2021 Giving Tuesday Staff Recommendations
Giving Tuesday has become one of the most popular days of the year for people to donate to non-profits. As a company that works alongside a great deal of innovative community-based organizations, we know firsthand how private funding is necessary for these organizations to fulfill their missions.
While there are many groups vying for donations today, we encourage you to remember that these groups all need year-round support to deliver the services they’re so passionate about. If you’re able, setting up a recurring monthly donation to your non-profit(s) of choice is a great way to make a commitment that helps provide stable capital for their work.
Below are a handful of recommendations from Quantified Ventures staff for organizations to support this Giving Tuesday. Perhaps you’ll find something that resonates with you in this list.
Eric Letsinger
Recovery Café DC is “a healing, transformative recovery community for all who have been traumatized by addiction and other mental health challenges, homelessness and incarceration.” Eric sits on the board for this group and is passionate about closing the funding gap for their upcoming project: an ambitious $22M facility in Anacostia DC to serve homeless men and women in recovery.
Gary Prakash
This year, Gary will be supporting the Arlington Food Assistance Center, his local food bank and grocery distribution center for those in need. As Gary shared: “Food security and nutrition are very important to me, both of which continue to be a problem in our communities. Sharing a nice meal with those we love is such an essential part of our lives and well-being. Organizations like AFAC ensure that this joy can be shared by all.”
Amie Fleming
Amie has monthly donations set up to benefit Native American Rights Fund, Equal Justice Initiative, and Earthjustice. All three organizations leverage legal expertise to focus on issues Amie feels passionately about supporting: Native American rights and sovereignty, criminal justice reform and racial justice, and environmental justice. She also encourages people to check out the great organizations she works with through Quantified Ventures: Vermont Huts Association, Velomont Trail Collective, Vermont Mountain Bike Association, Vermont Youth Conservation Corps, The Trust for Public Land, and Pennsylvania Environmental Council, among many others.
Susan Donovan
Susan will be supporting Evidence Action, a group that aligns beautifully with Quantified Ventures’ commitment to outcomes-based projects. Evidence Action “scales evidence-based and cost-effective programs to reduce the burden of poverty for hundreds of millions of people.” The group operates in seven countries globally.
Alison Rein
Like Amie, Alison has made the commitment to monthly donations to the groups she feels most passionate about supporting. In the local DC-area, this includes Central Union Mission, Casey Trees, and Common Good City Farm. On a national level, she supports Doctors Without Borders, Save the Frogs, and Peace Direct. And always in the mix is RAWdance (her sister’s dance company!).
Matt Lindsay
Matt plans to support QV partner Volunteers of America Chesapeake & Carolinas this year. He will also allocate donations for DC SCORES (a program that supports the physical, emotional, and mental health of DC youth through soccer and community engagement; check out America SCORES to see programs nationwide) and his kids’ school, DC Bilingual (a public charter school dedicated to “building an anti-racist community while strengthening the physical, mental, and social well-being of our community.”)
Catherine Stapleton
For the past few years, Catherine has sent care packages to Boston Health Care for the Homeless filled with clothing, toiletries, and women’s care products. She plans to send financial support as well this year. This vital program provides care to more than 11,000 homeless individuals each year, from dental care to cancer treatment.
Tee Thomas
One of Tee’s favorite groups to work with is Karumbé, an environmental organization dedicated to protecting the biodiversity in Uruguay through rehabilitation, conservation, and education. The group protects endangered biodiversity (mainly sea turtles) by promoting sustainable fishing communities and developing alternatives that reduce the impact of human activities on endangered marine animals.