It’s that time of year to give thanks and look for ways to help those less fortunate and give back—whether through food donations or helping make the holidays more magical.
If you’re feeling called to give back and want to spread holiday cheer, we’ve compiled a thoughtful list of local organizations that may align with your charitable values.
Alabama
Kids To Love
Kids To Love serves children living in foster care, putting clothes on their backs, and getting Christmas presents under the tree.
Alaska
The Alaska Community Foundation
The ACF connects people to causes that can make a difference based on what matters most. The foundation provides donors with flexible giving options that are strategic to their philanthropic objectives.
Arizona
Children’s Care Arizona
A nonprofit organization that visualizes children as the key to the future—with a team of dedicated volunteers ensuring children get the support and care they need.
Arkansas
Food Bank of Northeast Arkansas
This organization secures donations from the food and grocery industries, government agencies, individuals, and other organizations. The donated food is then distributed to partner agencies and programs throughout the state.
California
Exceptional Children’s Foundation
This foundation is on a mission to provide the highest quality services for children and adults with special needs.
Colorado
Community Resource Center
This center envisions a strong and sustainable nonprofit sector—supporting change-makers across the nonprofit ecosystem to create a more equitable Colorado.
Connecticut
Connecticut Food Bank
This organization aims to deliver an informed and equitable response to hunger to support individuals and families through local partner programs to alleviate hunger.
Delaware
Food Bank of Delaware
Their mission is to inspire hope in their communities by providing food to nourish Delawareans while collaborating on long-term solutions to hunger and poverty.
Florida
Give Kids The World Village
This organization is an 89-acre nonprofit resort in Central Florida where children with critical illnesses and their families are treated to weeklong, cost-free vacations.
Georgia
Next Generation Focus
This community-based organization’s mission is to equip the next generation of leaders by providing educational, relational, and financial resources. The vision is to foster a community where children and youth can reach their full potential.
Hawaii
Women’s Fund of Hawaii
This organization maintains a vision where every woman and girl is safe, healthy, financially secure, and empowered to reach her fullest potential.
Idaho
The Idaho Foodbank
This organization’s mission is to help feed, educate, and advocate for Idaho’s hungry through collaborative partnerships to develop efficient solutions that strengthen individuals, families, and communities.
Illinois
Dreams For Kids
Through real-world learning experiences, Dreams For Kids promotes equity, sustainability, and social entrepreneurship to educate tomorrow’s global citizens.
Indiana
Indiana Holiday Heroes
This organization provides gifts to local children and families participating in Youth Villages’ programs. Donors and shoppers enable the organization to fulfill the wish lists of Indiana youth and children.
Iowa
Children & Families of Iowa
This organization, one of Iowa’s largest, most well-respected family service providers, has been operational for 135 years, helping children and families find safe homes.
Kansas
KVC Kansas
This private, nonprofit organization serves over 15,000 children and adults each year. Their Holiday Heroes Program is a way for individuals, families, and businesses to work together by committing to give gifts children and teens have their hearts set on.
Kentucky
Welcome House
This organization’s mission is to provide a continuum of services to end homelessness and promote stability for each person they serve, guiding clients from housing uncertainty to housing stability. You can sign up to adopt a family this holiday season or view their giving tree wish list.
Learn more and view the holiday needs here.
Louisiana
Louisiana Food Bank Association
The Louisiana Food Bank Association and Feeding Louisiana support the collaborative efforts of the state’s five regional food banks to reduce hunger and increase the resources needed for Louisiana communities to live healthy lives.
Maine
Maine Children’s Home
This organization seeks to build and strengthen families and their children by instilling hope for the future and a better quality of life. The organization’s Christmas program provides brand-new clothes, toys, books, and games to more than 1,000 Maine children whose families are facing financial hardship.
Learn more and donate items here.
Maryland
Maryland Food Bank
This organization, the East Coast’s first food bank, leads the fight against hunger in Maryland. The organization maintains an extensive network of community and organizational partners across the state to distribute food to those who need it.
Massachusetts
Wonderfund
This private nonprofit serves kids in the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families. Their holiday gift drive helps to create magical holiday moments for these children throughout the state.
Michigan
Forgotten Harvest
This organization seeks to relieve hunger in Metro Detroit by preventing nutritious food from going to waste. They deliver 144,000 pounds of surplus food to local charities five days per week.
Minnesota
Hunger Solutions
This organization works to end hunger in the state of Minnesota. They work with food banks and state and federal government to tackle hunger on both a small and large scale—the goal of food security for all Minnesotans.
Mississippi
Mississippi Food Network
This organization has been feeding Mississippians since 1984. The organization distributes more than 1.5 million pounds of food annually, reaching more than 1.8 million people.
