As you plan for the holidays, consider how you can help the organizations that are working to make our community a better place to live.
by WALTER staff
As you begin planning for the holidays, please consider how you can help the organizations that are working to make our community a better place to live. The following guide offers a sampling of nonprofits in our area that rely on annual fundraising. With your help — be it monetary or hands-on — we can support their missions and have a hand in bettering Wake County.
The WALTER Guide to Giving is made possible through sponsors from our local business community.
Boys and Girls Club
For over 50 years, Boys & Girls Clubs serving Wake & Johnston Counties have been a cornerstone of opportunity and support for local youth. Their mission is to enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring and responsible citizens.
Operating 10 neighborhood locations across Wake and Johnston counties, including a dedicated Teen Center, the Clubs offer far more than out-of-school programs. They are safe spaces where young people learn, dream and build confidence with the help of staff, volunteers and donors. With emphasis on academic success, character and leadership, healthy lifestyles, and life and workforce readiness, members build the skills to do their best in school and grow into confident, capable leaders.
This impact is made possible by generous donors whose contributions provide role models, resources and opportunities for every child. Each gift is an investment in brighter futures — because when kids succeed, communities thrive.
Sponsored by TowneBank. wakebgc.org
The Carying Place
The Carying Place supports working adults with children experiencing homelessness. Their goal is to empower families to attain independent living while providing short-term housing and support services to address their needs. With over 30 years of service in Wake County, The Carying Place uses transitional housing and a life-skills boot camp built around dignity, accountability and hope to move families toward stable housing. Families accepted into the program live rent- and utility-free in TCP-owned homes while saving income and reducing debt — building financial habits that create long-term stability.
Their proven model includes short-term housing; weekly financial coaching & accountability; budgeting, savings and credit education; support for employment, childcare and housing readiness; and partnerships for workforce development and long-term success. They also work with children and teens to address trauma, create stability and give them a safe space to grow and learn. More than 1,500 children have been supported by The Carying Place since 1993, and 80% of program graduates are stably housed one year after graduation. They don’t just offer a roof — they equip families with skills to achieve stable housing for generations.
Sponsored by First Bank. thecaryingplace.org
Cooper Charitable Foundation
The Cooper Charitable Foundation’s mission is to help people access safe and secure housing. John Cooper started the non-profit in memory of his grandma, Mozelle Cooper, who was his center, giving him a safe place to call home. It was her love and her legacy he sought to honor with the goal of making other people’s lives better.
The Foundation, under the leadership of executive director Mary-Ann Baldwin, has helped almost 250 people access or stay in their homes during its first year. What we have learned is that many people who are unsheltered, work. They can afford to pay rent. What they cannot afford are the move-in fees associated with housing access — a security deposit, first and last month’s rent, and utility deposits. About 90 percent of our grants have been for this purpose.
We also provide assistance when unexpected challenges like illness, job loss or
a family crisis puts someone at risk of losing their home. Prevention is key. We partner with local nonprofits and welcome volunteers who want to support outreach and community engagement. Every donation goes directly to families in need.
Sponsored by Cooper Tacia. cooperfoundation.com
Diaper Train
Diaper Train is the only diaper bank located in Raleigh, working to ensure every baby in Wake County has access to clean, dry diapers. Families with young children can spend nearly $100 a month per baby on diapers, an expense not covered by SNAP or WIC. Without diapers, babies can’t attend daycare — and parents can’t work or go to school. Since 2011, they have distributed over 8 million diapers to families, with a goal of providing 1 million diapers by December 2025.
Every $20 donation provides 100 diapers — enough to supplement a newborn baby’s needs for a month. Your gift brings comfort, dignity, and opportunity to families when they need it most. Volunteers make this work possible by sorting, packing, and distributing diapers to our neighbors across Wake County.
With your help, we can end diaper need in our community and give every baby the healthy, comfortable start they deserve. Donate or volunteer today.
Sponsored by Preiss. diapertrain.org
Empower All, Inc.
