Giving Tuesday, also known as #givingtuesday, always falls on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving. It’s a movement that was created in November 2012 as a day of charitable giving at the beginning of the Christmas and holiday season. At a time of the year when we are working steadfastly to find the perfect gifts for those that we love, let’s take a minute to consider the gift of a monetary donation to a local non-profit organization.

We have compiled a list of local non-profit groups and organizations to consider. Unfortunately, there are way too many worthwhile causes to list, but if you need assistance, look no further than the Shore Gives More for a few references. Happy holidays from the ShoreBread crew and happy giving on this #givingtuesday!

Assateague Coastal Trust
Their mission is to protect everyone’s right to clean water and to build a network of citizen community leaders in the coastal watershed who will promote and encourage the protection of the health, productivity, and sustainability of the coastal watershed through advocacy and education.

Assateague Island Alliance
AIA partners with the Assateague Island National Seashore to promote the awareness and protection of the island’s wildlife and natural resources for the enjoyment of current and future generations.

Berlin Heritage Foundation
The purpose of the Berlin Heritage Foundation is education, with an emphasis on cultural history and historic preservation. Its focus is on the Town of Berlin and the surrounding area. The principal method of education is through the preservation and operation of the Calvin B. Taylor House Museum utilizing the facility as a house museum.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Eastern Shore
Their mission is to provide all children facing adversity with professionally supported, one-to-one mentoring relationships that change their lives forever for the better!

Diakonia
They are dedicated to building a foundation for those in crisis to maintain dignity and respect without homelessness while providing hope and enhancing their quality of life.

Go Green OC
An environmental organization that is starting the first city-wide compost program in Ocean City. They are also responsible for starting the first zero-waste event in Ocean City which brings back recycling after a decade!

Grace Center
The Grace Center for Maternal and Women’s Health is a safe haven dedicated to improving maternal health and well-being of women in the community. Their programs ensure pregnant women of childbearing age gain the skills necessary for continued success and growth.

Habitat for Humanity of Worcester County
They bring people together to build homes, communities, and hope.

Historic St. Martin’s Church Foundation
This foundation works to engage in and facilitate the preservation, restoration, and stabilization of St. Martin’s and to maintain the sanctity of the site with attention to the ecclesiastical heritage of the property.

H.O.P.E.
HOPE, Inc. assists the homeless and those in poverty to obtain healthcare, social and basic living services.

Jesse Klump Memorial Fund, Inc.
The Jesse Klump Memorial Fund exists to end the threat of suicide through a program of outreach and education. To provide a place of caring for those who have lost loved ones to suicide, to support post-graduation work in mental health through a grant program.

Junior Achievement of the Eastern Shore
The mission of Junior Achievement (JA) is to inspire and prepare young people for success. They work to inspire a generation to dream big, make smart choices, and be financially capable.

Lower Shower Adoption Network
This network supports adoptive and foster parents across the Lower Shore and promotes adoption and foster parenting.

Lower Shore Enterprises
Their mission is to facilitate employment and volunteer opportunities as well as meaningful day activities, for individuals with varying abilities in the most community-integrated setting possible.

Lower Shore Support Services
The Lower Shore Support Services provides ‘back office’ and other support services to other small and medium-sized nonprofits on the Lower Shore.

Maryland Coastal Bays Program
This program exists to protect and conserve the waters and surrounding watershed of Maryland’s coastal bays to enhance their ecological values and sustainable use for both present and future generations.

Ocean City Development Corporation
They envision an economically sound and socially healthy downtown Ocean City where revitalization has capitalized on the positive aspects of the area to create a sense of character, charm, and community for both residents and visitors.

Ocean City Life-Saving Station Museum
Their mission is to inspire and support the interpretation and appreciation of the cultural and natural history of Ocean City, MD and the coastal region of Worcester County.

Ocean City Paramedic Foundation
Volunteers focused through fund-raising efforts on training of Ocean City Paramedics and the purchasing of equipment thereby ensuring the best possible life-saving capabilities for our families, friends, and neighbors.

