For Giving Tuesday, here are 35 Triangle organizations that can use your help

In this year like no other, the coronavirus pandemic has illustrated the community’s many needs — from hunger and housing to education and business.

In other words, this year’s Giving Tuesday may resonate even more as non-profit organizations and those who help our needy are struggling too.

This list of potential organizations to donate to — some of which appeared in Walter magazine last year — is by no means complete. But it represents an array of causes that might need your time and skills along with financial contributions.

While many of these groups operate year-round, they have adapted during the pandemic as more people turn to them for their services.

As with most organizations these days, especially those that accept donations of clothing or furniture or typically rely on volunteers, be sure to check how they are operating under coronavirus conditions.

Activate Good

This Raleigh group helps organize volunteers for a number of causes. During the COVID-19 outbreak, they’ve compiled an evolving list of groups in need. Visit Activategood.org/covid19 for volunteer needs. activategood.org

Arts Access

Arts Access works to make the arts in North Carolina accessible to children and adults with disabilities. Contribute your photography, business, marketing and graphic design expertise to support outreach efforts for the organization. artsaccessinc.org

A Place at the Table

This sunny, downtown café, Raleigh’s first pay-what-you-can restaurant, nurtures community by serving delicious food to all — regardless of ability to pay. tableraleigh.org

Bridge the Gap Mission

Bridge the Gap Mission aims to provide immediate assistance to low-income and disadvantaged families, through education, food and clothing drives. Volunteers also are needed to make these programs a reality. bridgethegapmission.org or facebook.com/BridgeTheGapMissionNC

Code the Dream

Through their free, intensive software development training, people from diverse low-income backgrounds can build useful apps to launch new careers. Pass along your coding prowess by volunteering as a teacher or mentor, or just contribute to the Durham organization. codethedream.org

Communities in Schools of Wake County

This program empowers students to stay in school and graduate. Become part of a student’s community by signing up as a youth mentor or volunteering in an after-school center. ciswake.org

Designed for Joy

This studio creates stylish leather earrings… and opportunity. Here, women in transitional situations can find a living wage plus work experience and references to help them succeed in the job market. Shop their studio on Crabtree Boulevard or online store. designedforjoy.com

Dorcas Ministries

Dorcas Ministries in Cary provides emergency assistance in the form of shelter, clothing, food, fuel, transportation, medical care, childcare and educational expenses. dorcascary.org

Durham Arts Council Arts Recovery Fund

The Durham Arts Council Arts Recovery Fund is working in partnership with the Durham Artist Relief Fund established by Northstar Church of the Arts to raise emergency funds for artists affected by COVID-19. Priority is given to artists of color as well as transgender and binary artists. northstardurham.com/artistrelief

Families Together

Families Together helps families experiencing homelessness find stable housing and connect to community resources. Join their Landlord Network if you have a place to rent, create a welcome basket with cleaning supplies or match with a family to provide holiday gifts. familiestogethernc.org

Food Bank of Eastern and Central North Carolina

One of North Carolina’s largest food banks is collecting donations, dry and shelf-stable foods and asking for volunteers. For more ways to help, visit foodbankcenc.org.

The Green Chair Project

When families are recovering from homelessness, crisis or disaster, Green Chair offers the comforts of home. Pass along your gently used home furnishings; check guidelines for donations first. You can also be part of the Giving Tree. Pick a tag from the pink giving tree at the Green Chair’s Raleigh headquarters. Buy a gift, or search the online wishlist. thegreenchair.org

Habitat for Humanity

Habitat for Humanity partners with local corporations, individuals, congregations and community groups to build safe, affordable homes with local families. There are chapters in Wake County (habitatwake.org/) and Durham (durhamhabitat.org/).

Haven House Services

Haven House operates 11 youth programs, including Wrenn House, the Triangle’s only emergency shelter for youth ages 10-17 experiencing homelessness and/or a crisis. Brighten a child or teen’s holiday by adopting a family and shopping for gifts. havenhousenc.org

Health Connect South

Health Connect South has designed an online directory to help individuals get information and access to donate items such as protective equipment, medical supplies and more. healthconnectsouth.com/health-connect-south-covid-19/

Inter-Faith Food Shuttle

The Food Shuttle fights hunger, in all its manifestations. Lead a community health education class, organize a food drive or check to see if your local elementary school has a Backpack Buddies program that you can support financially or as a volunteer. foodshuttle.org

Legal Aid of North Carolina

Legal Aid of North Carolina is a statewide, nonprofit law firm that provides free legal services in civil matters to low-income people in order to ensure equal access to justice and to remove legal barriers to economic opportunity. legalaidnc.org

Lutheran Family Services Resettlement Help

LFS welcomes refugees and immigrants and facilitates housing, health screenings and school enrollment. Join a “Circle of Welcome” to help families who have just arrived to the area. Volunteers are needed, and so are food pantry/household items and masks. To help financially, go to lscarolinas.net/donate.