Raleigh-grown and Raleigh-focused, Empower All prepares the next generation of mentally well STEM professionals. They fuse everyday mental-health micro-skills with hands-on STEM learning — brought to life through the energy and artistry — so students build focus, confidence and momentum from classroom to career. What Empower All does:
- STEAM Camps: They run seasonal, high-engagement camps where students explore audio engineering, coding, design and applied physics. These camps weave in simple, evidence-informed routines — like box breathing, visualization and micro-journaling — to lower stress and boost attention.
- EA STEAM Kits: Empower All designs and distributes classroom-ready kits created by that include materials, quick-start guides and project cards. Teachers receive class sets; students take home projects that spark continued learning.
- S.M.A.S.H.: An acronym for Supporting Mental Health Awareness & STEAM through Hip-Hop, this signature half-day summit at NC State’s McKimmon Center convenes 100–150 youth, families and educators. The day blends live performances, keynotes and interactive breakouts mapping Hip-Hop’s five elements to core STEM principles: DJing (audio/DSP & data literacy), MCing (communication engineering), Breakin’ (applied physics & human factors), Graffiti (engineering design & iteration) and Knowledge (systems & career navigation).
Across programs, students practice micro-skills that reduce cognitive load and improve attention — tools they can use the very next day in math, coding and lab work. Each S.M.A.S.H. summit also includes a service-learning build where attendees assemble EA STEAM classroom kits for local teachers, extending hands-on learning across Wake County — more than 200 in all. EA tracks outcomes with pre- and post-event surveys and student artifacts (mixes, code snippets, design drafts), with more than 85% of participants reporting higher confidence using two self-regulation strategies and more than 80% expressing increased interest in at least one STEM area.
How you can help: Your tax-deductible gift directly funds camps, classroom kits and the interactive labs that make STEM — and success — feel possible for Raleigh students.
- $50 supports one student kit
- $500 funds a class set for a teacher
- $2,500–$10,000 sponsors a camp lab or the S.M.A.S.H. experience for hundreds of local learners
Donate, sponsor or volunteer to help Raleigh students feel ready, steady and inspired to learn.
empower-allinc.org
Family Promise
For over 30 years, Family Promise of the Triangle has worked to ensure that every family has a safe place to call home. Their mission is to move families at risk of or experiencing homelessness into sustainable, permanent housing in our community through a continuum of support services. What began in 1994 as a church-based emergency shelter network has now blossomed into a multi-faceted support hub rooted in dignity, continuity and long-term change.
Through their efforts, more than 2,000 families have found hope, stability and the strength to find a path forward. What sets Family Promise apart is their commitment to meeting families where they are. They know that every family’s situation is different, which is why they offer six distinct programs designed to address each family’s unique needs:
- Hand Up: A frontline program aiming to prevent housing crises before they spiral — with aid for rent arrears, utilities and case support
- Emergency Shelter: Four apartments that serve as temporary refuge (for up to three months) where families receive housing, meals and wraparound case support
- Rapid Rehousing: A housing-first model helps place families into permanent homes, then layers on support to keep them there
- Transitional Housing: After shelter, families can stay in one of eight apartments for up to a year, increasing their chances of remaining independent while they continue to receive intensive wrap-around service
- Safe @ Home: After families have left the Emergency Shelter, this program helps keep them from experiencing homelessness again.
- New Lease on Life: In partnership with Triangle Apartment Association, this program connects families with discounted housing for up to 2 years
From emergency shelter to transitional housing, from rapid rehousing to after-care, Family Promise creates flexible solutions that truly change lives. They even offer an eviction prevention program, which stops homelessness before it even begins. A gift of $75 provides a night of shelter for a family, while a gift of just $25 provides a meal for that family.
Sponsored by the A. Daniels and Stanley-Simmons Families. familypromisetriangle.org
Frankie Lemmon School & Foundation
Frankie Lemmon School believes in the limitless potential of every child. For nearly 60 years, it has been a place where children of all abilities are seen, celebrated and supported through high-quality education, individualized care and unwavering community support.
