As published on the Femme Palette blog:
Today is Giving Tuesday, an international day of donating and supporting! Today, we invite you to pause and think of others for a moment, and not just about your friends and family, but also about those who have been badly hit by the pandemic and how you could offer them a helping hand. We put together a list of some wonderful Czech charities to give you some inspiration.
Giving Tuesday is an international global movement of generosity. It started in 2012 (source) and is powered by individuals, groups, and companies who all come together to support various good causes. Last year alone, the Association of Social Responsibility raised 70mil CZK in Czechia alone. Worldwide, the funds of 1.9bn USD (source) were collected last year.
This year, we celebrate Giving Tuesday on December 1. It is the beginning of the last month of the year, and thus a unique opportunity to do the things we have been pushing aside but want to get done before the end of the year. If an act of kindness was on the list, we bring you some inspiration for which organisations you can support or donate to in the Czech Republic.
Where to start if you are deciding who to sponsor this #givingtuesday? A good starting point is Donio. We already mentioned some of their fantastic projects in the thoughtful Xmas gift guide and we cannot recommend this platform enough. From helping children with handicaps to supporting single mothers, the range of charitable causes they collect funds for is broad and provides a complete freedom in choosing who and by what amount to support.
If you haven’t heard about Nadani a Dovednosti (Talents & Skills), go check them out now. They are supporting the disadvantaged youth, particularly from children’s homes, to help them kick start their professional life. Femme Palette is offering free mentoring to support their early careers. You can support the foundation by buying a game of domino or get involved in a number of projects they are a part of. Find the complete list of ways to contribute here.
One of the most traditional Czech charities is The Salvation Army which has been operating in the Czech Republic (then Czechoslovakia) since 1919. They are supporting the homeless all around the country, and you can find them in 14 Czech cities and towns. Support them either through a donation, volunteering your time, or buying a ‘Noclezenka’, a voucher worth 100 CZK which gets one homeless person an overnight stay in warmth.
A wonderful organization that creates jobs for the homeless as tour guides is Pragulic. Their guided tours, either in-person or online, offer eye-opening insights into the life of homeless people, from their day-to-day living to the reasons why they ended up on the street. They talk openly about their experiences, from drug addiction to pimping, and thanks to Pragulic, they get a chance to start a new life. Visit their e-shop or support Pragulic here.
We can’t stress enough the importance of mental and physical health. To contribute to the prior, visit Nevypust dusi which has already educated 4300 students and 200 teachers about mental health. And to support prevention, you can donate to Loono.
The largest environmentally-focus foundation in Moravia is the Nadace Veronica. They put up regular events, upcycling challenges, benefit dinners, and run charity shops. Like many others, they have been hit hard by the crisis, so you can donate to them on Darujme.cz.
Probably the cutest organization you could support (not only) on Giving Tuesday is the Lamacentrum Hady. This center looks after more than 20 lamas and even if you are not from Brno, you can still support them here. Order a lama calendar, adopt an animal, or send a financial gift to help the Lamacentre survive the corona crisis.
And for every animal lover, we recommend a virtual pet adoption, either from the Interpes Penzion or the Pet Heroes who support handicapped and mistreated animals. You can send money, food, or anything else you’d like to your chosen pet and you can also contact them directly to ask if they need specific treatments or foods for special diets. And once the lockdown is over, maybe your virtual adoption will transform into a physical one ;-).
The list of good causes could of course go on, but take this as a starting point to inspire your charitable activity this #givingtuesday. We would appreciate your tips and recommendations for some other wonderful Czech charities and ways to share joy and generosity this Xmas. Let's enjoy this time of the year and let those in need benefit from the season of giving.