If You Want to Support Education
1. Beacon House
This afterschool program for Northeast DC’s Edgewood neighborhood provides homework help, college prep, and both group and one-on-one tutoring sessions for kids from elementary through high school. The nonprofit also offers athletics such as basketball and football.
$100 donation will buy: Safety equipment for a student athlete.
2. Dream Project
The Virginia group prepares undocumented students for college, pairing high-school seniors with application mentors. College-bound teens can also access an emergency relief fund and other financial assistance.
$500 will buy: Coaching for two college freshmen.
3. Live It Learn It
This organization brings DCPS students at Title I schools on educational excursions to places like Frederick Douglass’s former home and the Library of Congress.
$1,000 will buy: Three bus charters for student field trips.
4. One World Education
Serving 5,000 students a year, the DC writing program teaches students how to cite evidence and engage in critical thinking. After the onset of the pandemic, a new initiative helps pupils catch up academically.
$100 will buy: The One World program for six students.
If You Want to Support Justice and Legal Rights
5. Council for Court Excellence
The organization works to reform the District’s criminal-and-civil-justice system through research on issues that include criminal-record sealing, mental-health care for incarcerated individuals, and the clemency process.
$500 will buy: A community meeting focused on criminal-justice issues.
6. DC Volunteer Lawyers Project
This nonprofit connects domestic-violence survivors with legal support at walk-in clinics and provides resources including social-service referrals. It also trains volunteer attorneys for pro bono domestic-violence cases.
$500 will buy: A victim’s protection-order case against an abuser.
7. Tenants and Workers United
First mobilized in the 1980s amid a scheduled eviction in Alexandria, the group promotes social and racial justice by advocating for living-wage laws, housing rights, and the elimination of county partnerships with ICE.
$500 will buy: “Know Your Rights” materials for a community.
8. Tzedek DC
Working with low-income residents suffering from debt-related legal issues, the organization provides free counsel and representation for DC clients maneuvering exploitative-debt-collection suits.
$100 will buy: Metro cards for clients to attend court hearings.
If You Want to Support Anti-Hunger Programs, Basic Needs, and Housing Security
9. Bridges to Independence
This organization runs Arlington County’s largest emergency family shelter, providing access to necessities like food and diapers. The nonprofit also partners with landlords to assist families with housing placements.
$100 will buy: Afterschool snacks for 20 kids.
10. Crossroads Community Food Network
When the Takoma/Langley Crossroads area opened a seasonal market in 2007, it became the first in Maryland to accept federal nutritional benefits. In addition to running the market, the group teaches households how to integrate fresh produce into their diets through cooking tutorials.
$100 will buy: Four healthy-eating food demos.
11. Mobile Hope Association
The nonprofit provides Loudoun County youth who are homeless or lack a stable home with basic needs, as well as emergency shelter and long-term housing support. Educational programs teach skills for apprenticeships and trade certification.
$500 will buy: Five nights of emergency shelter.
12. Prince William County Community Foundation
Founded in 2018, the anti-hunger organization has worked with local entities to feed families in Prince William County. The Combating Hunger on Wheels initiative brings nutritious meals directly to schools and neighborhoods.
$100 will buy: Eight meals for a family of four.
If You Want to Support Civic Engagement and Democracy
13. DC Justice Lab
To tackle what it sees as…
Read More: 20 DC-Area Charities Where Your Donation Will Make an Impact