Our cover story this week features 72 nonprofits and spells out what they do and what your money can do to help them.

Some of the organizations will surprise you with their specificity: one gives guitars and lessons to needy kids; another offers tutoring to LGBTQ+ kids; one aids farmworkers, while another gives legal aid to immigrants; there’s a nonprofit that helps seniors repair their homes; another gives legal aid for seniors. The list is seemingly endless and gloriously beautiful.

In a world where needy people have been demonized by some in power, here’s the alternative: people who genuinely care about others and have set up nonprofits to help them meet their needs and enjoy the quality of life we all deserve.

So what can you do? Pick some of your favorites and donate individually or donate to all at once. I think it’s fun to pick some organizations you really love and get the feeling—like putting your hand in concrete or getting a brick with your name on it for making a donation—that you can look at these organizations and really feel connected to them for life.

Here’s the mission statement: “Santa Cruz Gives is a countywide holiday fundraising campaign that began in 2015 with a simple goal: to make it easier and inspiring for people to give back locally. By bringing dozens of nonprofits together on one online platform, Santa Cruz Gives helps donors discover new causes, support multiple organizations with a single transaction, and see the collective impact of community generosity in real time.”

Never has coming together as a community been more important. For all kinds of reasons, federal dollars are drying up. There’s apparently enough money to give ICE agents big bonuses, but not enough to help those in need. I’m trying not to be political here, but you’ve seen the news. All we have right now is our ability to unite and help those around us.

I just read an encouraging story about how people in Chicago are finding street vendors and buying up all of their food, donating it to food banks and protecting endangered vendors from ICE. Sure, protesting and holding up signs is one way to make a point, but directly contributing to those in need is really significant. You can do that right here, right now at Santa Cruz Gives.

On other fronts: we’ve got some great food news about a new Thai restaurant in Capitola and a new chocolate business at the Capitola Mall. The Mall is undergoing a major, long-awaited turnaround.

Thanks for reading and sharing your thoughts on our letters page.

Brad Kava | Editor

PHOTO CONTEST

DOG DAY AFTERNOON Photo taken on Westcliff Drive. Photograph by Davis Banta.

GOOD IDEA

On Nov. 21, The Age of Disclosure will premiere in select theaters across the country and globally on Amazon Prime Video. This documentary brings together 34 distinguished voices from the military, intelligence community and government—leaders who have stepped forward to speak openly about UAP, non-human intelligence, and the decades of secrecy that have shaped global policy. Early reviewers are calling the film “world-changing,” and we believe it will spark an enormous public conversation in the weeks and months ahead. On Nov. 29, there will be a free community screening in Santa Cruz at the Resource Center for Nonviolence. INFO: newparadigminstitute.org.

GOOD WORK

Last Sunday, nonprofit Free Guitars 4 Kids gave away new guitars with lessons to more than 100 young students who couldn’t otherwise afford them. The children were recommended by the Arts Council of Santa Cruz County’s Mariposa Arts and Pajaro Valley Unified School District’s Expanded Learning. The event was held at The Grove, where families enjoyed watching their children receive a guitar, listen to pros play on stage, and join in on a song.

“When kids get their own guitars to take home, they thrive creatively, academically and foster lifelong skills such as perseverance and self-confidence,” said Ben Dudley, executive director of FG4K.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

‘Show me your budget, and I’ll show you your values.’
—Gabriel Barraza