As you prepare for the holidays, tackling a daunting shopping list may be your primary focus. While it’s true that giving and receiving gifts brings families and friends closer together, it’s also important to remember that many charities rely on the period between Thanksgiving and Christmas for the lion’s share of their annual donations.
Countless worthy charities offer aid on both a large and small scale, but it’s helpful to know which of these are focused on your community. I compiled a short list of a few charitable groups that operate in the Central Ohio area—just in case you want to add one of them to your shopping list this holiday season.
The Mid-Ohio Foodbank has been working since 1980 to put a stop to hunger by partnering with local grocers, farmers, fundraisers and volunteers. As a member of Feeding America (the largest non-governmental, domestic hunger relief organization), the Mid-Ohio Foodbank provides more than 121,400 meals every day to the hungry in central and eastern Ohio.
Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption
Dave Thomas might have been better known for selling hamburgers, but his foundation’s charity work has helped change countless lives. Created in 1992, the foundation works to help find permanent homes for children in the foster care system through national programs, adoption awareness and advocacy efforts. Based in Columbus, the foundation raises money to offer free educational resources, support adoption agencies and workers, and other initiatives.
Animal Cruelty Task Force of Ohio
Our four-legged friends also need our attention during the holidays, and this new non-profit has been working for a year to provide that attention. ACT Ohio works with a number of county humane societies in central Ohio that don’t have the necessary resources to investigate claims of animal cruelty. Completely funded through private donations, ACT Ohio investigates reports of animal cruelty, and sees to the well-being of animals that have been abused or neglected. Its ultimate goal is to equip, train and pay for professional humane agents for those Ohio counties in need.
The Community Shelter Board has been fighting to end homelessness in central Ohio since 1986. By partnering with several other regional agencies, the board works to unify the community’s efforts to end homelessness as efficiently and effectively as possible.
Formed in the mid-1950s as the Women’s Juvenile Service Board, the Buckeye Ranch began as a treatment center for young men. Since then the organization has grown to operate seven different locations in central and southwestern Ohio, offering mental health treatment for behavioral, psychological and substance abuse disorders.
David Lowenstein, Ph.D. is a Psychologist and the Clinical Director of Lowenstein & Associates, Inc. in Columbus, Ohio. In addition to providing therapeutic services to individuals and families, he offers training and consultation to numerous associations, schools and agencies around the country. Additionally, he is a frequent radio and TV guest and a resource and contributing writer for numerous newspapers and magazines nationwide. Contact Dr. David Lowenstein at 691 South Fifth Street Columbus, OH 43206 or by phone at 614.443.6155 or 614.444.0432.
