GivingTuesday is a global generosity movement that, since its inception in 2012, takes place on the first Tuesday after the American holiday of Thanksgiving. GivingTuesday sprang from the basic idea of having a day that encourages people to do good in their communities.
“This idea has grown into a global movement that inspires hundreds of millions of people to give, collaborate and celebrate generosity,” according to the movement’s website. Plenty of local organizations could use help on this global day of giving, including those listed below. To add an organization, send us an email at visource@gmail.com with GivingTuesday in the subject line.
The Animal Care Center of St. John is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to the well-being and care of homeless, abandoned and abused animals on St. John. Visit their website to learn more, email info@stjacc.org or call 340-774-1625.
GivingTuesday gifts made to Antilles School support educational access, along with student experiences, programs, and faculty development. Donations can be made here.
Atelier St Thomas Arts Foundation / 81C Arts is a nonprofit organization founded by Zack Zook in 2017 that produces art and education programs in historic Charlotte Amalie, including the DigiLocal after-school digital animation course, the Expression Through the Arts summer youth art program, an Artist Support Program, offering no-cost art studio space to emerging Virgin Islands artists, and the Artist Dialogues Series that hosts educational group gallery visits. For more information and to donate, visit linktr.ee/81cvi, 81CVI.ORG and 81CVI.COM.
The Boys and Girls Club of St. Thomas/St. John helps youths ages seven to 17 to reach their full potential, working with young people from disadvantaged economic, social and family circumstances to offer educational and community support that is vital to their success. Visit their website to learn more and to donate.
Cancer Support V.I. raises funds and awareness for all those fighting cancer. To donate, or to join the Leaderboard challenge as an individual or a team, visit the website.
Caribbean Museum Center for the Arts, or CMCArts, on St. Croix, serves and promotes the rich cultural and artistic traditions of Caribbean art. The museum encourages artistic expression and learning for all ages. To learn more, visit the website.
Caribbean Volunteer Services, Inc. helps Virgin Islanders in crisis, with a focus on mental health, housing and elder care. To learn more, visit their website.
Among its many services, Catholic Charities of the Virgin Islands offers emergency shelters on St. Thomas and St. Croix, and soup kitchens on St. Thomas, St. Croix, and St. John where daily meals are offered to anyone in need. Additionally, shelter staff facilitate referrals to mainstream and other services. To donate, visit the website, call 340-777-8518 or email info@catholiccharitiesvi.org.
The Children’s Museum of St. Croix, a 501(c)(3) organization, provides a multifaceted, interactive, creative space for children and families to discover a variety of learning opportunities inherent in play. To learn more and to donate, visit the website.
Collective Collaboration Inc. on St. Croix is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization for adults suffering from mental health issues and those who are unhoused. To learn more, visit the Facebook page, email kdickenson@collectivecollaborationvi.com, or call 340-718-8224.
The Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands’ Virtual Giving Tree project is back for the fifth year. Donations can be made online at cfvi.co/DonateGivingTree. One hundred percent of all proceeds will directly support the holiday-related needs of USVI nonprofits. Funding is used to provide seniors, low-income families and children, the homeless and others with a variety of needs, including food, personal care products, holiday gift baskets, clothing, toys, and much more. For a detailed list, read the press release from last year.
The Diane Hampton, V.I. Breast Cancer Project’s goal is to reach out to as many women in the USVI as possible in order to improve their health and eliminate health disparities, including through art therapy, research, advocacy and public policy. Learn more here and on the USVI Cancer Coalition website.
The Family Resource Center on St. Thomas offers 24-hour crisis response and support to victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and other violent crimes, including emergency shelter, referrals, legal advocacy, intervention programs and community education. Visit the website to learn more.
Friends of Virgin Islands National Park will be paying back the support afforded it by the St. John community and beyond this GivingTuesday with a Community Plant Giveaway at the National Park Visitor Center Pavilion in Cruz Bay from 8 to 10 a.m. or until plants are gone. Light refreshments will be served. Additionally, shoppers will receive a 25 percent discount at the visitor center or at the Friends online shop with the discount code THANKYOU. Visit the Friends website for more information or to donate.