Missouri
Feeding Missouri
This coalition of six Missouri food banks provides hunger relief to every part of Missouri. The organization distributes over 120 million pounds of food each year through its network of community feeding programs.
Montana
Hope & The Holidays
A Marine veteran and local realtor organized this organization to provide toys and Christmas food baskets to children through the age of 18.
Nebraska
Share Omaha
This organization aims to help nonprofits fulfill their mission by inspiring more support and service. This means offering public opportunities to connect with local nonprofits through donations, volunteering, and shopping wish lists.
Nevada
HELP of Southern Nevada
This organization assists families and individuals throughout Southern Nevada to overcome barriers and attain self-sufficiency. Their holiday program provides toys or gift cards to children up to 18.
New Hampshire
Friends of Forgotten Children
This organization is a 100 percent volunteer-run provider of food, clothing, and holiday gifts for low-income and at-risk individuals and families.
New Jersey
Greater Newark Holiday Fund
This organization believes everyone deserves a bright future. Started in 1937, it has positively affected millions of lives and supports relief efforts during the holiday season for those in the community who struggle.
New York
City Harvest
This organization aims to keep the food rescue movement humming by rescuing food and delivering it to food pantries and soup kitchens across the five boroughs.
North Carolina
Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina
This nonprofit has provided food for hungry people for over 40 years. They work daily to end hunger in the communities they serve.
North Dakota
Santa Claus Girls
This organization has been serving Grand Forks since 1916. Their mission is to provide toys, food, and outerwear to children aged 12 and below from low-income families.
Ohio
Mid-Ohio Food Collective
The largest food bank in Ohio provides more than 170,000 meals daily for hungry people in central and eastern Ohio.
Oklahoma
Joy4Kids
This organization provides Christmas gifts to Oklahoma children living in foster care. They filled over 1,800 Christmas gift lists last year and want to repeat that effort this year.
Oregon
Oregon Food Bank
This organization believes food is a fundamental human right and that ending hunger requires a clear vision and bold action. Their goal is to eliminate hunger and its root causes.
Pennsylvania
Hunger-Free Pennsylvania
More than 35 years ago, Hunger-Free Pennsylvania was created in response to the families’ incredible needs shortly after the 1983 national recession. Now, it’s the state’s largest nonprofit provider of food resources for hungry families.
Rhode Island
Child & Family
A private, nonprofit organization works daily to help the most vulnerable children, families, and seniors across Rhode Island. The 2023 holiday giving program collects toys, gifts, and clothing for children in need.
South Carolina
Harvest Hope Food Bank
This organization is South Carolina’s largest food bank, providing more than 20 million meals to people nationwide. Their mission is to eliminate hunger and food insecurity in South Carolina.
South Dakota
Feeding South Dakota
This hunger relief organization distributes food to thousands of families in South Dakota annually. Their mission is to end hunger in the state.
Tennessee
Christmas for the Children
This local, not-for-profit organization provides children and families in Middle Tennessee the opportunity to have a Christmas that might not be possible due to circumstances. The goal here is to create a magical Christmas experience for all.
Texas
Houston Food Bank
This is America’s largest food bank. It distributes more than 100 million meals to the communities it serves, giving people the nutritious food they need to fuel a healthy life.
Utah
Utah Food Bank
The Utah Food Bank distributes food throughout the state to reach 1 in 10 Utah children facing hunger. Whether hosting a food drive or donating food, you can help contribute to the cause.
Vermont
Vermont Foodbank
The Vermont Foodbank gathers food—via harvesting, purchasing food, or through donations—to share with those in the state who need it.
Virginia
Blue Ridge Area Food Bank
This organization and its partners serve people with hunger across 25 counties and eight cities on either side of the Blue Ridge. They serve food to more than 100,000 people each month.
Washington
Northwest Harvest
Northwest Harvest believes an equitable society is fundamental to ending hunger. This will allow everyone to access the resources they require to reach their full potential. The organization provides millions of pounds of free food each year to its network of 375 food programs.
West Virginia
Secret Santa Foundation
The Secret Santa Foundation of Charleston was founded to ensure children don’t go without presents on Christmas morning. Since 1984, the program has fulfilled this promise, serving the needs of 1400 local children each year.
Wisconsin
Feeding Wisconsin
This organization is a statewide network of food banks that sources, warehouses, and provides food to more than 750 affiliated agencies and 1,000 local food programs throughout the state.
Wyoming
Wyoming Hunger Initiative
The mission of the Wyoming Hunger Initiative is simple: end hunger in Wyoming. The organization works to prevent food insecurity by increasing awareness and support for the work of anti-hunger organizations statewide.
Whatever way you decide to give back makes a difference. Remember, it’s the thought that counts, and a small gesture can go a long way. Give back. Make Your Mark. And find ways to make the holidays merry and bright.
