Everyone deserves housing, food, transportation, healthcare, education, and other essentials, but for many families, these things are too expensive. According to the World Bank, 648 million people are trying to make ends meet on less than $2.15 a day! Even families that don’t live in extreme poverty deal with long-term problems like worse health outcomes and chronic stress when money is tight. Here are 13 trusted charities offering cash, food, education, career training, community services, and more for families in financial need:
| Organization | |
|---|---|
| 1. | Save the Children International |
| 2. | I Have A Dream Foundation |
| 3. | Share Our Strength |
| 4. | LIFT |
| 5. | Family Promise |
| 6. | Helpers Social Development Foundation |
| 7. | Afrika Tikkun |
| 8. | SEWA Cooperative Federation |
| 9. | National Association of Free & Charitable Clinics |
| 10. | Hispanic Federation |
| 11. | Habitat for Humanity International |
| 12. | CARE |
| 13. | United Way |
#1. Save the Children International
When a family experiences poverty, children often suffer the most. Save the Children is a humanitarian organization focused on kids and their families. Programs center on survival, learning, protection, hunger, the climate crisis, and emergencies, which all have a huge impact on families who need financial aid. With a presence in 113 countries, Save the Children wants to ensure all kids have food, shelter, healthcare, and education services.
Save the Children accepts donations from around the world. You can choose the amount on their online portal, which has one-time or monthly options. A one-time $50 gift can feed three kids for a month.
#2. I Have A Dream Foundation
The I Have a Dream Foundation is a charity that supports kids from under-resourced communities with educational, social, emotional, and financial help from elementary school through college. In 1981, businessman Eugene Lang promised a grade of sixth-graders he would pay for their college if they graduated high school. He soon realized they would need some support, so he paired with an organization that provided services. Today, 200+ “I Have A Dream” programs serve 18,000 kids in 28 states, Washington, D.C., and New Zealand.
I Have a Dream accepts one-time and monthly donations online and by mail. The charity also welcomes planned giving or gifts of stock. If you have a program in your area, you can volunteer as a tutor, mentor, intern, fundraiser, or another specialist.
#3. Share Our Strength
Share Our Strength is a US-based charity working to end hunger and poverty in America. It runs the No Kid Hungry campaign, which helps communities and schools feed kids. The campaign also has programs that help families, especially single mothers, who are more likely to face economic barriers. Share Our Strength works to increase federal and state resources for single moms, advocate for higher wages, and build the movement to end hunger. While Share Our Strength is not a disaster relief organization, it does connect with community organizations during crises.
Share Our Strength/No Kid Hungry accepts one-time and monthly donations online. You can pay with a credit/debit card, bank transfer, or through PayPal. Donations support programs that provide food; Share Our Strength/No Kid Hungry doesn’t make the meals themselves.
#4. LIFT
Since 1998, LIFT has worked to end poverty in the United States. Today, it runs in four cities in the US: Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York. Poverty is cyclical, so LIFT coaches parents who want to break the cycle and provide good lives for their families. The charity targets three areas: hope, money, and love. According to LIFT’s website, the money program, which includes coaching and direct cash, has helped 95% of LIFT participants improve their finances in three months.
If you want to support LIFT’s work, you can make a one-time, monthly, quarterly, or yearly donation to LIFT headquarters or a specific city. LIFT also accepts company match donations, Donor Advised Funds, and securities.
#5. Family Promise
In the last 30 years, Family Promise has grown from a local organization in New Jersey to a national movement working to end family homelessness. It operates in most states in the USA and has helped more than 1 million families since it started. With partnerships and programs, Family Promise focuses on homelessness prevention, emergency shelter, stabilization, housing, and community services. In 2023, 81% of the families served by Family Promise moved from a shelter to stable housing.
Family Promise accepts a variety of donation options, including donations online and by mail. You can donate cash, stock, cryptocurrency, through planned giving, or through a company match.
#6. Helpers Social Development Foundation
The Helpers Social Development Foundation (HSDF) works with families, girls, and youth in Nigeria who need financial help. According to the charity’s website, over 60% of Nigerians live in poverty. With its partner organizations, HSDF distributes school supplies, offers scholarships, establishes free nursery and primary schools, supports unemployed youth, and conducts health awareness outreach.
