While 2020 has been a struggle for us all, this holiday season we want to remember that showing kindness and support to those who may be hit harder than us is what we are called to do as good humans. If you don’t have a favorite charity or a way to give back this holiday season, we encourage you to consider one of the charities listed below. These are favorite charities and causes of various Ants.
Women in Recovery (WIR) is an intensive outpatient alternative for eligible women facing long prison sentences for non-violent, drug-related offenses. One of the organization’s main goals is to break the cycle of intergenerational incarceration while helping women build successful and productive lives.
Family Promise of Tulsa County is a nonprofit, multifaith organization affiliated with National Family Promise that provides shelter, meals and support to homeless children and their families. Family Promise initiates coordinated efforts that bring communities together to help homeless families regain their housing, independence and dignity.
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
St. Jude is leading the way in which the world understands, treats and defeats childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases. No family with a child at St. Jude ever receives a bill for treatment, lodging or meals.
Mainsprings personifies the hope and joy seen in the eyes of East African children and families who are mastering the life skills necessary to break the cycle of poverty and create a sustainable future for themselves and their community. Mainsprings provides compassionate, lasting, innovative change via safe refuge, education, healthcare and economic sustainability through agriculture. Like a nurturing family, Mainsprings creates an environment where children are empowered to develop lifelong skills. With the partnership of staff, donors, volunteers and local villages, Mainsprings makes possible a new, hopeful reality for East African communities.
Young People of the Next Generation (YPNG)
Many young people do not have the resources to identify career opportunities, evaluate suitable options or create a plan to achieve their academic and financial goals. YPNG seeks to change this by providing information to help young people make educated and fulfilling career choices that will prove to be a worthwhile investment of time and money. This is done through mentorship and initiatives at historically underserved schools in Tulsa. Young people can also learn about career options through virtual Q&A sessions, in-depth blog article interviews and podcasts through the website.
Make-A-Wish Foundation – Oklahoma
A wish experience can be a game-changer for a child with a critical illness. This one belief guides everything the Make-A-Wish Foundation does. Make-A-Wish grants life-changing wishes for children going through so much. These wishes are far more than gifts, or singular events in time; they impact everyone involved—wish kids, volunteers, donors, sponsors, medical professionals and communities. For wish kids, having their wish come true can give them the courage to comply with their medical treatments. For parents, they can feel a sense of optimism. And for those who help grant wishes, they can realize all they have to offer the world through volunteer work or philanthropy.