Here Are a Bunch of Organizations to Donate to In Someone’s Name This Holiday Season

We all have that person on our holiday list who has everything, or who says they don’t want any gifts. If you’d like to show them how much they mean to you but don’t want to give a gift card or another coffee table book, why not make a donation to a cause close to their heart in their name this year? 

While of course you can donate to bigger, more well-known charities and foundations like the ACLU and Planned Parenthood, there are countless smaller organizations that would greatly appreciate your gift this holiday season. Consider where your loved one’s values lie and align your donation at an organization that supports their biggest passions and purposes. We’ll help you find the best charities to donate to this season.

Plant a tree — or ten — in their honor via a donation to the Arbor Day Foundation. The Clean Air Task Force is an organization that helps fight climate change by working to create solutions to the planet’s energy needs in an efficient and affordable way. Their goal is to “achieve zero-emissions energy, waste, agricultural, and forest management by 2050.”

Based in New Orleans, BreakOUT! is working to end the criminalization of LGBTQ youth in the city. This youth-lead organization does organizing and advocacy as well as outreach and support. Learn more about their programs here and their campaigns here.

Avid readers know firsthand how powerful and transformative books can be. Help them share their love of books via Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, which sends free books to children from birth until they enter school. Encourage community building around reading with a donation to Little Free Library — or gift them a little library structure for their yard!

NDN Collective is an indigenous-lead organization that builds indigenous power through activism, organizing, grantmaking, and more. Their work includes providing rapid response grants to indigenous communities hard hit by COVID-19, climate justice campaigns, and much more.

The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee provides a safe, caring place for captive elephants who previously performed in circuses or lived in zoos, ensuring that the elephants are adequately cared for and socialized with other elephants. 

If your loved one is passionate about saving the oceans, they’d love a donation to Marine Mammal Center, an organization that rescues and rehabilitates sea animals so they can safely go back to their aquatic home. 

Black women are three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white women, the CDC reports. Black Mamas Matter Alliance is dedicated to advancing and advocating for Black maternal health before, throughout, and after pregnancy. 

Things of My Very Own helps provide children leaving abusive homes with not only support and resources, but items to bring them comfort, from clothing to toys to other necessities that help a new environment feel like home.

Meals on Wheels does more than just feed senior citizens; it also provides much-needed social interaction, which is even more important during a pandemic. Many seniors are lonely and isolated, and regular meal delivery can be key to helping them eat quality meals and stay social — and potentially even save their lives. 

Food insecurity continues to be a concern nationwide. Feeding America is dedicated to providing hunger relief for people in the United States, servicing 200 food banks and providing over 6 billion meals in 2020 alone. Not only do they provide food to food shelves and aid in disaster relief, they also do food-related research to help end the hunger crisis.

If your friend or family member is passionate about politics, give a gift that helps support voting rights for all people. Black Voters Matter Fund works to increase voter registration and turnout among Black voters, ensure fair and equal voting, and develop important infrastructure within communities.

Abortion rights are under attack in an unprecendented way, and organizations dedicated to ensuring people get the reproductive care they deserve need donations more than ever. The Lilith Fund is based in Texas, the state with the most drastic reproductive laws, and helps Texans access reproductive healthcare. If you’d like to support abortion access in your state, check out the Local Abortion Funds site.