HSDF welcomes support through the GlobalGiving platform, which lets donors give tax-deductible gifts. You can also give cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin or Ethereum. Check the charity’s donation portal for more information on giving.
#7. Afrika Tikkun
Afrika Tikkun is a nonprofit from South Africa. Since 1994, it has worked with local and international partners to provide economic support for young South Africans. For years, South Africa has endured some of the world’s worst income inequality, which makes it hard for families to support their kids and break cycles of poverty. Afrika Tikkun uses a Cradle-to-Career approach, so young people are supported from the time they’re born to when they’re 35 years old. Programs focus on early child development, career development, social support, and more.
Afrika Tikkun accepts donations from individuals and businesses. It’s registered with the South African Revenue Services, so donations are eligible for tax relief.
#8. SEWA Cooperative Federation
The informal economy is the part of the economy not taxed or monitored by the government. Around 60% of the world’s population participates in the informal economy, according to the International Monetary Fund, while around 58% of employed women work there. Many families depend on women working in this sector, but they don’t earn enough to avoid poverty. Since 1971, the SEWA Cooperative Federation has helped women’s cooperatives and collectives achieve full employment, self-reliance, skills, and more.
The SEWA Cooperative Federation accepts Razorpay-secured donations online. Once you’ve selected how many rupees you want to donate, you can choose from UPI/QR, card, netbanking, or wallet options.
#9. National Association of Free & Charitable Clinics
The National Association of Free & Charitable Clinics (NAFC) focuses on medically underserved families and individuals in the United States. It has a network of 1,400+ free and charitable clinics and pharmacies. Since 2001, the charity has served 2 million people every year with primary care, chronic disease care, dental care, mental healthcare, health education, and other essential health services.
NAFC is a registered nonprofit, so it accepts donations. On the online portal, you can choose to give a one-time or recurring donation to a program where money is needed most or to specific programs like patient care, education, and so on.
#10. Hispanic Federation
The Hispanic Federation (HF) is a US-based nonprofit membership organization. Since 1990, it has focused on the needs and empowerment of Hispanic families and institutions. Focus areas include education, health, immigration, the environment, and much more. Every year, millions of families and children are impacted by HF’s social services and the support provided to nonprofits, advocacy groups, and other institutions. HF has a presence in most states, as well as Puerto Rico.
The Hispanic Federation is a trusted charity that accepts one-time and recurring donations online. You can choose where to give your donation (where it’s needed most, the civic engagement program, to Puerto Rico, etc) and give via credit card or direct debit.
#11. Habitat for Humanity International
Habitat for Humanity is an international housing charity. Since 1976, the organization has worked with families, communities, volunteers and partners on housing stability and affordability. More than 59 million people have improved their living conditions since the charity began its work. Habitat now works in 70+ countries and advocates for policies that make it easier for low-income families to get safe shelter. Programs include housing construction, neighborhood revitalization, disaster response, and financial education.
Habitat accepts one-time and monthly online donations, as well as planned giving, corporate and workplace giving, and item donations. Accepted items include cars, building materials, and furniture.
#12. CARE
Since its launch almost a century ago, CARE and its partners have worked to end poverty and injustice in 109 countries. Women and girls get special care, as they’re most vulnerable to poverty and discrimination, but the charity wants to make life better for entire families and communities. In 2023, CARE’s programs reached 167 million people. Focus areas include climate, food, water, equality, health, education, work, and more.
Supporters can donate to CARE in many ways. The charity accepts gifts by phone, mail, or electronic funds. You can give cash, stock, mutual funds, airline miles, cryptocurrency, and more. CARE also accepts vehicle donations!
#13. United Way
United Way is a global organization with a network presence in 37 countries and 1,100 communities. With partners, donors, volunteers, and community leaders, the charity works in education, health, and economic mobility. Every member of a family experiences a positive impact. According to the charity’s website, 74% of youth served by United Way get jobs or education, while 81% of children and adults enjoy healthier diets and increased physical activity.
United Way accepts many donation types, such as cash, stock, Bitcoin, and planned giving. If you want to give money, you can give once or set up a monthly donation to a United Way in the US or internationally.