Frankie Lemmon School believes that there should be no obstacles put in front of children and families who face challenges. They provide all of their educational and therapeutic services at little to no cost to the families they serve. The mission of Frankie Lemmon School is to educate and celebrate children of all abilities. Their vision is a world where all children have the best foundation possible to reach their full potential, and families have the knowledge and support to navigate the journey.
Community support makes a big difference in their work to continue being a place where children grow not just in ability — but in confidence, connection and joy. Join Frankie Lemmon School’s mission.
Sponsored by Capital Pest Services. frankielemmonschool.org
Friends of Wake GAL
Friends of Wake Guardian ad Litem (GAL) supports abused, neglected and dependent children in Wake County by filling resource gaps in their daily lives — physically, educationally and emotionally. They partner with our community to provide what the county cannot, so every child in foster care can feel seen, supported and empowered to succeed.
Did you know there are currently over 500 children in the Wake County Foster System right now, some placed outside the county and state, some living in government buildings? This is a crisis, and Friends of Wake County GAL exists to provide normalcy. From in-home tutoring to new school supplies, gifts at Christmas, summer camps, orthodontic care and educational advocacy — they provide what the county and state do not.
From joining a committee to filling a backpack to hosting a fundraiser, anyone can support these young people. Gifts of all sizes make a difference and with a volunteer-run board, they need you. A gift of $350 helps them say yes to a child interested in attending an extracurricular activity or a new spring wardrobe (two more things the county doesn’t cover). Gifts of all sizes directly support a child in need.
Sponsored by Raleigh Divorce Law Firm. friendsofwakegal.org
Haven House Services
For more than 50 years, Haven House Services has been the place that youth in Wake County turn to when they need help. Their mission is to help youth be safe, supported and successful. Through nine programs in three focus areas — youth homelessness, mental health, and diversion from the juvenile justice system — they work to ensure that young people have the resources and opportunities to thrive.
Haven House is the agency designated by our local Continuum of Care to coordinate intake and services for youth ages 24 and under experiencing homelessness. They may be best known for operating Wrenn House, the only crisis and homeless shelter for youth ages 10–17 in the Triangle, but that is just one piece of their work. Across their programs, they served more than 2,000 youth last fiscal year, a 68% increase in just two years. The largest surge came in their programs for older youth experiencing homelessness, reflecting the critical shortage of safe shelter and affordable housing for young people in our community. Staff also fielded nearly 1,200 calls on their 24/7 crisis line last year.
Haven House relies on community support to sustain their vital work. Volunteers can get involved by serving on a committee, leading a life skills class, organizing a donation drive, adopting a wish list during the holidays or spearheading a group volunteer project. Donations directly change lives: $250 ($21/month) provides a safe haven for one night at Wrenn House for a young person in crisis, including food, shelter and counseling; $100 ($8/month) provides crisis counseling for youth or families; and a one-time gift of $50 provides an hour of mentoring and support for a youth having problems at school or home. Together, we can help our community’s most vulnerable youth find safety, stability and futures filled with possibility.
HOST (Housing Options for Students Today)
HOST’s vision is for every college student in Wake County to be safely and stably housed while they pursue their academic goals. They work to provide programs and resources to support housing insecure/homeless students living in Wake County and attending local college programs. Since 2022, HOST has helped 76 college students achieve their basic needs. Of those, 26% have been supported through the host home program, which places students in nearby households while in school.
HOST has two big goals for 2025-2026: to serve at least 20 new students and to recruit 10 new host home providers. Support their work by donating to their Change a Life Today Campaign. A monthly donation of $50 can help increase their pool of host home providers; a one-time donation of $500 to $1,000 can help them support multiple students with maintaining existing housing and preventing homelessness.
You can also volunteer as a host home! All you need to be a host is a spare bedroom and the willingness to welcome a local college student to stay with you for a short time (usually 1-4 months). Hosts with close accessibility to Wake County-based colleges and households that welcome students that are BIPOC, LGBTQ+ and from diverse cultural backgrounds are highly encouraged to apply.
