Reviewed by: Callie Morrison
Your ultimate guide to Giving Tuesday in Birmingham
Reading time: 10 minutes
Every year, we kick off the giving season with Giving Tuesday, a day when people around the globe support causes that matter to them.
Birmingham has no shortage of outstanding nonprofit organizations that make our city better every single day. We’re making it easy for you to support local this Giving Tuesday, December 2—check it out below.
What exactly is Giving Tuesday?
Giving Tuesday happens every year on the Tuesday following Thanksgiving. According to its official website, it’s a day that encourages people to do good.
“Giving Tuesday is a global generosity movement that unleashes the power of people and organizations to transform their communities and their world.”
Birmingham has certainly seen firsthand how much influence people and organizations can have on communities—and there’s no shortage of Birminghamians trying to do good.
Here at Bham Now, we love our local nonprofits. They do so much incredible work in our community, from supporting people in need to protecting our natural world and much, much more.
We wanted to make it easy for locals to pour back into the community that’s given us all so much. Check out our local nonprofit directory featuring Birmingham-area organizations with a wide range of missions.
Giving Tuesday event in Birmingham
- What: Naughty But Nice Kettle Corn Company, i3 Academy and Bundles of Hope Diaper Bank are working together on a diaper drive that will allow for a steady supply of diapers in the i3 Academy Food Pantry. In exchange for donating a package or box of diapers, donors will receive a small bag of Naughty But Nice kettle corn.
- When: Mon, Dec. 1-Fri, Dec. 19
- Where: Bundles of Hope Diaper Bank
Support arts + culture in Birmingham
1. The Alabama Theatre
Built in 1927 by Paramount Studios, the Alabama Theatre stands as a living piece of history. They depend on events and donations for income.
2. The Alabama Symphony Orchestra
The Alabama Symphony Orchestra is a full-time orchestra, passionately pushing the boundaries of music through concerts, education and creativity.
More to support in Birmingham:
- Birmingham Children’s Theatre: DONATE HERE
- Carver Performing Arts Center: DONATE HERE
- Red Mountain Theatre: DONATE HERE
- Terrific New Theatre: DONATE HERE
- The Lyric Theatre: DONATE HERE
- Virginia Samford Theatre: DONATE HERE
Find more organizations supporting the arts in Birmingham.
Support special needs in Birmingham
1. Mitchell’s Place
Mitchell’s Place specializes in improving the lives of children affected by autism and other developmental disabilities. They employ highly qualified and caring therapists, analysts and teachers to implement each child’s treatment and instruction.
2. United Ability
United Ability provides a wide variety of innovative services connecting people with disabilities to their communities and empowering individuals to live full and meaningful lives.
More to support in Birmingham:
- Hand in Paw: DONATE HERE
- The Bell Center: DONATE HERE
Find more organizations supporting people with special needs in Birmingham.
Support education in Birmingham
1. Better Basics, Inc.
Better Basics provides literacy intervention and enrichment programs for students in Birmingham and Fairfield City Schools and Talladega County Schools.
2. STAIR of Birmingham
Start the Adventure in Reading (STAIR) provides Birmingham City Schools’ first- and second-graders with individualized reading and literacy tutoring to boost confidence and skills.
More to support in Birmingham:
- Easterseals of the Birmingham Area: DONATE HERE
- GirlSpring: DONATE HERE
- Glenwood, Inc: DONATE HERE
- The Exceptional Foundation: DONATE HERE
Find more organizations supporting education in Birmingham.
Support animal welfare in Birmingham
1. Birmingham Zoo
One of the state’s most popular attractions, the Birmingham Zoo, is an ever-evolving adventure. The Birmingham Zoo features animals from all over the world, with signage highlighting the Zoo’s amazing animal care, conservation initiatives and Species Survival Plans.
2. Greater Birmingham Humane Society
Greater Birmingham Humane Society exists to promote the humane treatment of people and animals through education, advocacy and services.
3. Kitty Kat Haven & Rescue
Kitty Kat Haven & Rescue is just that—a haven and rescue for cats. Their mission: to save abandoned, stray and injured cats and kittens and provide them with complete vetting in a safe and loving environment.
More to support in Birmingham:
- Alabama Wildlife Center: DONATE HERE
- Cowboy Up Animal Rescue: DONATE HERE
Find more organizations supporting animal welfare in Birmingham.
Support children in need in Birmingham
1. Make-A-Wish Foundation of Alabama
Make-A-Wish Alabama creates life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses. Although it’s a national organization, all operations take place at a grassroots level—and the Alabama chapter is headquartered right here in Birmingham.
