GivingTuesday serves as an annual reminder that community is one of our most valuable assets. GivingTuesday serves organizations that support a range of causes and communities. It’s an opportunity to fill the gaps experienced by those who are marginalized and less fortunate. Black-led nonprofits continue their essential work to provide food and housing security, clothing, and educational opportunities. Here are four important causes and eight organizations that create substantial change in communities and have a human impact that extends beyond one day of giving.
Food
Umi Feeds
The nonprofit organization Umi Feeds, founded by Erica “Umi” Clahar, began in 2015 to rescue food and distribute meals to hungry and homeless people using surplus food to prepare healthy home-cooked meals. Umi Feeds provides hot meals, hygiene products, and clothing, and occasionally offers barber services and yoga sessions to hundreds of people primarily in Atlanta, as well as New York, Miami, and other locations across the country. The organization distributes free meals during regular mobile-market events and through outreach efforts to neighborhoods that lack sufficient food resources. People can support the organization through donations, volunteering, and financial support for their capacity expansion projects.
National Black Food & Justice Alliance
The National Black Food & Justice Alliance (NBFJA) comprises Black-led organizations, including Black farmers, land stewards, and food-justice activists. The organization works to achieve Black food sovereignty and land justice through its coordination of policy advocacy, resource-sharing, and institution-building efforts, which enable Black communities to control food systems. The NBFJA was founded in 2014 and operates across the United States by working with Black farmers and food justice organizations serving urban and rural areas. Their goal focuses on healing the racial oppression that Black communities faced in U.S. food and land systems by advancing self-determination for Black communities.
SHELTER / HOUSING SUPPORT
Black Veterans for Social Justice
The nonprofit organization Black Veterans for Social Justice (BVSJ) was established in 1978 to assist Black veterans who are homeless or in danger of becoming homeless. The organization exists to deliver vital emergency housing, transitional housing, job support, and counseling services to Black veterans who lack adequate support. BVSJ operates from Brooklyn, providing services throughout the New York City region.
National Urban League
The National Urban League, a historic Black civil rights and community empowerment organization, provides housing counseling, eviction prevention, community development, job training, and more. The organization was established in 1910 and operates from its New York City headquarters, with more than 90 local affiliates across the United States. The organization works to stabilize Black families and prevent homelessness while creating opportunities for economic mobility.
CLOTHING & ESSENTIALS
Well Cloth’d, Inc.
Well Cloth’d, Inc., founded by Leetah McGee and Jenne Richardson, is an organization based in Brooklyn, New York, that creates and delivers clothing and toiletry care packages while operating pop-up shops and personalized care drives to address actual needs. Well Cloth’d, Inc. started in 2017 and developed into a registered nonprofit through its ongoing donation programs and events. Its goal is to transform donating from random drop-offs into a dignity-centered, tailored distribution that helps recipients.
Tommy’s Closet
The 100 Black Men of America organization runs Tommy’s Closet to gather and distribute professional and business clothing, along with toiletries and other essentials, to HBCU and other Black students in need. The program operates across the country through its local chapters and HBCU partnerships while conducting campus drives and seasonal campaigns. The program’s mission is to eliminate barriers to student success by providing professional attire for interviews, internships, and campus opportunities to help Black students prepare professionally.
EDUCATION & OPPORTUNITY
United Negro College Fund
The United Negro College Fund (UNCF) stands as the largest private organization that awards scholarships to Black students. Since 1944, UNCF has supported HBCUs through funding, scholarships, mentorship programs, and college readiness initiatives. UNCF functions from its Washington, D.C., headquarters to eliminate financial obstacles that prevent Black students from accessing educational degrees and career opportunities.
Linden AI Institute
The Black-founded nonprofit Linden AI Institute leads initiatives for AI literacy and equal access to technology education. The organization delivers workshops, youth programs, teacher training, and community education around AI. The institute started operations in 2025 and delivers programs through remote access. Its mission focuses on keeping Black and marginalized communities from falling behind in the expanding AI economic sector. To donate for Giving Tuesday, follow this link.
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