Friends of the Virgin Islands National Park Sea Turtle Program aims to protect sea turtle nests, facilitate research projects, and spread awareness of sea turtle conservation in Virgin Islands National Park and its surrounding waters including the Virgin Islands Coral Reef National Monument. The program is funded and managed by Friends of Virgin Islands National Park with the invaluable support of 80 volunteers. To learn more and to donate, visit their website.
The Foundation for Development Planning asks the community to support its initiative to increase access to information for learning, individual growth, and community development that is critical for decision-making in all facets of development, especially in small island states with limited capacity and high levels of vulnerability, according to its GivingTuesday campaign. Donations can be made here.
The Gov. Juan F. Luis Hospital Foundation’s mission is to “Enhance Healthcare Delivery in St. Croix with long-term sustainability for our community.” Through its board of directors, SCCHF, supported by Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands, seeks to increase community awareness, raise funds for programs and services, and provide stewardship of the funds, to advance local health care and improve quality patient care for the residents of our community. Visit the website to learn more.
The Humane Society of St. Thomas has a GivingTuesday goal of $50,000 that will support the efforts of its staff in continuing to help care for the shelter pets in need. Each gift up to $10,000 will be matched by the Randolph Knight Charitable Foundation for double the impact. Donations can be made here. Give at: www.humanesocietystthomas.org
Lion Haven on St. Croix provides a safe place after school for local youth to learn, grow and thrive through activities such as sports, gardening/farming, arts, classwork assistance, and other engaging activities. To learn more, visit lionhaven.org, email donations@lionhaven.org, or visit their Facebook page.
Lutheran Social Services of the V.I. is a multiservice nonprofit organization headquartered in Frederiksted, St. Croix, that has been in operation since 1904. The largest private child and family service agency in the U.S. Virgin Islands, it offers programs for abused, abandoned and neglected children, pregnant women and families, low-income seniors and adults with disabilities. To learn more and to donate, visit the website.
My Brother’s Workshop, which provides faith, hope, and purpose through mentoring, mental health counseling, education, paid job training, and job placement to youth of the U.S. Virgin Islands, will host a thank you reception from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at its main campus located off the Donoe Bypass, next to Home Depot, on St. Thomas. Light hors d’oeuvres and beverages will be provided. This year, Dick and Lynnae Kotz have pledged to match all donations up to $40,000 made now through GivingTuesday. To donate, visit the website.
Nana Baby Children’s Home has been a fixture in the St. Thomas community for more than 30 years, offering a 24/7, 365-days-a-year emergency placement group home for children in crisis. Its small team works to create and maintain a warm, safe, loving and happy environment for the children who need them. To learn more, visit their website, email nanababyhome@gmail.com or call (340) 775-0044.
Our Town Frederiksted, Inc., established in 1988 on St. Croix, has been a steadfast advocate for community empowerment and historic preservation, proactively addressing the needs and aspirations of Frederiksted’s Historic District. Its primary objective is to foster sustainable growth and invigorate the local economy through strategic leadership, aiming for a revitalized and thriving Frederiksted. Visit the website to learn more.
Project Promise on St. Croix is dedicated to giving at-risk youth the tools and support they need to live healthier lives. From life coaching and personal wellness to academic tutoring, community service, cultural programs, family services, and more, Project Promise offers an opportunity for positive change in a safe, secure, and nurturing environment by introducing children to our natural resources, history and culture, and the most valuable resource, themselves. Visit the website to learn more.
The Ruby Rutnik Scholarship Fund was created 27 years ago to honor the memory of Ruby Rutnik, who was a senior at American University when she died in a car accident in 1996. Since its inception, the fund has awarded a total of nearly $200,000 to more than 70 recipients. The scholarship is open to any young woman who has resided on St. John for at least five years and is pursuing a degree in higher education. Those wishing to contribute to the scholarship fund are asked to make their checks payable to Gifft Hill School, noting RRSF on the bottom of the check, and mail it to GHS, P.O. Box 1657, St. John, VI 00831.