2. Camp Seale Harris – Southeastern Diabetes Education Services
Founded by Dr. Samuel Eichold in 1949 as the first diabetes camp in the South, Camp Seale Harris is now operated by Southeastern Diabetes Education Services (SDES) and supports children and families. Until there is a cure, Camp Seale Harris teaches kids with type 1 diabetes (and their families) to live well.
More to support in Birmingham:
- Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Birmingham: DONATE HERE
- Grace House Ministries: DONATE HERE
- Ronald McDonald House: DONATE HERE
Find more organizations meeting the needs of children in Birmingham.
Support our environment
1. Black Warrior Riverkeeper
Black Warrior Riverkeeper’s mission is to protect and restore the Black Warrior River and its tributaries. They are dedicated to promoting clean water for the sake of public health, recreation and wildlife habitat throughout their patrol area, the Black Warrior River watershed.
2. Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens
As a Friend of the Gardens, you keep one of Birmingham’s most important and beloved cultural institutions growing—strengthening our community while enriching the lives of all who visit.
More to support in Birmingham:
- Alabama Rivers Alliance: DONATE HERE
- Jefferson County Greenways: DONATE HERE
Find more ways to support the environment in Birmingham.
Support families in Birmingham
1. Heart Gallery of Alabama
Heart Gallery Alabama is a nonprofit organization dedicated to finding forever families for children in Alabama’s foster care system by raising awareness and educating the public.
2. King’s Home
For over 46 years King’s Home has been home to hundreds of youth, women & kids seeking refuge, hope, and help from domestic violence, neglect, abandonment, homelessness and other difficult and impoverished conditions and circumstances.
More to support in Birmingham:
- United Way of Central Alabama: DONATE HERE
Find more ways to support families and child advocacy in Birmingham.
Support health services in Birmingham
1. Children’s of Alabama
Since 1911, Children’s of Alabama has been a place of healing and hope for Alabama’s most critically ill children. It’s the only medical center in the state dedicated solely to the care and treatment of children.
2. Children’s Harbor
Children’s Harbor provides children with serious illnesses and their families a place to be themselves, have fun and relax while also receiving no-cost services that make life a bit easier for the whole family.
3. AIDS Alabama
AIDS Alabama has been committed to helping people living with HIV/AIDS in Alabama for over 30 years. They focus on housing, policy and advocacy, supportive services, HIV prevention and education, as well as free and confidential HIV testing.
More to support in Birmingham:
- Addiction Prevention Coalition: DONATE HERE
- Alzheimer’s Association: DONATE HERE
- Breast Cancer Research Foundation of Alabama: DONATE HERE
- National MS Society: DONATE HERE
Find more ways to support health services in Birmingham.
Support social justice in Birmingham
1. Birmingham Civil Rights Institute
The Birmingham Civil Rights Institute (BCRI) stands as a national authority on the history of the Civil Rights Movement. BCRI reaches more than 150,000 individuals each year through their programs and services, and the Institute itself brings people from all over the country.
2. Greater Birmingham Ministries
Greater Birmingham Ministries (GBM) was founded in 1969 in response to urgent human and justice needs in the greater Birmingham area. GBM is a multi-faith, multi-racial organization that provides emergency services for people in need and engages the poor and the non-poor in systemic change efforts to build a strong, supportive, engaged community and pursue a more just society for all people.
More to support in Birmingham:
- Jefferson County Memorial Project: DONATE HERE
- YWCA AmeriCorps: DONATE HERE
Support homeless services in Birmingham
1. The Jimmie Hale Mission
The Jimmie Hale Mission has been serving the Birmingham area since its humble beginning as a storefront chapel in 1944.
For more than 75 years, the ministry has helped restore and transform thousands of lives by addressing homelessness and addiction through the love of Jesus and the generosity of people in our community and across the state of Alabama.
2. Firehouse Ministries
The Firehouse Shelter now operates 6 facilities ranging from transitional housing, a Safe Haven for men with serious mental illnesses, permanent supportive housing, to affordable low-income permanent housing in various neighborhoods throughout the Birmingham metro area.
Find more ways to support Birmingham’s homeless population.
More nonprofits to support on Giving Tuesday in Birmingham
- Alabama Goodwill Industries: DONATE HERE
- American Red Cross: DONATE HERE
- Chabad of Alabama: DONATE HERE
- Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham: DONATE HERE
- McWane Science Center: DONATE HERE
- REV Birmingham: DONATE HERE
- Vulcan Park & Museum: DONATE HERE
What organizations are you supporting this Giving Tuesday? Tag us on social @bhamnow and let us know.
