Giving Tuesday is next week. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the event, what started out as just a hashtag (#GivingTuesday) has turned into one of the biggest fundraising days of the year for nonprofits in the U.S. Giving Tuesday traditionally falls on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, which, this year, is Dec. 3.
The whole point of Giving Tuesday is to raise money and engage supporters. Is it working? According to estimates from GivingTuesday, in 2022 and 2023, the day of giving raised $3.1 billion for charitable organizations.
The fire service has many nonprofit organizations that provide extraordinary help to firefighters and their families. Below is just a partial list of organizations you should consider donating to this year.
Nonprofit Fire Service Organizations
- Fire Family Foundation: The foundation provides support and financial assistance to firefighters and their families in times of need and grant scholarships to the college-bound children of firefighters.
- Firehouse Subs Foundation: The foundation donates lifesaving equipment and resources to first responders and public safety organizations through a quarterly grant program.
- Folds of Honor: Since 2007, the organization has provided life-changing scholarships to the spouses and children of America’s fallen or disabled military. And now, its mission has expanded to the families of America’s first responders.
- Gary Sinise Foundation: The foundation serves our nation by honoring our defenders, veterans, first responders, their families, and those in need. They do this by creating and supporting unique programs designed to entertain, educate, inspire, strengthen, and build communities.
- The Leary Firefighters Foundation: The foundation funds equipment, vehicles, education, training and technology for firefighters nationwide.
- National Fallen Firefighters Foundation: The mission of the foundation is to honor America’s fallen fire heroes; support their families, colleagues, and organizations; and work to reduce preventable firefighter death and injury.
- National Volunteer Fire Council: The NVFC serves as the voice of the volunteer in the national arena and provides critical resources, programs, education, and advocacy for first responders across the nation.
- Phoenix Society for Burn Survivors: The society serves burn survivors, loved ones, burn care professionals, researchers, and anyone else committed to empowering the burn community and building a safer world.
- Tunnel to Towers Foundation: Since 9/11, the foundation has been helping America’s heroes by providing mortgage-free homes to Gold Star and fallen first responder families with young children and by building specially-adapted smart homes for catastrophically injured veterans and first responders. They are also committed to eradicating veteran homelessness and helping America to Never Forget September 11, 2001.
- The Yard Foundation: The foundation provides funding and assistance to firefighters, first responders, and their families who are in need, be it from illness, disease, or other circumstances.
You can use Charity Navigator to find more fire service-related companies that could use your help.
Steven Shaw | Managing Editor, Firehouse.com
Steven Shaw is the managing editor of Firehouse.com. Shaw served as editorial director of the James H. Neal Award-winning “WTC: In Their Own Words” and “Hot Shots: Spectacular Fire Photos.” He previously served as editor-in-chief of Industrial Photography, The Commercial Image and Studio Photography and Design.
