Wellness Month, Back to School, Women’s Equality Day & More! Causes to Support in August 2020

August 2, 2020

Disclaimer: This post is reflective of our company while under the name Pledgeling and the listed information may be outdated. Please refer to our main company website on Pledge for current information and resources.

The end of summer break is fast approaching but there’s still so much left to do this August. Here is your monthly guide of nonprofits that you and your business can support as a way to commemorate some of these special dates. Our platform and tools make it easy to donate to any cause of your choice. To connect with our partnerships team about ways we might support your cause campaigns, please reach out to impact@pledgeling.com.

National Wellness Month

August is National Wellness Month - the perfect time for us to reflect on our mental and physical well-being and health. Check out these nonprofits and their missions of bringing wellness to others, and make sure to take care of yourselves this month and the rest of the year!

  • National Forest Foundation engages America in community-based and national programs that promote the health and public enjoyment of the 193-million-acre National Forest System.
  • CicLAvia serves our local community in Los Angeles, and catalyzes vibrant public spaces, active transportation, and good health through car-free street events. CicLAvia engages with people to transform their relationship with their communities and with each other.
  • Active Minds empowers college students to speak openly about mental health in order to educate others and encourage help-seeking. They are changing the culture on campuses and in the community by providing information, leadership opportunities, and advocacy training to the next generation.

National Nonprofit Day (August 17)

Nonprofit organizations are at the heart of what we do and inspire us everyday. Pledgeling’s database includes over 2MM+ nonprofit and charitable organizations around the world. Our charity search API enables businesses of all types to integrate and launch a charitable giving program that aligns with any cause(s) of their choice. To explore causes, visit https://www.pledgeling.com/causes.

1st Day Back to School for Our Local Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) (August 18)

We are a part of a monumental change as the first day back to school for LAUSD is virtual for the first time in its history due to COVID-19. Even though the pandemic has changed life as we know it, it cannot change the important role education plays in our future moving forward. The transformative power of education fuels the mission of these nonprofits:

  • No Kid Hungry is a national campaign run by Share Our Strength, a nonprofit working to solve problems of hunger and poverty in the United States and around the world. COVID-19 is closing schools nationwide, and millions of vulnerable children are losing the school meals they depend on. For some, it’s the only food they’ll receive in a given day. They need your help to continue their work to ensure every kid gets three meals a day.
  • LA’s Best provides safe and supervised after school education, enrichment, and recreation programs for elementary school children ages five to twelve in the City of Los Angeles.
  • Room to Read seeks to transform the lives of millions of children in developing countries by focusing on literacy and gender equality in education. Working in collaboration with local communities, partner organizations and governments, they develop literacy skills and a habit of reading among primary school children, and support girls to complete secondary school with the relevant life skills to succeed in school and beyond.

World Humanitarian Day (August 19)

This international day of recognition was established in 2009 by the United Nations to recognize humanitarian personnel and those who have lost their lives working for humanitarian causes. It commemorates the day in 2003 when Special Representative of the Secretary-General to Iraq, Sergio Vieira de Mello, and twenty-one of his colleagues were killed in the bombing of the UN Headquarters in Baghdad. These are a few nonprofits that align with this solemn day of reflection on how we can make the world a better place together:

  • International Medical Corps is a global humanitarian nonprofit organization dedicated to saving lives and relieving suffering through health care training and medical relief programs. Its mission is to improve the quality of life through health interventions and related activities that build local capacity worldwide.
  • Doctors without Borders provide impartial medical relief to the victims of war, disease, and natural or man-made disaster, without regard to race, religion, or political affiliation.
  • Direct Relief is a humanitarian aid organization, active in all 50 states and more than 80 countries, with a mission to improve the health and lives of people affected by poverty or emergencies – without regard to politics, religion, or ability to pay.

Women’s Equality Day (August 26)

This day is celebrated nationally to commemorate the 1920 ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which deemed it illegal to deny the right to vote on the basis of one’s sex. To celebrate its centennial celebration, you can support the following nonprofits to uplift women and girls for generations to come:

  • Girl’s Inc inspires all girls to be strong, smart, and bold through direct service and advocacy. A combination of long-lasting mentoring relationships, a safe pro-girl environment, and research-based programming equips girls to lead healthy and productive lives, break the cycle of poverty, and become role models in their communities.
  • Global Fund for Women is a global champion for the human rights of women and girls. They use their powerful networks to find, fund, and amplify the courageous work of women who are building social movements and challenging the status quo.
  • Girls on the Run inspire girls to be joyful, healthy and confident using a fun, experience-based curriculum which creatively integrates running.

Lastly, we want to recognize how Racial Justice and COVID-19 remain important causes to continue supporting:

  • For a more comprehensive list of 20+ organizations fighting for racial and social justice, please visit this link.
  • For a more comprehensive list of 20+ organizations fighting against COVID-19, please visit our Causes to Support in June 2020 Blog Post and our COVID-19 Relief Efforts Blog Post.

Thank you for being part of the #PledgeToDoGood!