Ocean City Reef Foundation
This is a non-profit organization that was created in 1997 when the MD Department of Natural Resources decided to terminate the state of Maryland’s Reef Program. They are committed to the enhancement of our local marine habitat through the creation and monitoring of artificial reef systems.

Ocean City Surf Club
Firmly rooted in the rich surf history of Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia, the OCSC support area youth through scholarship and mentoring.

Ocean Pines Players
The Ocean Pines Players was established in 1974 for the entertainment of the greater Ocean City, MD area. The non-profit theater group funds scholarship programs for students through ticket proceeds.

OCMD Cold Weather Shelter
Their mission is to love others, especially those who have fallen on tough times. They provide hot meals and a clean, safe place to sleep during the winter nights in Ocean City.

Operation Shooting Star
A non-profit group dedicated to raising awareness and funds for research, and to provide advocacy for all of the Autoimmune Disease community, while encouraging communication to bridge the gap between patients, caregivers, doctors, and researchers.

Rackliffe House Trust
A private non-profit foundation that has entered into a long-term lease with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources for the purpose of restoring and maintaining the notable 18th-century plantation house overlooking Sinepuxent Bay.

Salisbury Art Space
They work to enhance the visual arts in the mid-Delmarva region through youth and adult art education and exhibition opportunities, for both established and emerging artists.

Salisbury Jaycees Foundation
The Salisbury Jaycee’s Foundation mission is to support local less fortunate youth in our community. Their organization is the non-profit affiliate of the Salisbury Jaycees Inc.

Salisbury Zoo
The Salisbury Zoo is a 501c3 organization and relies in large part on support and donations to fund animal care, education programs, and conservation. These donations help to keep the Zoo a free resources for our community.

Stories Love Music
Stories Love Music’s mission is to improve the care and support for those living with Dementia and Alzheimer’s through creative engagement between the caregiver and the cared for.

Surfrider Foundation
The Surfrider Foundation is a non-profit environmental organization dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of oceans, waves, and beaches through a powerful activist network.

Symphony 21
Their mission is to provide youth with the inspiration, opportunity, tools, and resources to pursue careers in the arts.

Team Keller
Team Keller is a program of two young parents in Salisbury to raise money for research on Cystic Fibrosis, a progressive genetic disease that causes persistent lung infections and limits the ability to breathe over time.

Telamon Corporation Mid-Atlantic Region
Their mission is to provide educational services that lead to better jobs, better lives and better communities. They connect youth and adults to educational opportunities that help them to obtain better jobs through their Workforce and Career Services Programs while providing customer-centered wrap-around case management services.

The Art League of Ocean City
Their mission is to promote artistic expression and appreciation for the creative arts in our community through programs, events, and classes for all ages and abilities.

The CRICKET Center
The CRICKET Center works to provide hope and healing to child victims of abuse and to hold accountable those who commit these crimes.

Tri Community Mediation
Supporting people having tough conversations and offering opportunities for collaborative dialogue throughout Worcester, Wicomico, and Somerset Counties.

United Way for the Lower Eastern Shore
This group is dedicated to creating and enhancing opportunities for making a positive and lasting impact in the areas of health, education, and financial stability.

Wicomico County Education Foundation
WCEF serves as the intersection at which the business community, individuals and the school system connect, building a bridge for the betterment of Wicomico County.

Wicomico Public Libraries
Supporting learning, building community and enriching lives.

Worcester County Arts Council
The mission of the Worcester County Arts Council is to aid, encourage, advise and correlate all activities dedicated to the promotion of the arts in Worcester County.

Worcester County Education Foundation
This is a motivated group of community members who are committed to establishing a proactive partnership between the community and the public school system by linking community resources with the educational needs of its students to prepare them to succeed.

Worcester County Humane Society
A no-kill shelter whose purpose is to find homes & loving families for stray and abandoned animals.

Worcester Youth & Family Counseling Services
Dedicated to helping children and families achieve success and happiness in life through mental health counseling, youth enrichment activities, child advocacy for the abused and neglected, and empowerment programs that help families gain self-sufficiency.