Me Fine Foundation

Me Fine provides financial and emotional support to families with critically-ill children so they can focus on taking care of their children. Financial donations are welcome. So are gas station gift cards, so young patients can attend follow-up appointments. mefinefoundation.org

North Carolina Community Foundation

This is a broad based, statewide effort bringing together philanthropy leaders from across the state. The Healing Communities Fund will go to nonprofits that help marginalized communities who have lost revenue during the pandemic. nccommunityfoundation.org/apply/grants/north-carolina-healing-communities-fund

NC Artist Relief Fund

This fund helps artists whose gigs and exhibitions have been canceled due to the coronavirus outbreak. The fund is a collaboration of Artspace, PineCone, Theatre Raleigh, United Arts Council and VAE Raleigh. As of September, more than $210,000 was distributed among more than 700 artists across the state. vaeraleigh.org/artist-relief-fund.

NC Hunters for the Hungry

Licensed hunters can donate legally harvested deer (overpopulated in N.C.) to be processed for meat at state-inspected facilities. Then nutrient-rich venison burgers are distributed to people experiencing hunger. nchuntersforthehungry.org

North Raleigh Ministries

North Raleigh Ministries provides a pantry where people in need can shop for groceries at no cost. They need financial donations to stock their cupboards/freezers. northraleighministries.com

Note in the Pocket

The organization helps poor and homeless children in Wake County by making sure they have clothes. Children receive two weeks’ worth of clothes in their specific sizes. Clothing of all kind is needed, but check the wish lists for most needed items. noteinthepocket.org/donate-clothing-supplies/.

Oak City Cares

Oak City Cares helps the homeless by addresses housing, as well as basic needs services like showers, laundry and meals. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Oak City Cares has continued to offer these services in a modified way to ensure the safety and health of all guests and staff, as well as continuing to provide access to vital services. oakcitycares.org

Orange County Arts Support Fund

The Orange County Arts Support Fund helps artists, arts industry workers, and art organization impacted by COVID-19. artsorange.org/supportfund/

Raleigh Community Kickstand

This bicycle cooperative fixes old bikes, teaches maintenance and gives bikes to those without homes, ensuring reliable transportation. People can donate funds or their bike-repair skills. raleighcommunitykickstand.org/

Read and Feed

Read and Feed continues to deliver age-appropriate books and food to underserved children throughout Wake County during the pandemic. Read and Feed aims to provide children with the resources they need to learn to read in a safe, welcoming, and fun environment. readandfeed.org

Ronald McDonald House

Local Ronald McDonald houses offer a variety of giving opportunities to help families staying at their homes. To donate to the Chapel Hill house, go to rmhch.org. For Durham and Wake counties, go to RMHDurhamWake.org.

SAFEChild

SAFEchild eliminates child abuse and empowers families through education, advocacy and parent-to-parent support. Mentor a new mom, knit or crochet a cap for a newborn or shop for diapers, paper products, cleaning supplies and books from their online wish list. safechildnc.org/volunteer/

StepUp Ministry

StepUp Ministry is currently offering Employment Training and Placement and Life Skills programs through virtual platforms. The Real World Program for young adults provides life skills training, job support and case management. Volunteers are needed to help with virtual programs. stepupministry.org

Triangle Land Conservancy

TLC preserves natural spaces and connects people with nature in our developing region. Volunteer opportunities are on pause during the pandemic, but financial donations are needed. triangleland.org

United Way

United Way launched a Rapid Response Fund to help residents with critical resources during the pandemic, including food, hygiene supplies, childcare and housing support. unitedwaytriangle.org/response. The Anti-Racism Community Fund is devoting money to help local leaders of color and nonprofits that seek to “dismantle racist structures” in housing, food, health, work or education. unitedwaytriangle.org/arc/

Urban Ministries Of Wake County and Durham

Urban Ministries serves neighbors experiencing crisis or poverty by offering food, healthcare, medicine and shelter. To donate or learn about select COVID-19-safe volunteer opportunities, go to urbanmin.org. For Urban Ministries of Durham go to umdurham.org/.

Western Wake Crisis Ministry

Western Wake Crisis Ministry serves southwestern Wake County and is seeking food donations through Dec. 18 to stock shelves for the holidays and beyond. The Family Recovery Fund helps families deal with the economic impact of the pandemic. wwcm.org

This story was originally published November 29, 2020 at 12:00 PM.