We asked all of our newsletter subscribers to nominate their favorite local non-profits so we could share these recommendations. We were so happy to see the flood of responses and the thoughtful comments. Below we’ve compiled a list of the top local organizations that our readers recommend you support this Giving Tuesday. Please include your favorite non-profits in the comments!
Sanctuary for Families
“Sanctuary for Families is an amazing organization that aids the victims of gender-violence and sex trafficking throughout the city. Not only do they provide housing, they also provide legal assistance, counseling and job training. They take an authentic approach to rebuilding lives, educating the community and advocating for change.” -Chandler
Learn more about Sanctuary for Families.
Donate directly.
Brooklyn Defender Services
“I’m a grants consultant and have worked with BDS for over 3 years and they are one of the best I’ve worked with in 20 years of doing this. Brooklyn Defender Services is a non-profit public defender serving about 30,000 indigent Brooklyn residents annually through legal representation, advocacy and social work services; they serve all ages in a variety of capacities and are involved in most aspects of criminal justice reform.” – Judy
Grow Brooklyn
From oM reader Zade: “This nonprofit is awesome because it is the largest non-commercial tax preparation service in Brooklyn (preparing more than 7,000 free tax returns per season). It is also an HUD-certified housing counseling organization and the only nonprofit in Kings County that assists folks with estate planning. On top of that, they have lawyers who fight in court for homeowners facing foreclosures! That’s pretty awesome, right?” Yes Zade. It really is!
Find out more about Grow Brooklyn.
Neighbors Together
“Neighbors Together works in some of the lowest income areas in Brooklyn (Ocean Hill, Brownsville and Bedford-Stuyvesant). They serve close to 90,000 meals a year and also provide housing assistance, medical screening, and organize their members to support or protest policies that affect them. The organization began 35 years ago when nuns in the neighborhood saw that their neighbors had to make the choice between feeding their kids or paying their rent.” – Ajit
Big Apple Greeters
“Big Apple Greeter puts a shine on New York’s five boroughs because the organization is made up of New Yorkers who volunteer to show visitors from here and abroad all the fascinating neighborhoods through the eyes of a New York, not a guidebook or a tour guide but real New Yorkers.” – Steve
Find out more about Big Apple Greeter.
Donate directly.
You can check out our guide to giving to the environment here.
Sarah Knapp is a Brooklyn based entrepreneur whose love for the outdoors and community building led her to the October 2013 creation of OutdoorFest. She has a BA in History, is a Wilderness First Responder and a NY state hiking, camp and boating guide. Her proudest achievement to date is reading the Aeneid in Latin. 
Allison was one of our first top writers and Chief Editor but is no longer working with offMetro. Allison is a native New Yorker, who has lived in Rome, Tuscany, Melbourne, Toronto and Los Angeles. She frequently contributed travel pieces to Family Travel Forum, using her own children as guinea pigs as they travel the globe. She never missed a chance to sample local delicacies, as her love for travel goes hand-in-hand with her love for food and wine. 
Josh Laskin is a freelance travel writer and photographer based in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. When he is not at work or on the road, you can find him in the mountains snowboarding, climbing, hiking, fly fishing, mountain biking, and eating bagel bites.
Annie is a travel writer, environmentalist, and surfer based in Venice, CA. She heads up our West Coast team, keeps our grammatical errors in check, and makes sure our California writers always have a plan for their next adventure. Follow Annie’s travels @annelisemcb.
Carly Pifer is a freelance writer who has been known to follow whims inspired by romantic movie scenes or colorful street style shots to India, Japan, Tunisia and Argentina. After stints living in Seoul, Boston, Paris and Los Angeles, writing and searching for something intangible, she landed somewhat steadily in Brooklyn and has begun to find inspiration in her more immediate surroundings. 
Kate E. O’Hara is a New York based freelance writer and photographer who loves all things food—especially the people who make it and market it. Her writing aims to capture the essence of the food experience; the stories that go well beyond a plate of ingredients. In addition to her love of food, Kate is also known to have a hankering for red wine and craft beer. You can also find Kate on Instagram