Sponsored by Forvis Mazars. hostnc.org
Marbles Kids Museum
Marbles Kids Museum’s mission is to spark imagination, discovery and learning through play. Since 2007, Marbles has provided a colorful space in the heart of downtown Raleigh where kids learn while having fun. Featuring 36,000 square feet of immersive exhibits — alongside a robust lineup of fun and educational programs — Marbles is a place where kids get to be kids while laying the groundwork for success in school and life. In one single visit to Marbles, kids experience the thrill of hockey in Power2Play, explore science in a yellow submarine, create a masterpiece in imagiFAB, discover a new recipe in Garden Gourmet, care for animals in Ready Set Vet… and so much more!
Marbles energizes downtown Raleigh all year long with more than 540,000 annual guests. As stated by a Wake County educator, “Marbles is a place where all children and families are welcome and celebrated.” More than 10% of guests visit at free and reduced rates through weekly access hours and offerings like camp scholarships, free field trips, Sensory Friendly events and more.
Marbles is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that relies on the generosity of our community to meet the needs of families from across Wake County and beyond. Your gift helps Marbles:
- Provide an enriching, safe and clean environment for guests of all ages and abilities.
- Prioritize affordability and access to welcome families from all backgrounds.
Serve school groups and other nonprofit partners with joyful, hands-on experiences.
Marbles is a critical resource for our community, elevating and enriching kids’ lives through the power of play.
Meals on Wheels
Meals on Wheels of Wake County nourishes, enriches and strengthens the lives of older adults through daily meal deliveries and human connection. Each day, Meals on Wheels delivers close to 1,500 meals to homebound seniors throughout Wake County. They rely on the support of more than 100 volunteers who show up every day to drive routes, delivering life- sustaining nourishment, care and connection — to ensure every senior can age with dignity.
But Meals on Wheels of Wake County needs your help! Seniors are the fastest growing population in the county, yet only 1% of philanthropic dollars go to support aging. Be there for our neighbors who helped build this thriving Raleigh community — ensuring they can stay in their own homes, age with dignity and community, and have nourishment for their body and soul.
How to help: volunteers can help pack bags or take a route to make deliveries. You can also make a donation: just $10 supports a senior’s meal for a day, $180 provides them meals for a month or $2,160 provides meals for a senior for an entire year.
Sponsored by North State Bank. wakemow.org
Methodist Home for Children
No child asks to be born into abuse or neglect. No child asks to be hungry or ignored or endangered. But every year, close to 20,000 cases of child maltreatment are uncovered in North Carolina. It’s our mission to protect and nurture children and make families stronger.
What started as an orphanage in 1899 has evolved to provide the best in evidence-
based services for children and families. We provide safe, stable homes where children can thrive and live to their full, God-given potential.
We don’t just remove kids from bad situations — we break destructive cycles. We do this through foster care, adoption, family preservation and reunification, group homes for court-involved teens and more. Your support can have a huge impact: just $25 can provide bedding for a baby born addicted to drugs, while $500 can be an apartment deposit for an 18-year-old leaving our care.
We work so children and families have the hope and the skills they need to build healthy, self-sufficient and productive lives.
Sponsored by Nothing Bundt Cakes. mhfc.org
North Carolina Zoo
Looking for a gift that’s meaningful, exciting and unique? A membership to the North Carolina Zoo and Botanical Gardens delivers experiences your loved one will treasure for years to come!
By gifting a membership to the world’s largest natural habitat zoo, you’re providing unlimited admission to the destination voted #1 Best Zoo in America two years in a row! Every visit offers opportunities to explore over 512 developed acres, access award-winning educational programming and encounter breathtaking plants and animals in immersive natural habitats. Your thoughtful gift also provides free or 50% off admission to an additional 150 AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums nationwide — meaning recipients can make unforgettable memories wherever they choose to roam!
