Invested in our communities
BECAUSE WE LIVE HERE, TOO

There are a multitude of ways you can help charities and organizations, including:

• Volunteering your time and effort
• Donating money or items
• "Rounding up" your purchases at local grocery stores and restaurants
• Participating in toy drives
• Shopping at and supporting small businesses

There are many websites that give you a directory of organizations in need, such as this search directory on Charity Navigator that allows you to find charities based on location, cause, and more.

You can also ask around or check the websites of charities - many even have a volunteer application or wishlist that lists specifically what they need.

Depending on how you file, many charitable donations qualify you for tax breaks. Talk to your tax preparer or financial advisor to see if you qualify and if claiming donations on your taxes is right for you.

Possibly. Some employers, such as OMB, offer paid Volunteer Time Off (VTO) hours that employees can use throughout the year to volunteer without losing out on pay. Talk to your employer or HR department to see your options for paid volunteering.

If you are ineligible or would prefer not to volunteer during standard work hours, many places can still use help on nights and weekends.

This is entirely up to you. A good place to start is to identify your passions or causes most closely aligned with what matters to you and seek organizations out that supports those causes. Some common categories include:

• Animal welfare
• Domestic violence support
• Hospitalized youth
• The eldery
• Veterans
• Human rights/social justice
• Environmental impact

Charity Navigator is a site that offers ratings on thousands of charities, based on accountability, impact, financial transparency, and more. This is a good way to gather information on different charities so you can make an informed decision on which you feel most comfortable supporting.