CINCINNATI — On Giving Tuesday, a day to inspire communities to give back and do good, there were thousands of nonprofits and organizations looking for donations.
This year, those donations are even more important for many nonprofits due to federal funding cuts they faced earlier in the year.
Hear about two local non-profits you can support this Giving Tuesday, and how they impact the community:
“Support from the community is more important every day,” said Rachel Fausz, the Vice President of Advancement & Marketing with Easterseals Redwood.
On Tuesday, we spoke with Fausz about their Giving Tuesday drive and how they plan to use the funds donated to continue their mission.
“Be it therapy services for children and adults with disabilities, it could be supporting veterans in their job training and credentialing that we’re offering,” Fausz said.
Michael Wiggins-Bey is a veteran who first came to Easterseals Redwood when he was living on the streets.
“This became a place where I could come every day. The services here are phenomenal,” Wiggins-Bey said. “I am a perennial fixture in the gaming lounge, and for me, the gaming was just much-needed therapy.”
The place where Wiggins-Bey could unwind and get job help eventually became not only his safe space but also his place of work. He now works as a facilities and maintenance technician for Easterseals.
“I said, I will apply for every position that you have, wherever you can fit me in. I would love to be a part of this family. Like I said, it was just invaluable,” Wiggins-Bey said.
You can donate to Easterseals Redwood through their website.
We also caught up with the Reds Community Fund. Charley Frank, executive director for the Reds Community Fund, said donations made to them on Giving Tuesday will go towards their "Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities" program for youth.
“Our goal here isn’t to necessarily to just create terrific softball and baseball players, we really wanna create major league citizens,” Frank said.
Frank said the money will specifically go towards scholarships for 32 high school seniors in the program, like Chloe Bischoff.
“I plan to go into dental hygiene, and it’s a two-to-three-year program, so I’ll go to college for that,” Bischoff said.
We asked Bischoff what it meant to get the scholarship.
“It means the world, it’s the biggest blessing,” Bischoff said. “This place has given me so many opportunities, and I don’t know where I’d be without this place.”
The Reds Community Fund Board will also match up to $10,000 of donations made on Giving Tuesday.
You can donate to the Reds Community Fund online.
Here are some other local nonprofits you can donate to:
Bethany House
Bethany House Services is the largest provider of family homelessness services in Greater Cincinnati, serving more than 2,500 people each year – two-thirds of them children. It is the only local organization that addresses every stage of housing instability, offering prevention programs, emergency shelter and post-shelter support to help families achieve lasting stability.
Clifton Cultural Arts Center
The Clifton Cultural Arts Center (CCAC) is a nonprofit, community-driven, multidisciplinary arts center. Over more than 16 years, CCAC has become a leading arts center in the region, serving more than 40,000 residents annually. In early 2024, CCAC opened Cincinnati’s first purpose-built community arts center.
Jeff Ruby Foundation
Formed in 2018, The Jeff Ruby Foundation works to drive systematic changes for those impacted by the foster care system. Having his own experience of a troubled childhood that was turned around by guidance from an influential force, Jeff Ruby's passion for finding solutions to provide stable and loving homes for vulnerable youth inspired him to start the foundation.
Mardi Gras Benefitting Homeless Children
Founded in 1990 by the Northern Kentucky Restaurant Association, Mardi Gras Benefitting Homeless Children began as a community response to a tragic fire that claimed the lives of four homeless children in Cincinnati. Since then, it has grown into one of the region’s most impactful fundraisers, raising more than $2.93 million to provide meals, shelter and essential resources for children and families experiencing homelessness.
People Working Cooperatively
For 50 years, People Working Cooperatively has been strengthening the Tri-State region by providing critical home repairs, energy conservation and mobility modification services to residents living on low and fixed incomes so they can remain independent and healthy in their homes.