Memberships include a subscription to Alive magazine, featuring insider news, helpful tips to enhance your visits and messages from industry experts. Members also receive access to members-only picnic areas, invites to exclusive events and previews, and discounts on behind-the-scenes excursions, golf cart tours, gift shop purchases and specialty camps, making every visit feel like a VIP experience!
Best of all, memberships directly support the Zoo’s award-winning wildlife conservation efforts locally and around the world. Every purchase is an investment in ethical, sustainable, research-driven initiatives and technology benefiting critically endangered species like the American Red Wolf, rare plant species like the iconic Venus Flytrap and global communities threatened by human-wildlife conflict.
Whether you’re celebrating a birthday, anniversary, holiday or “just because,” a membership is more than a gift: it’s a statement wrapped in a legacy of care. Individual, family and corporate memberships are available for one year, two years or a lifetime! Looking for other ways to support our mission of saving wildlife and wild places? Visit their website to discover volunteer opportunities, fundraisers and other ways to leave a lasting positive impact on our natural world.
North Carolina Wildlife Federation
Before cities, farms and suburban sprawl, North Carolina’s Piedmont region was rich with open prairies teeming with native grasses, wildflowers and wildlife. Piedmont prairies support a vast diversity of native pollinators and insects essential for healthy ecosystems and food production.
North Carolina Wildlife Federation and Leaf & Limb have teamed up to restore these lost landscapes in the Triangle. Two Piedmont prairie projects, at Historic Yates Mill County Park in Raleigh and the Boys & Girls Club in Durham, are bringing nature back into communities, restoring habitat for wildlife and creating outdoor classrooms for conservation education.
This work is made possible by generous donors — and you can be a part of it. Consider a donation to NCWF, volunteer to restore a Piedmont prairie or turn your yard into a pollinator pitstop along the Butterfly Highway. Leaf & Limb is also a resource. They help homeowners and businesses rewild their landscapes by planting beautiful, low-maintenance native plants that support pollinators, reduce emissions and bring life back to your yard. Together, we can restore our Piedmont prairies.
Sponsored by Leaf & Limb. ncwf.org
Note in the Pocket
Note in the Pocket provides quality clothing to homeless and impoverished children and families with dignity and love, addressing the problem of clothing insecurity in the Triangle. By providing clothing, Note in the Pocket ensures that children are better prepared for social, emotional, physical and academic success because they no longer lack basic clothing resources. They can then arrive at school dressed for academic success. Since 2013, Note in the Pocket has clothed over 70,000 individuals, and this year, their goal is to serve 12,000 children and adults.
Support for the community is crucial for Note in the Pocket’s success. A monthly donation of $20, or a one-time gift of $200, will provide one student with a mini-wardrobe of clothes for school. Gently-used clothing and shoes of all sizes can be dropped off at several locations across the Triangle. Volunteers are also transformative — from clothing drives to onsite shifts to the Teen Board, there are opportunities for everyone.
Sponsored by TowneBank. noteinthepocket.org
Poe Center
The Poe Center is dedicated to helping North Carolinians make healthy choices. Their team of expert health educators work with schools and organizations across the state to provide engaging health-science education for people of all ages. Programs take a holistic approach to health supporting physical and mental well-being. From their iconic field-trip destination in Raleigh to classrooms and communities around the state, the Poe experience is effective, valuable and one-of-a-kind.
The Poe Center has served over 1.7 million North Carolinians across the state since its establishment in 1991. About 77,000 children and adults participate in health-education programs annually. Of those participants, 87% of those report making positive behavior changes as a result.
How to Help: Educators, book a program with them! Businesses, sponsor a health-initiative for your community. Donors, please give: $35 will sponsor a child and $875 will sponsor an entire class.
