Give Back

Charitable giving is down. Way down. It’s another highly unfortunate outcome of the pandemic that hits those who need it most the hardest—the less fortunate. And, yet, ironically, the need is greater than ever before. Homelessness and food insecurity have skyrocketed—as have the number of children going to rest their heads at night without beds to sleep in. To put the giving downturn in real-data perspective, North Carolina drew $34+ million in charitable donations between July 1, 2020, and June 30, 2021—down a whopping $10.8 million in overall giving from the year prior, per the most recent report, released end of November 2021. Of course, some of this decline is a direct result of charities’ inability to hold galas, auctions and the like, and will thus naturally improve upon the return
of those events. 

It was a “difficult year for recipients of charitable works, the fundraisers, the charities—they had volunteers before and some of those are now recipients,” said Secretary of State Elaine Marshall upon the release of the 2021 report (the 2022 annual report will be released at the end of November). “But North Carolinians are still generous at heart and willing to help their neighbors.” 

And the charities have made the most out of the money they have received. For context, in 2019, on average, over 80.53% of money donated went to the charitable cause or project, with less than 20% going to the charity’s overhead—an all-time high for the state that exceeds the national rate. 

Now, as we put the pandemic behind us, we have to get back there. So whether you’re feeling fortunate and able to give or looking for where to land that Q4 tax-deductible donation, we implore you to dole your dollars to the local community to breed growth and change here at home. There is no shortage of choices.

“I don’t care if your passion is children, whether it’s homelessness, whether it’s animals, veterans—just on and on,” says Marshall, “we do have a lot of opportunities because we’ve got a lot of good, loving hearts in this area.” ’Tis the season of charitable giving—give it to Raleigh. sosnc.gov

$10.8 MILLION LESS DONATIONS

Shelter & Home

The Green Chair Project

Helps put kids’ heads in beds for a good night’s sleep, and provides essential furnishings for family homes. Donate gently used furnishings or $250 for Sweeter Dreams Beds, thegreenchair.org

The Women’s Center

Assists at-risk and homeless women with safety and stability by providing basic needs and extended support. Donate supplies and funds, wcwc.org

Raleigh Rescue Mission 

Provides shelter and security for men, women and children experiencing homelessness. Donate funds, food, personal items, or clothing; purchase from Amazon Wish List, raleighrescue.org 

1,500 Homeless in Wake County

Up 68% from 2021 (Sept. 2022)

Food Secure

Inter-Faith Food Shuttle

Works to end hunger by feeding families and teaching them to meet their own food needs. Its BackPack Buddies Program distributes prepacked food to food-insecure children for the weekend. Donate funds or food, foodshuttle.org

A Place at The Table 

Eat here—give a meal. Raleigh’s first and only pay-what-you-can cafe reinvents how our community is fed. Sponsor a PLACE Card to hand out or leave at cafe, tableraleigh.org

Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina

Hunger matters—and the Food Bank provided 81+ million meals to families & individuals last year. New this year, Pop-Up Markets fill gaps for families via direct distribution in the community. Donate funds or food, or shop the Food Bank Shop, foodbankcenc.org

“Raleigh always shows up to help.”

Maggie Kane, founder, A Place at the Table

37K Wake County Children Under 18 Years Old Who Are Food Insecure

(Nov. 21)

Immediate Impact

• $10 
• One meal at A Place at the Table
• tableraleigh.org

• $20 
• Participation for a child in youth sports programs or arts classes at Parks Pay It Forward Raleigh
• raleighnc.gov

• $45 
• A Thanksgiving turkey via ticket purchase to the Turkey Ball at Mulino Italian Kitchen & Bar
• mulinoraleigh.com

• $50 
• Five-day supply of antibiotics via FIGS
• figsofwake.org

• $60
• Provides 300 meals via Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina
• foodbankcenc.org

• $100 
• Front door via Habitat for Humanity
• habitatwake.org

• $200 
• One month of transitional housing for a family through Family Promise of Wake County
• familypromisewakenc.org

• $250
• A bed for one child through The Green Chair Project
• thegreenchair.org