We are firmly in to the holiday season, having passed Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday. That makes today Giving Tuesday (often stylized as #GivingTuesday), which is a global movement that encourages people, organizations, and businesses to donate time, money, or resources to charitable causes. Giving Tuesday serves as a philanthropic counterbalance to the consumer-focused events, and the idea is to foster a sense of generosity and to give back to communities and causes that matter most.

In the spirit of giving, here are five local charities we love, plus a bonus.

Hopkinton Center for the Arts

The HCA is Hopkinton’s community arts center. They offer a wide range of programming, from dance classes to pottery, community events like the Wicked Weekend and the Winter Art Show, and hosting headliners such as Rock and Roll Hall of Famer John Oates. What many people don’t know is that a primary source of their funding comes from grants and small donations. The HCA is also a vibrant contributor to Hopkinton’s economy, serving more than 12,000 people each year from Hopkinton and beyond.

Project Just Because

Project Just Because is Hopkinton’s food pantry, and they help struggling families in their times of greatest need by supplying basic necessities including warm clothing, food and school supplies. Their work goes far beyond Hopkinton; in 2023, PJB will serve more than 210,000 families and provide 27,000 gifts for children in need over the holidays. Project Just Because is 100% donation-dependent, with 96% of all dollars going directly toward programming.

PJB was founded in 1998 by Hopkinton resident Cherylann Lambert Walsh in her garage. Cherylann saw a food insecurity crisis in her local community and opened her heart to individuals and families in dire need, providing them with basic necessities.

Dignity Matters

Hopkinton non-profit Dignity Matters recently reached a milestone in the fight against period poverty: 10 million free menstrual care items and undergarments distributed to women and girls across Massachusetts. 60% of those items were distributed in the last 24 months.

Founded in 2016, Dignity Matters is the largest nonprofit in Massachusetts dedicated to providing a reliable supply of free menstrual care to people who cannot afford these items. Menstrual care is expensive, rarely donated, and cannot be purchased with SNAP/Food Stamps, WIC, or any other federal or state program. Per the Alliance for Period Supplies, 2 in 5 women struggle to afford menstrual care; 1 in 4 students miss class, and 1 in 3 women living in poverty miss school or work because they can’t afford these items.

On September 28th, Dignity Matters Founder and Executive Director Kate Sanetra-Butler accepted MassNOW’s 2023 Feminist In Action Award at the 13th Annual Feminist Affair Event. At the event, Sanetra-Butler was recognized by Governor Maura Healey, Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll, and Boston Mayor Michelle Wu for her outstanding contribution to women’s health in the Commonwealth.

Baypath Humane Society

Baypath Humane Society of Hopkinton is dedicated to providing shelter, care, humane treatment, and loving homes for stray or unwanted companion animals. They seek to serve our community by fostering relationships, promoting education, and making a positive impact on pet overpopulation.

Baypath operates a small shelter of less than 2,000 square feet of indoor space, but what they lack in space they make up for in their dedication to the quality of care. They offer adoption programs and temporary rehoming for unwanted pets, and their dedicated staff of volunteers make it a priority to offer training, play, and cuddle time with each animal.

Garrison Speed Shop

Garrison Speed Shop was co-founded by Hopkinton resident and US Army veteran Luke Young. Their mission is to help our nation’s active military, veterans and first responders through recreational motorcycle programs and skilled trade vocational services. They also offer hands-on, integrated training to help motorcycle owners learn everything from how to perform an oil change to custom welding and fabrication of parts. Civilians take part in these clinics as part of a group package where a veteran or first responder sponsors them. In addition, shop bays can be rented – all equipped with the state-of-the-art tools – for larger projects. Veterans and first responders can take advantage of the shop at a subsidized rate. 

The Garrison has been built through an army of volunteers who have done everything from construction of the space, equipment assembly, paperwork, repairs, and recruiting donors.

“It’s been incredibly organic,” said Young. “We’ve been so blessed to meet so many people who are generous with their time.”

Bonus: One Summit and Hopkinton’s Gary Trendel

Hopkinton Planning Board Chair Gary Trendel has entered the 128th Boston Marathon, running to support One Summit, a nonprofit based in North Andover, which facilitates connection between pediatric cancer patients and US Navy SEALs.

One Summit was founded in 2013 by Adam La Reau, a former Navy SEAL. La Reu’s inspiration stemmed from his experiences as a Navy SEAL, coupled with his mother’s fight against breast cancer. Through volunteering at cancer organizations after his mother passed away, Adam saw a lot of young kids battling cancer that didn’t have the skills to conquer the disease on their own.

La Reu’s experiences in the military led him to believe there was an opportunity for the Navy SEALs to help these kids. One Summit builds resilience and facilitates growth in pediatric cancer patients and their siblings through experiential learning, mentorship, storytelling, and community engagement with US Navy SEALs.

Trendel was inspired by his college roommate’s child, who was diagnosed with a brain tumor and was connected to a SEAL mentor through One Summit. Through him, Trendel has seen firsthand the impact this program can have on a child. 

Trendel’s goal is to raise at least $15,000 for One Summit. “These funds are critical for a smaller organization like One Summit,” he explained. “Although the SEALs generously donate their time, One Summit uses the money to pay for expenses that bring the SEALs to the kids, like flights and lodging.”