Why not consider making a donation in their name to a local charity? Nonprofit organizations of all types exist in the Grand Junction area, and donating to a charity that fits with your gift recipient’s values can have an impact long after other gifts are tucked away and forgotten.
Making a financial contribution to an organization in someone’s name is easy. Simply contact an organization of your choice and tell them what you would like to do. The organization can help you with the rest of the details.
Here are a few suggested nonprofits that would welcome such holiday donations:
Habitat for Humanity of Mesa County (http://hfhmesa.org/). Habitat for Humanity gives working families a chance to have a home for themselves. According to its website, Habitat families that enroll in the program are required to help build their home in a partnership with Habitat. When the home is finished, the new homeowner pays a no-interest mortgage back to Habitat. For more information, contact the organization at 970-255-9850.
Homeward Bound of the Grand Valley (http://www.homewardboundgj.org/). Homeward Bound of the Grand Valley operates the Community Homeless Shelter, which houses more than 90 people per night. The program operates three successful transitional programs and works with local churches to handle overflow on the coldest winter nights. For more information, contact the organization at 970-256-9424.
Counseling and Education Center (http://www.cecwecare.org/). The Counseling and Education Center provides professional counseling services to individuals and families that otherwise might not be able to afford such services. For a variety of reasons, many families and individuals in crisis have trouble accessing professional counseling services. The Counseling and Education Center helps make these crucial services affordable and accessible to those who need them. For information, call 970-243-9539.
Community Food Bank. The Community Food Bank in Mesa County has existed since 1978, and the organization says its primary purpose is to reduce hunger by providing an emergency supply of good-quality food for residents in need. Food is purchased from local stores and the Western Slope Food Bank of the Rockies, and the organization also accepts donations of food from local churches, individuals, and food drives. In a year’s time, the food bank serves as many as 19,000 client visits. For information, call 970-640-0336. To read a recent news story about the Community Food Bank in the Grand Junction Free Press, visit http://www.gjfreepress.com/article/20101112/COMMUNITY_NEWS/101119977.
Center for Independence (http://www.cfigj.org/). The Center for Independence offers a variety of programs to help disabled people live more independently. Services include training for individuals with poor vision, interpreter services for deaf people, job training for disabled people, housing assistance, education about healthful living, and computer training for people with disabilities. For more information, call 970-241-0315.
Child and Migrant Services (http://www.migrantservicesgv.org/). Child and Migrant Services has been around Mesa County since 1954, providing community services to migrant and seasonal farm workers and their families. Among the services are meals, job-related assistance, translation services, clothing, social activities, housing services, and mental-health services. The total package of services allows migrant and seasonal farm workers to “live and work with dignity in our community,” according to the organization’s mission statement. For more information, visit the website or call 970-464-5226.
Roice Hurst Humane Society (http://www.rhhumanesociety.com/). Roice Hurst Humane Society operates a no-kill animal shelter and provides other programs such as low-cost pet-vaccination clinics and pet-adoption services. During this holiday season, Roice Hurst will send a special card acknowledging the gift when you make a donation for $20 or more in someone’s name. For details, visit the organization’s website.
This list is just a sample of the organizations in the Grand Junction area that provide crucial services to those in need. Even small contributions can help them fulfill their missions, and there is no better way to give during the holiday season than to help someone else.
Douglas B. May, CFA, is President of May-Investments, LLC and author of Investment Heresies .
Posts
