Our nation’s children are our most vulnerable population, and our most valuable asset, so helping those in need is an important job. Luckily, there are many nonprofit organizations dedicated to assisting children and their families in various ways.
Nonprofits Helping Kids
The best nonprofits serving children tend to focus on just one crucial aspect in the life of a child. If you’re looking for a nonprofit to partner with, give money to, or volunteer for, understanding the organization’s aims and purpose is a great place to start.
We’ve compiled a list of some of the best-known children’s charities, what they do, and how you can help.
No Kid Hungry
No Kid Hungry has tasked themselves with ending childhood hunger in America. With millions of children facing hunger and food insecurity in the country, this nonprofit is finding multiple ways to address the problem. From programs that focus on meals outside of school offerings, to education, research, and education, this is a vibrant and important organization making a big difference.
How to Help: No Kid Hungry offers multiple ways to help, including donations and fundraising, volunteering, and opportunities to impact local policies. During the coronavirus, No Kid Hungry is helping kids affected by school closures and loss of family income. See how your donations help now in this recent blog post.
Make A Wish
For children diagnosed with critical illnesses, a wish come true can be a crucial turning point in their lives. That’s where Make A Wish comes in. One of the most well-known and respected charities, Make A Wish’s mission is to bring some joy to the lives of children with illnesses by granting wishes.
How to Help: Like most nonprofits, Make A Wish depends on donors to grant wishes. Monthly giving, sponsorships, and donations of airline miles and more are just a few of the ways to give.
Big Brothers Big Sisters
BBBS is “the nation’s largest donor- and volunteer-supported mentoring network.” They work with children facing adversity and offer one-to-one mentoring in the community. This, in turn, helps kids get their grades up, avoid risky behaviors, and provides a solid foundation and source of support during their most formative years.
How to Help: Getting involved with BBBS can mean becoming a mentor (or “Big”) — a rewarding and invaluable experience — or offering always-needed monetary donations.
Girl Scouts of USA
Of course you know them for the cookies. But do you know what else Girl Scouts does for your community? Offering incredible leadership development for girls, Girl Scouts creates a safe space where girls can try new things, develop a range of skills, take on leadership roles, and just be themselves.
How to Help: Buying cookies is the easiest (and most delicious) way to help, but Girl Scouts also needs donations, volunteers, and participation in their Fair Play, Equal Pay initiative.
Boy Scouts of America
The Boy Scouts of America is a youth-based development organization that provides adventures and challenges, as well as leadership skills and a solid foundation for growth. They say, “Scouting helps youth develop academic skills, self-confidence, ethics, leadership skills, and citizenship skills that influence their adult lives.” And, Boy Scouts is now also open to girls, too!
How to Help: Boy Scouts need donations, which you can do at a local or national level, as well as volunteers. Learn more about giving here.
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is taking on childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases. St. Jude’s focuses on cutting-edge research and treatments and treats children without any financial obligation from families. They cover not just treatment, but travel, food, and more. And, through the work of the organization, “Treatments invented at St. Jude have helped push the overall childhood cancer survival rate from 20% to more than 80% since it opened more than 50 years ago.”
How to Help: Donations are crucial, and St. Jude offers many ways to give. You can also get involved in a number of ways.
Shoes That Fit
Something as simple as a pair of shoes that actually fit can mean the world to a child in need. Ill-fitting shoes is one of the most visible signs of poverty, and an uncomfortable one at that. Children without good shoes experience bullying and shame, so Shoes That Fit has a mission to get brand new shoes (that fit!) to every child in need.
How to Help: Make a donation, start a volunteer chapter, volunteer locally — these are just a few of the much-needed ways to give.
Our Military Kids
By supporting kids whose parents are deployed or wounded, Our Military Kids helps military families. Children receive a grant to participate in something that will bring them joy and help them cope, whether fine arts, sports, or any other chosen activity. Our Military Kids started with gratitude for service members and their families, and has so far given over 68,000 grants.
How to Help: Since the organization offers grants, monetary donations are always needed. You can set up one-time or regular giving, host a fundraiser, or commemorate a loved one.
Sleep in Heavenly Peace
At Sleep in Heavenly Peace, we believe every child deserves a bed of their own. In fact, we know that children’s health and well-being depends on getting a good night’s sleep — and, we also know that sleeping on floors prevents that from happening. Our organization builds, assembles, and delivers every bed we donate.
How to Help: There are so many ways to get involved with SHP! Donate to a local chapter or to our disaster relief fund, sponsor a build or volunteer for a build day.