday?