I usually keep my donations private, as it’s a personal act. As I go through my end-of-year charity list, however, I realized that supporting organizations goes beyond money, so here are the five charities I’m supporting this year. Check our their incredible work and, if you feel so inclined, consider supporting them as well.
Have a great holiday season and safe passage into 2022.
— Derek
LA Mission
Homelessness is such an issue here in Los Angeles that it’s impossible to ignore. And you shouldn’t. Over 63k people are homeless here—larger than some small cities. LA Mission has been in operation since 1936, and while it’s a faith-based organization, you don’t have to be religious in order to understand helping others.
Planned Parenthood
The politicized and unjustified assault this organization has endured, especially over the last few years, means they need all the help they can get. Supporting Planned Parenthood is a no-brainer for anyone interested in public health, women’s health, and individual choice, as well as helping them provide access to necessary services in at-risk communities.
Prison Mindfulness Institute
This is one of my favorite charities that I’ve supported for a number of years. America imprisons more of its population than any other country in the world. That’s a systemic issue that needs (much) better legislation to overturn. Meanwhile, PMI provides books and educational resources to the incarcerated.
Seen & Heard
My good friend Regan founded this nonprofit to help system-impacted youth through performing arts training. This entails, in part, helping foster youth find their voice through the arts. You can listen to my conversation with Regan on Conspirituality 12.
Vets Who Code
When Jerome Hardaway returned home from service during the real estate crash, he encountered what many US veterans experience: a lack of job opportunities. Looking around, he saw that tech wasn’t as affected as other industries. So he learned to code. Then he realized that people of color don’t have as many opportunities within tech, so he founded this incredible organization that trains veterans how to code and navigate the industry. You can listen to my conversation with Jerome on Wednesdays Get Centered 5.