It’s hard to believe that the Christmas holiday is only weeks away. So many people will travel, exchange gifts and eat delicious foods with friends and family.
While making the difficult choices of what to put on the dinner menu and what gifts to purchase for loved ones, let’s also pour into people and communities who need support.
For Giving Tuesday 2022, consider donating to some of Chicago’s nonprofit organizations that routinely support our underserved communities in need of food, shelter, mental health services and more.
Since its start in 2012, #GivingTuesday has grown into a worldwide philanthropic event where people amplify and uplift organizations and causes that work to ensure communities thrive.
Giving Tuesday is on Nov. 29 this year. There are endless nonprofit organizations to assist in Chicago.
Here are 12 Chicago organizations that are either Black-led or directly serving Black and other people of color.
A Little bit of heaven
Website: https://www.alboh.org/
Since 2001, A Little Bit of Heaven (ALBH) has provided Chicago residents with housing and necessary services for their physical and psychological needs. ALBH primarily serves adult and queer men experiencing homelessness. The organization also provides vital triage case management to its participants in the Roseland community.
The Bloc
Website: https://theblocchicago.org/
Founded in 2016, The Bloc is a boxing club based out of the former Mission of Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church building. The nonprofit uses boxing as a means to provide academic support, mentorship, and college and career readiness opportunities to young people in grades fifth through 12th on the West Side. Since 2016, The Bloc has maintained 100 percent high-school graduation and college acceptance rates, according to its website.
Chicago Coalition for the Homeless
Website: https://www.chicagohomeless.org/
Founded in 1980, the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless (CCH) organizes and advocates to prevent and end homelessness. The CCH leads strategic campaigns, community outreach and public policy initiatives that target the lack of affordable housing in Chicago and across Illinois.
Chicago freedom school
Website: https://www.chicagofreedomschool.org/
The Chicago Freedom School is rooted in the long legacy of liberatory education. The nonprofit organization was founded in 2007 and was inspired by the Mississippi Freedom Schools of the Civil Rights Era. The organization provides education and leadership for young people and adult allies to create a just world.
Coffee Hip-hop and mental health
Website: https://coffeehiphopandmentalhealth.com/
Founded in 2019 by Christopher LeMark, Coffee Hip-Hop and Mental Health (CHHAMH) is a nonprofit community organization dedicated to normalizing therapy and mental health through discussions, fundraising efforts, live arts programming and feeding the community. CHHAMH also offers a scholarship program to remove financial, systemic and emotional barriers to make therapy accessible for Black residents in Chicago. The scholarship program offers ten free therapy sessions with a licensed therapist partner.
featherfist
Website: https://featherfist.org/
For more than 30 years, Featherfist has offered programs and services to people experiencing homelessness. The organization’s mission is to end homelessness by addressing the specific needs of each person or family with empathy and respect. Above all, Featherfist believes housing is a universal right.
Gyrls in the h.o.o.d. foundation
Website: https://gyrlsinthehood.com/
Gyrls in H.O.O.D. Foundation is a Chicago-based nonprofit that provides adolescent girls in underserved communities with reproductive and sexual health education. H.O.O.D. stands for healthy, optimistic, outstanding and determined. The organization was founded in 2017 by Chez Smith. This summer, the organization hosted a diaper and infant care giveaway for young parents in need.
imagine englewood if
Website: https://www.imagineenglewoodif.org/
Imagine Englewood If is a nonprofit whose mission is to strengthen and empower the Greater Englewood community through teaching local youth and their families about healthy living, environmental awareness and positive communication skills.
kuumba lynx
Website: https://www.kuumbalynx.com/
Kuumba Lynx (KL) is an urban arts youth development organization that was founded in 1996 by three women; Jaquanda Villegas, Leida Garcia-Mukwacha and Jacinda Bullie. KL provides performances and productions, community cultural events and more. Their work is rooted in an indigenous culture or urban artistry and activism. The organization’s hip-hop arts programs directly support and create opportunities for nearly 1,000 participants.
live free chicago-Live free illinois
Website: https://livefreeillinois.org
Live Free Chicago (LFC) is the local chapter of Live Free USA, a national faith-based organization created to organize people of color against mass incarceration and violence. LFC’s mission is to create communities in Chicago where Black people are free from all forms of violence by building economic and political power and by combatting all forms of violence against the Black community.
molasses
Website: https://www.molasseschicago.com
Molasses is a Chicago-based collective for Black, trans and gender-nonconforming artists and organizers. Molasses aims to create community and opportunity for Black trans and gender-variant people of color through cultural work, coalition building and self-care.
urban growers collective
Website: https://urbangrowerscollective.org/
Urban Growers Collective (UBC) is a Black- and women-led nonprofit farm that addresses inequities and structural racism that exist in the food system and communities of color. The nonprofit cultivates nourishing environments which support health, economic development, healing and creativity through urban agriculture. In addition, UBC provides job training and economic opportunity for youth and beginner BIPOC farmers and men at high risk for gun violence.