You Can’t Take It With You
4 Death and Grief Related Nonprofits to Donate to this Giving Tuesday
This post is in no way sponsored by or affiliated with any of the organizations highlighted, I just think they’re doing important work that can often be ignored but deserves to be showcased. I encourage you to look into and research these organizations for yourself so you can be the most informed about where your money may be going!
Tis the season for giving back!
Image via Pexels
Tuesday November 28th is Giving Tuesday, the annual day of donating to nonprofits after the high spending post Thanksgiving weekend during Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday.
While there are always plenty of deserving nonprofits to donate your money or time to, nonprofits doing work in the death and grief community might not be at the front of your mind at this time of year but they’re doing important work that could use your contribution. So, with that in mind, I’ve put together a list of four death or grief related nonprofits for you to learn about and consider donating to this Giving Tuesday!
For nearly 30 years, Death With Dignity has been on the front line of advocating and creating policy reform surrounding end-of-life options for the terminally ill. Their mission is to make sure everyone has the right to make an informed decision about their own end of life care when faced with a terminal illness including the option of death with dignity, or physician assisted dying, which according to TriageCancer.org, “allow certain terminally ill people to voluntarily and legally request and receive a prescription medication from their physician to hasten their death in a peaceful, humane, and dignified manner.”
Since getting their first death with dignity law passed in Oregon in the 90s, the organization has been able to put forth death with dignity laws in 10 states, plus the District of Columbia, with an additional state pending enactment and three more states considering the law.
Center for Organ Recovery and Education (CORE) or other local Organ and Tissue Donation Center
The Center for Organ Recovery and Education or CORE, is an organ procurement organization that serves western Pennsylvania and West Virginia families experiencing organ and tissue needs or donation. Full disclosure, this is the one nonprofit on this list that I have had personal experiences with that I intend to write about in a future post. I have seen their work from both the side of the donor family and on the side of a recipient and believe what they are doing is imperative.
CORE coordinates the recovery of organs and tissues for transplant once a person in a hospital has been declared brain dead by a doctor. Families who choose to move forward with donation will work with a team of CORE employees who will walk them through the evaluation, placement, and recovery of their loved ones viable organs. In my personal experience, everyone we interacted with was sympathetic, professional, and a real light during a difficult time.
Supporting an organ donation center doesn’t just have to be monetarily, if you don’t have the funds but support the work these organizations are doing, you can also sign up to be an organ donor in your state or by using the National Donate Life Registry. According to donornetworkwest.org, while 95% of Americans support organ donation only 58% are actually registered as an organ donor.
While CORE is my local organ donation center there are a number of organizations around the United States that might be more local to you. Check out this list to find one that serves your area to consider donating to.
Image via The Order of The Good Death
Founded in 2011 by Caitlin Doughty, The Order of the Good Death has a mission to make death a part of life and help people commit to taking on their fears surrounding death. I mean, hello! This is an organization that is right up my alley! But The Order of the Good Death’s work goes beyond just making people more comfortable with death: they’re introducing legislation on human composting which has already been passed in seven states, they offer an annual fellowship program to individuals or organizations working toward systemic issues in the death field, and are compiling a comprehensive guide to end of life care in each state for the LGBTQ+ community among other work.
The Order of the Good Death is a leader in death advocacy, death education, and death legislation. They are a great source in learning how to be more death positive, a term The Order themselves started, and while of course they accept financial contributions, they also take donations in time. For those interested in volunteering with The Order on one of there projects, you can find a link to their application here.
National Alliance for Children’s Grief
It’s an unfortunate fact that some children and teens will experience more grief in their young lives than they’re prepared for. It can be difficult for a child to know how to handle their grief and equally as difficult for an adult caring for them to know how to help. The National Alliance for Children’s Grief was created as a resource for understanding the needs of and to better support grieving children.
The NACG hosts an annual symposium for grief support professionals and volunteers that allows them to learn the latest in children’s bereavement developments through various workshops. Their website also includes free toolkits on how to support a child in different types of grief, providing children a space in funeral homes, and helpful information for school administrators on how to better support grieving students. You can even find a local to you support group or bereavement camp through their find support button.
This time of year can be hectic and expensive, but it’s also the time of year for us to be our kindest and most generous selves. If you have the ability, I hope you’ll think about donating to one of the organizations above this Giving Tuesday, or another organization that’s near and dear to you!