After the rush of shopping Black Friday, followed by the urge to splurge on Cyber Monday, we love the idea of taking a break from buying to think about others on #GivingTuesday.
And while there are so many organizations and causes to support, we want to showcase a few organizations based here in Palo Alto that are doing fantastic work to make a difference for people in need. We’ve loved learning about these high impact non-profits over the past year, and their efforts to improve education, support for children with disabilities, and more.
If you are making a donation for #GivingTuesday, consider supporting one of these local efforts…
Live Like A Champ: advocates for inclusion and support for people with disabilities through “Live Like a Champ” merchandise. Started by the Pederson family of Palo Alto, including LA Dodgers star Joc Pederson and his brother Champ, Live Like a Champ has been embraced by professional athletes including Albert Pujols and Steph Curry. Read more about Live Like A Champ on Palo Alto Pulse, or purchase items here.
Tyger, Champ and Joc Pederson . Photo by the LA Dodgers.
Magical Bridge: makes it possible for children of all abilities to play together by helping to build playgrounds that are accessible by all kids. The first Magical Bridge playground opened in Palo Alto, and now more are due to open in Redwood City, Mountain View and other locations. Read more about Magical Bridge on Palo Alto Pulse, or make a donation here.
Children of all abilities play together at the Magical Bridge Playground in Palo Alto. Photo by Magical Bridge Foundation.
Morocco Library Project (MLP): builds libraries for high school students in rural Morocco so they can have access to English language books. Started in Palo Alto, MLP has funded over 30 libraries and has received support from the U.S. Embassy in Morocco. Read more about MLP on Palo Alto Pulse or make a donation here.
Barb Mackraz with FatimaZahra Taghlaoui, a founding team member of the Morocco Library Project. Photo by MLP.
Pursuit of Excellence (POE): provides college scholarships and mentoring for local low-income high school students. Since it began over 30 years ago, POE has made it possible for more than 450 students to graduate from college. Read more about POE on Palo Alto Pulse, or make a donation here.
Carol Mullin of POE with Luna Marrero, 2017 graduate of San Jose State. Photo by POE.
Random Acts of Flowers (RAF): brings solace to people suffering from illness or isolation by delivering floral arrangements created from leftover flowers to local hospitals, nursing homes and rehabilitation centers. RAF has delivered more than 25,000 floral arrangements over the past three years. Read more about RAF on Palo Alto Pulse, or make a donation here.
RAF volunteers bring joy to hospitals, nursing homes and other locations in Silicon Valley. Photo by RAF.
Upward Scholars: provides support that allows over 200 local adult learners a year to transition to community college to learn English, gain key job skills and increase access to high paying jobs. Read more about Upward Scholars on Palo Alto Pulse, or make a donation here.
Upward Scholars helps adult learners continue their education. Photo by Upward Scholars.
