When deciding where to donate what extra money or time you have, choose wisely. Your money has far-reaching impacts. In the case of the list below, you can make a major impact both here in Buffalo and overseas. We’ve provided links to websites and social media so you can follow along and see what your donation does, and how you can get even more involved. Thank you for your consideration of all of these organizations on Giving Tuesday or any day.
Jericho Road Community Health Center
JRCHC is doing the tangible work to get our newest neighbors up on their feet. Offering english lessons, civics and history, as well as financial education to immigrants and refugees seeking to become citizens. JRCHC also provides medical cares to these families no matter their need. There’s also after school programs for children to continue education and socializing, complete with food. JRCHC has made headlines a lot lately due to their VIVE shelter in Buffalo’s east side where asylees from around the world have been turning up in massive numbers. VIVE takes them all in, offers them healthcare, counseling, and paid work in order to help them stabilize after traumatic journeys. This is an organization built on love and focused on tangible services and results.
International Institute of Buffalo
Since 1918…The IIB seeks to strengthen Western New York by assisting refugees and immigrants to become independent, informed and contributing members of the community, and by promoting and supporting cultural competence, multiculturalism and global connectedness throughout the region.
Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper
Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper is a community-based nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting the quality and quantity of water, while connecting people to water. We do this by cleaning up pollution from our waterways, restoring fish and wildlife habitat, and enhancing public access through greenways that expand parks and open space.
PUSH Buffalo
PUSH Buffalo is on the front line fighting for the economic vitality of our city’s vulnerable residents. From long-time residents of the city to immigrant newcomers, PUSH works to create strong neighborhoods with quality, affordable housing, and expand local hiring opportunities. From solar panels to urban farms, advocating for just laws, and more, PUSH is making Buffalo stronger every day.
Girls Education Collaborative
GEC operates out of Dig at the Innovation Center in Buffalo. It works to improve the lives of impoverished girls in developing countries by building on community initiatives and by breaking down barriers, particularly to education. By helping her to unlock her full potential, she has the power to transform her life, her family and her community.
Matt Urban Hope Center
The Matt Urban Center is a multi faceted agency providing:
Housing Services, Senior Services, Senior Apartments, Weatherization Program, Youth And Family Services, Homeless Outreach Services, G.E.D. and Work Skills Training, Crime Victims Assistance, 3 Food Pantries & The Matt Urban Hope Center. The Matt Urban Center’s Mission is to provide programs that enhance the quality of life, preserve neighborhoods and encourage economic development.
Crisis Services
Crisis Services promotes health and well-being within our community through prevention, education, immediate intervention and access to community wide resources 24 hours a day. So far in 2016, Crisis Services has answered 65,000 phone calls, provided training to 5,000 residents of Buffalo & Erie County on prevention, intervention, and post-vention on how to handle various different crises, and been alongside over 660 survivors of domestic and sexual assault in area hospitals.
The Foundry
The Foundry is a project of Net+Positive, a 501(c)3 organization. The mission of The Foundry is to increase neighborhood prosperity by empowering individuals through education and entrepreneurship.
Young Audiences WNY
Young Audiences of Western New York’s mission is to make the arts a part of young people’s lives in order to enhance their development as creative and productive human beings. We offer assembly, workshop and long term residency programs with professional artists, committed to their craft, and using it as a tool for creative learning. Art forms include music, multi-media arts, theater, dance, and visual and literary arts. We provide services in the eight counties of Western New York
While the mission of Young Audiences of Western New York, to bring the arts to all the young people in our area, has not changed, the ways and means have; we see a not-so-subtle shift from simply inspiring young people to see and appreciate art, to also participating and understanding the arts in context of the world in general, and their lives specifically.
The Belle Center
The Belle Center is a non-profit community center that provides innovative educational, social and community building services for children, youth, senior citizens and families living in Western New York. Their core programs include Early Childhood, Elementary, Buffalo AmeriCorps Program, Family, Community and Health Programs and Services
Make a Wish
Make-a-Wish Western New York grants approximately 150 wishes annually to children diagnosed with life-threatening medical conditions.
From a trip to Disney World and becoming a firefighter to meeting a hero – Make-a-Wish WNY is giving local children and families hope and positivity in a time of need.
Open Buffalo
Open Buffalo is a shared vision of an equal, just, and free city driven by a united and empowered community, open to full democratic participation, innovative ideas and policies, new leaders from diverse communities, and meaningful economic opportunity and sustainable wealth creation for all.
Community leaders, grassroots organizations, entrepreneurs, artists, innovators, and residents are working together to “open” Buffalo and make this vision a reality.
The College Simulation Experience
The College Simulation Experience (TCSE) uses an arts-based experiential approach to teach under-serviced students valuable social and emotional skills that will help them succeed in higher education. We aim to increase college retention and graduation rates for students of color throughout the Western New York region. College affords young people an unprecedented level of autonomy. Whether they are attending college away from home or in their local communities, they are no longer experiencing the same level of monitoring from their parents and teachers. Our interactive curriculum enhances knowledge and understanding of the dynamics of college and adult life. TCSE promotes self-discipline and awareness of the new responsibilities that students will encounter in college trough stylized enactments and dramatic role-play.
