We’ve all had difficult times in our life; that’s what makes us human. One of the best feelings is giving back to the community that help you get through your own hard times. However, some people are looking for other ways to help. With thousands of charities out there, it can be easy to overlook some, just because they are not as large or well-publicized as others. These small charities may work on more of a local scale, but they have the room to grow, and with your help, these three mostly-unknown nonprofits have the potential to change thousands of lives.
Give Back Yoga Foundation
Yoga is a centuries-old form of meditation that recently flourished around the world. People young and old praise the technique for its ability to help control breathing, relax the mind, and strengthen muscles. One benefit of yoga is heightened self-control. This is where Give Back Yoga comes in.
Give Back Yoga offers yoga classes in places where it is typically unavailable. They currently offer five programs, which include:
- Eat Breathe Thrive, which promotes positive body image
- Mindful Yoga Therapy for veterans
- Prison Yoga Project, helping inmates come to peaceful conflict resolution
- Yoga of 12-Step Recovery, aimed toward recovering addicts
- Yoga for Cancer, which helps patients reach long-term health
Although Give Back Yoga may not be glamorous, its message is positive. This incorporation of mindfulness and light exercise can help those in our communities who may be suffering the most.
Heifer International
World hunger is one problem that never seems to resolve itself. However, Heifer International is focusing on bringing skills to impoverished nations so that people can help put food on their table and bring them out of poverty. By donating, you would allow volunteers to travel to these parts of the world and teach their skills, such as crop farming and livestock raising, in order to have food and products to eat and sell. Another bonus is the value of social capital and women’s empowerment, which allows communities to thrive on a broader scale.
Many successful people believe it is important to not only help others, but to give others the tools to help themselves. What good is giving a homeless person $10 if they have no way to sustain themselves beyond that? If you believe that providing a practical education to others is important, consider donating to Heifer International.
Learning Ally
One great charity that has the ability to changes millions of lives is Learning Ally. One in ten people have a learning disability, which hinders their ability to excel in school. By offering supplemental school support, Learning Ally gives these children the opportunity to catch up to their peers.
It is likely that you know someone with a learning disability. Quite often, they may not even know they have one. That is why it is important to give to charities like this one to raise awareness, destigmatize learning difficulties, and provide support to the many intelligent people who are struggling just because of the way they interpret information. With tons of successful people overcoming disabilities like dyslexia, there’s no doubt that helping a charity like this could help give some brilliant people the opportunities they otherwise would not have had.
If you’re looking for ways to help charities that do not receive much attention, I highly suggest checking out these three organizations. There are so many people out there who could be positively affected by your donations or volunteer work. One of the best parts of giving to charity is getting to see how your contributions plays into helping others, and with these three charities, you would see that the entire time.