Sponsored by UNC Health. poehealth.org
Preserving Home
Preserving Home rebuilds the homes of vulnerable neighbors in partnership with local communities. The Cary-based nonprofit makes structural home repairs, safety and accessibility modifications, and energy efficiency upgrades across the Triangle and surrounding areas. Families who receive assistance consistently report improvements such as increased mobility, better respiratory function, lead poisoning recovery, fewer falls, lower utility bills and other positive life changes. With impact reaching beyond the walls of one home, Preserving Home also extends the lifespan of affordable housing, fostering healthier, more sustainable communities.
Since January, Preserving Home has received more than 500 applications from eligible homeowners seeking repair services. The organization is on track to complete more than 300 comprehensive home repairs by year-end.
Hundreds of our neighbors live in unacceptable conditions without the means to move or to improve their living situations. Your gift helps provide safe, healthy homes for years to come. Preserving Home also accepts in-kind donations of ramps, tools and building supplies, and occasionally works with sponsored volunteer groups.
Sponsored by Roofwerks. preservehome.org
Realtor Giving Network
The Raleigh Regional Association of Realtors (RRAR) Realtor Giving Network harnesses the collective giving power of realtors in order to prevent and end homelessness and transition families to stable housing. This network of professional realtors invests in unhoused neighbors and those experiencing homelessness by giving grants to local housing nonprofits. Within the network’s lifetime, the RRAR Realtor Giving Network has furnished more than 100 apartments for families recovering from homelessness, installed 30o+ window A/C units for seniors and invested more than $500,000 in housing nonprofits. This year CASA, The Hope Center at Pullen and The Carying Place each received $50,000.
For the RRAR Realtor Giving Network, a little goes a long way. Just a $25 donation gives bed linens for a child leaving a homeless shelter, while a $50 gift houses a family for a week. A donation of $100 provides household supplies for a foster teen moving into their first apartment. Support your neighbors by volunteering at RRAR Realtor Giving Network events and spreading the word as an ambassador, or supercharge local housing nonprofits by making your tax-deductible gift to the Realtor Giving Network.
Sponsored by Hodge & Kittrell. rrargivingnetwork.org
Salvation Army
For nearly 140 years, The Salvation Army of Wake County has been a trusted resource for families in crisis offering emergency shelter, food assistance, clothing and disaster relief to those in need. They operate the largest family shelter in Wake County and provide hundreds of meals and groceries each week to those in need. They also offer crisis intervention support and case management services for victims of human trafficking.
In addition to supporting individuals experiencing crises, the Salvation Army of Wake County offers ongoing support to our area’s lower-income residents through a variety of programs. It operates a Thrift Store and provides vouchers for clothing and household goods for those in need and offers programs to seniors to help combat isolation and loneliness. For young people, it offers athletic programs to learn the importance of team play and good sportsmanship.
The Salvation Army of Wake County also works to make sure the holidays are joyous for all of our residents through the Angel Tree program, which provides Christmas gifts to more than 7,000 children each year. The Salvation Army’s work is only possible thanks to generous donors, volunteers and community partners.
Sponsored by Baker Home Exteriors. wakearmy.org
Saving Grace
In North Carolina, too many dogs face euthanasia simply because they don’t have a safe place to go. For more than 20 years, Saving Grace has been a lifeline, rescuing over 50,000 dogs from rural shelters — 2,261 in 2024 alone — giving them safety, compassion and the chance to thrive.
But rescue doesn’t stop with the dogs. Every adoption, donation, volunteer hour and partnership creates a ripple effect of caring that transforms lives. When someone adopts, they save two lives: the dog they bring home and the one who takes its place in rescue. In turn, that dog often gives back tenfold, bringing love, laughter and connection that ripple through families and communities.
This fall, Saving Grace has launched its year-end campaign, Saving Grace Saves: Rescue is a Team Effort, with a goal of raising $425,000 by the close of 2025. These funds will provide medical care, safe housing and resources to continue rescuing dogs from shelters — from $50 to stock food shelves to $500+ for lifesaving medical care. As a nonprofit that receives no public funding, Saving Grace relies entirely on the generosity of adopters, donors, volunteers and community partners to sustain this lifesaving mission.
