35 Non-Profits Memphians Love (And Counting!)
First off, a warning: This post gave me all the feels. I'm lucky enough to have met many of the readers - some now friends - who contributed to this post, and they're wonderful people. I'm proud to share this city with y'all.
You can check out the updated 2019 Guide To Giving Back and Volunteer I also wanted to take it a step further.
So, I asked I Love Memphis readers and my friends about their favorite non-profits and charities and why they, as Memphians, decided to commit to supporting those orgs.
Here are some of your answers. (Some have been edited for length or clarity.)
Boys & Girls Club of Memphis. These clubs open their doors to teens when often there are no others. - Erina V.
Forrest Spence fund! Helping families of hospitalized children with non medical expenses. - Melissa M.
Boys & Girls Clubs of Memphis, for the data supported results in positively influencing the youth in this City. - Paulo T.
Memphis CHOICES. Having worked here and been a patient, I have a deep respect and appreciation for the pro-educational, pro-individual way they approach their work…and the myriad services they offer the entire community regardless of background, gender identity, or sexual orientation. - Bethany V.
Make-A-Wish® Mid-South because the smile on a sweet child's face who might not have much to smile about is the best. - Nina W.
How can I choose just one? Mid-South Food Bank, Planned Parenthood Greater Mid-South, & various animal rescue groups are the last few I've donated to this fall. - Sarah B.
Merge Memphis. I imagine someone with no food when my belly is full every night, the least my family can do is provide food for someone hungry in The Little Free Pantry. - Laurie M.
Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Memphis because generational poverty is being broken daily because of the outstanding mentoring, college preparation, and technical education students receive from kindergarten to career. - Tiffanie G.
Manna House is (literally) a shelter from the storm for so many homeless Memphians. Not an overnight shelter, but they provide hot showers, clean clothes, and endless cups of coffee for their patrons, at no cost. Radical Hospitality at its finest. - Samantha V.
Methodist Hospice; they do difficult and amazing work! - Liz H.
MIFA. I'm very new to knowing the extent of MIFA's contribution to Memphis. Not only do they run Meals on Wheels for the elderly, they provide transportation to medical appointments. And not only do they help provide housing for families in need, they work to keep them in neighborhoods where their support systems are located. - Kendyl M.
One of my favorites is Mid-South Peace and Justice Center because they do the hard (often unpopular) work to truly help Memphians who need it the most. - Holly W. (yours truly)
Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Memphis is my favorite non-profit. Every child deserves a chance to become the best person they can be. Boys & Girls Clubs offer a safe place with caring mentors where a child can learn, grow and reach their full potential. - Creston B.
I support St. Jude, Le Bonheur, Streetdog Foundation, Boys and Girls Club, Planned Parenthood, Project Green Fork, Clean Memphis, West TN Veterans Home! - Nathan S.
Le Bonheur Children's Hospital. They do an outstanding job at taking care of sick children. - Zoraya R.
Alzheimer's Association - West TN. They are a tremendous non-profit who provides free services to families dealing with dementia and alzheimer's diagnosis. From hosting meetings and conferences for caregivers around the west TN area to advocating for research dollars and programs, they truly have a passion for their work. I'm grateful for them and the work they do each day. - Robynn H.
Community Legal Center provides access to civil legal counsel for Shelby County residents of limited means, from single moms and elderly widows to abuse victims and asylum seekers. In 2016, the CLC responded to 4,266 calls for help, represented 310 clients in civil matters, assisted 133 immigration clients, aided 75 elder clients, and successfully handled 21 conservatorships. These may seem like just numbers, but each one represents a real person in Memphis in need! - Jerri G.
Red Shoe Society - Ronald McDonald House of Memphis because we raise money towards hosting fun activities and dinners at the house where most families have been uprooted to come to Memphis for their child to be in the care of St. Jude. - Elizabeth E.
I support 3 in December. They are: Toys for Tots, The Salvation Army Red Kettle Drive, and Angel Tree. - Denny W.
My Giving Tuesday picks this year are The Paul Oliver Foundation (they help get service dogs to veterans with PTSD), Millennials for Flint (for clean water) and Voices of the South (because I'll always support the arts!) - Rachel K.
SMA (South Memphis Alliance, Inc.) for the work they do with foster youth aging out of the system. - Shahidah J.
Alpha Omega Veterans Services, Inc. - because we are helping veterans get off the street and the help that they need to be successful in life!! - Stacie S.
COMEC- Commission on Missing and Exploited Children team does drug testing and counseling to get students back in Shelby County/Memphis City Schools, has executed AMBER Alerts in West Tennessee for 20 years, runs the drug hotline and has numerous other educational programs related to sex trafficking, runaways, cyberbullying, etc. - Kristen W.
I work there, but I started back as a volunteer, adopter, foster, and donor in 2009 before that. My vote is the Humane Society of Memphis & Shelby! I am a monthly donor. Our mission focuses on critically injured animals, and we don't receive any government funding for that. - Katie P.
Choices: Memphis Center for Reproductive Health of course! When you donate to CHOICES, you are literally giving the gift of reproductive health care to a patient. All donations during our annual fundraising campaign (which is happening right now, conveniently) go directly to help patients pay for their services. - Holly C.
Just City is doing important work as advocates for those who have been ignored, left behind, and treated unjustly in the criminal justice system. - Amanda H.
I love supporting Restore Corps. They are the sole nonprofit fighting human trafficking in West TN (and we're a HUB for trafficking). They are the sole point of contact for work with victims and work directly with the FBI and local government. Many of the news stories you hear about where pimps have been busted? It's because of them. - Shannon L.
I also love supporting Good Shepherd Health, a nonprofit pharmacy in Memphis that has completely changed the health care game. They save me personally and many others over $1000 on prescription drugs. They make medicine affordable for the uninsured, insured, AND self insured. - Shannon L.
The Memphis Child Advocacy Center does more than help kids after sexual or physical abuse. It is a team that fosters healing that lasts a lifetime...strengthens families...collaborates for justice. - Beryl W.
The Alzheimer's Association, so we can ensure that everyone in Memphis can keep their most cherished memories. We all deserve a world without Alzheimer's. Wes M.
Please consider CodeCrew! My daughter has participated in several of their programs. It's an amazing org dedicated to providing our youth with essential computer science skills that will better prepare them for the future. I also cannot forget the dynamic work for reproductive justice SisterReach is doing! - Shahidah J.
