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Are you looking for ideas for where to put your hard-earned dollars where they can do the most good for the planet? Do you also want to help support small local organizations that work right here in your neighborhood? This giving season, check out this list of charities that think globally and act locally.
Protecting and restoring nature
The climate crisis gets a lot of attention, but we’re also in the midst of a biodiversity crisis. The rate of species loss today has been referred to as “the sixth extinction” (the previous five extinctions included the one that eliminated the dinosaurs.) But there are nonprofits out there working to reverse this trend.
- Green Foothills, the organization where I work, protects open space, farmland and natural resources in San Mateo, Santa Clara, and San Benito counties through advocacy, education and grassroots action. Our impact includes preventing development on the Redwood City salt ponds, on the coast surrounding Half Moon Bay, and in Coyote Valley south of San Jose.
- Peninsula Open Space Trust (POST) protects open space on the Peninsula and in the South Bay for the benefit of all. Since its founding in 1977, POST has preserved over 89,000 acres of open space in San Mateo, Santa Clara and Santa Cruz counties.
- Sierra Club Loma Prieta Chapter serves San Mateo, Santa Clara and San Benito counties. Most people have heard of the Sierra Club as a big national organization, but you may not realize that each local chapter of the Sierra Club also works hard to protect the environment in their own region. If you want to make sure your dollars are spent locally, it’s a great idea to donate directly to your local chapter.
- Sequoia Audubon Society is the San Mateo County chapter of the Audubon Society. In Santa Clara County, the local chapter is the Santa Clara Valley Bird Alliance (formerly Audubon Society). These are great organizations that not only lead birding walks and provide educational programming, they work to protect the habitat where birds live.
- Grassroots Ecology restores native plants to local open spaces through an extensive all-ages volunteer program. You may have seen the results of their labors in restored habitat in Redwood City’s Stulsaft Park or East Palo Alto’s Cooley Landing.
- City Trees works to plant and maintain trees in Redwood City. Canopy does the same from Redwood City south to Palo Alto.
- Save the Bay works to protect and restore San Francisco Bay for people and wildlife. They are the only organization that combines political advocacy, wetland restoration and environmental education focusing on the health of the Bay.
Environmental justice
The impacts of pollution, climate-related hazards, and toxic contamination are disproportionately felt by low-income communities of color that have been historically marginalized. Here’s where to put your dollars to help promote environmental justice.
- Nuestra Casa leads environmental justice efforts in East Palo Alto and beyond through supporting community leaders to take action in their communities.
- Climate Resilient Communities is a community-based organization empowering community voices to implement equitable climate solutions for unity, resilience, and justice.
- Ayudando Latinos A Soñar (ALAS) is based in Half Moon Bay. This nonprofit works to improve social wellness through multicultural practices, mental health care, individualized and collective support related to education, immigration processes, and work, and advocating for the wellbeing of the whole community.
- North Fair Oaks Community Alliance is a community organization that advocates on equity and environmental justice to improve life for all in North Fair Oaks.
- Youth United for Community Action (YUCA) is an East Palo Alto-based grassroots community organization created, led, and run by young people of color, the majority from low-income communities. YUCA provides a safe space for young people to empower themselves and work on environmental and social justice issues to establish positive systemic change through grassroots community organizing.
- Puente de la Costa Sur is based in Pescadero on the San Mateo County coast. Puente fosters wellness and prosperity in the San Mateo County South Coast communities of Pescadero, La Honda, Loma Mar, and San Gregorio by promoting and advocating for equitable access to education, health, and economic security.
Climate action and sustainability
Even though the climate crisis is a planet-wide issue, sustainability and climate resilience begins at the local level. Here are some organizations working on these issues in our area:
- Acterra: Action for a Healthy Planet brings people together to create local solutions for a healthy planet. Acterra provides educational outreach through a wide variety of free workshops, public lectures and community events.
- Sustainable San Mateo County works to make San Mateo County more sustainable on economic, environmental, and social equity issues through empowering information and advocacy.
- 350 Bay Area works to build a grassroots climate movement in the Bay Area and beyond to eliminate carbon pollution and achieve a clean energy future with racial, economic, and environmental justice.
There are many worthy causes to support, and plenty of opportunities to make a difference. Just remember when you’re deciding where to put your dollars, the earth always needs a little help!