Ruff Start Rescue STX is a 501(c) 3 nonprofit organization, and its mission is to proactively search out the dogs who can’t search for help themselves. In addition, they offer educational youth programs to encourage animal compassion and advocacy in their everyday lives. To donate, visit https://ruffstartstx.org/donate/.
The St. Croix Animal Welfare Center provides and promotes the humane treatment of animals through education, animal protection, and community service, including a low-cost community veterinary clinic. Its duty is to the orphaned, abused, neglected, and unwanted animals of St. Croix as the only open-admissions shelter, never turning away an animal in need. Visit their website to learn more.
The St. Croix Environmental Association promotes the conservation of environmental resources, provides education and advocates for environmentally responsible actions that benefit St. Croix. Visit the website to learn more and to donate.
The St. Croix Landmarks Society exists to cultivate appreciation of St. Croix’s rich history and enduring legacy through an array of museums and programming. Visit their website to learn more.
The St. George Village Botanical Gardens on St. Croix, featuring 16 acres planted with more than 1,000 Caribbean and pantropical plants growing against a backdrop of ruins and repurposed buildings of an 18thcentury Danish colonial sugar plantation, is dedicated to the conservation and preservation of both the historical and living collections on its grounds. To learn more, visit the website.
The non-profit St. John Historical Society’s mission is to document, preserve and share with the public the history of St. John. This is achieved with the help of numerous professional historians, crafts people, artisans, musicians and educators who have brought this island’s rich history to life. Through its collections, publications, media, educational programs, field trips, special events and more, the Historical Society continues to be a leading resource for discovering the island. Visit the website to learn more and to donate.
The non-profit St. John Rescue is an all-volunteer organization dedicated to saving lives, providing community education and building a better way of life for the people of St. John. To learn more and to donate, visit their Facebook page and stjrescue.networkforgood.com, or call 340-693-7377.
St. John School of the Arts works to empower the island’s youth and their families through its passion for music, dance, theater and visual arts. Its programs seek to instill creativity and a greater sense of collaboration throughout the diverse community of St. John, helping to transform lives and inspire greatness by instilling poise, confidence and character. Visit the website to learn more and to donate.
Deck the halls with gifts that last. From home-cooked dinners to a good night’s sleep, your donation to The Salvation Army can help your neighbors in need all year round. Visit give.salvationarmyusa.org.
Supporting Schneider Regional Medical Center Foundation is “an investment in the well-being of your neighbors, parents, kids, and yourself! Every contribution helps enhance technology, improve treatment options, and create a superior care environment,” according to SRMC’s giving campaign. Visit the website to learn more.
Sing St. John’s mission it to provide universally accessible singing for all ages on St. John, fostering cultural awareness, a meaningful sense of community, and resilience. Its endeavors include the St. John All-Island Children’s Choir, Ocama Youth Choir, St. John Recovery Choir, and the Senior Singalong. It envisions a world that is inclusive, in which every voice counts and believes that healthy diversity brings strength, and that joy heals. To learn more and to donate, visit their website.
The V.I. Children’s Museum’s GivingTuesday donations will go to help with operational expenses and programming. GlobalGiving — a nonprofit that supports other nonprofits by connecting them to donors and companies through their global online platform — will match donations made on Dec. 3 only. Visit the museum’s website to learn more and to donate.
The Virgin Islands Justice Initiative is a 501(c) 3 nonprofit organization focused on creating opportunities for the poor to succeed through economic justice and poverty law. It provides free legal representation, education, and resources for economic and social mobility and provides essential legal services, programs, and initiatives to the community. To learn more, visit the website. Donations can be made here.
The Women’s Coalition of St. Croix offers advocacy, programs and services for the safety and health of the territory’s people, families, and community. Donations may be made on their secure page. Then, use the unselfie image to share the great news about your investment and peace on your favorite social channels.