Throughout the campaign, Saving Grace will share stories from those whose lives have been changed by rescue. These stories highlight the power of rescue to save lives and change lives, one act of caring at a time. Whether it’s opening your home to a rescue dog, donating to support medical care, volunteering your time or sponsoring a dog in need, every act of kindness adds to the effort to make rescue possible.
Because when Saving Grace Saves, lives are transformed — those of dogs, families and all who stand beside them.
SPCA of Wake County
The SPCA of Wake County is the largest private, nonprofit animal welfare
organization in the region, headquartered in Raleigh and working across more than 50 North Carolina counties to save pets and help people.
Each year, more than 185,000 dogs and cats enter NC animal shelters — but 44,000 never make it out.* This heartbreaking number stems from a lack of resources available to keep pets in homes and out of shelters. SPCA Wake addresses the crisis at its roots with a comprehensive, people-focused approach:
- Adoption: Finding loving homes for homeless pets
- Intervention: Supporting families in crisis to prevent pet surrenders
- Prevention: Investing in spay/neuter programs to reduce future animal intake at shelters
- Collaboration: Partnering with human service agencies and rural shelters to save more lives
Through innovative programs, statewide partnerships and community education, SPCA Wake is building a future where every adoptable pet has the chance not just to survive — but to truly thrive. You can help make this future possible.
Sponsored by McDonald York. spcawake.org
Urban Ministries of Wake Country
For 40 years, Urban Ministries of Wake County has been rooted in Raleigh as a place where neighbors in crisis find food, healthcare and shelter. The organization’s mission is to bring the community together in service and advocacy for those living in poverty. Through its hunger and nutrition program, thousands of families are able to put meals on the table each year. The Open Door Clinic & Pharmacy provides free primary care and medication for uninsured adults, and the Helen Wright Center for Women offers transitional housing for women experiencing homelessness. Every branch of Urban Ministries is united by a single mission: delivering care and compassion, and restoring dignity when it is needed most.
The impact is wide-reaching. In 2024, the Open Door Clinic filled more than 37,000 prescriptions for 1,373 patients who otherwise would have gone without essential care. The Hunger and Nutrition program served more than 80 cars a day at the food pantry, a demand that continues to grow even as budget cuts and shrinking government funding make it harder to keep up. At the Helen Wright Center for Women, the path from crisis to stability became reality for many. Ninety women were permanently housed last year, leaving homelessness behind for good.
There are many ways for the community to make a difference. Volunteers are essential. Urban Ministries was founded by volunteers, a legacy of service that continues to guide everything they do. Just last year, more than 415 individuals donated nearly 14,000 hours of service to help keep the food pantry running, assist patients at the Open Door Clinic and support residents at the Helen Wright Center for Women.
Financial support is just as critical. A gift of $100 can provide 3 weeks’ worth of supplementary food for a family. $260 shelters a woman for one week. $360 purchases 46 prescriptions. Larger contributions give Urban Ministries the flexibility to respond when demand spikes. Your support matters — and helps UMWC continue its vital work for our neighbors in need.
Wee Care Children’s Enrichment Program
Wee Care provides a free preschool education to economically disadvantaged children equipping them with the social, emotional and cognitive skills and confidence to succeed in kindergarten. Wee Care believes every child deserves the right to attend preschool.
Wee Care recruits students at 2 years old and keeps the same class and teachers together for three consecutive years preparing them for kindergarten. Wee Care offers not just preschool lessons, but healthy meals, field trips and enrichment classes like music, science and art. Families say that their children are prepared for school and excited to learn — proof that early love and learning can change a child’s story.
Your support makes all the difference! Just $25 covers healthy snacks for a week, and $100 gives children the joy of a field trip they’ll never forget. You can also join Wee Care at the annual Shell It Out fundraiser in the spring, or volunteer your time and talents to share in the joy of helping little ones grow.
Sponsored by Club Pilates. weecareinc.org
A version of this article originally appeared in the November 2025 issue of WALTER Magazine.
