Giving Tuesday: 5 Lakeland Nonprofits That Could Use Your Help

LAKELAND, FL — There’s no single way to show generosity on Giving Tuesday, which falls on Tuesday, Dec. 2, this year, but several nonprofits in Lakeland are counting on end-of-the-year donations and support.

Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday all focus on consumerism, while the idea behind GivingTuesday is to galvanize fundraising, rally volunteers and add momentum to their causes.

Since 2012, nonprofits, community and grassroots groups, and mutual aid networks worldwide have used the #GivingTuesday hashtag to encourage fundraising, rally volunteers and add momentum to their causes, according to the nonprofit of the same name behind the movement.

Local nonprofits remain heavily dependent on donor support. Charitable contributions increased 2.9 percent from June 2024 to June 2025, according to the Fundraising Effectiveness Report analysis.

Notably, although total dollars raised have increased, year-to-date performance among supersize donors has been softer than in 2024, making small contributions more important than ever.

In the United States, Giving Tuesday is led by hundreds of communities, networks and coalitions.

Here are five nonprofits in Lakeland that depend on community support (donations should be made directly to each of the nonprofits below):

• Dream Center of Lakeland: Through its Kids’ Clubs, service projects, block parties, LifeClasses, food and clothing distribution, teen mentoring, and other initiatives, this organization serves 400 to 600 people each week.
• Florida State Animal Response Coalition: This disaster response division of SPCA Florida is dedicated to disaster mitigation, preparation, response and recovery for emergencies involving animals.
• Heartland for Children: This community-based care lead organization contracted with the Department of Children and Families serves more than 1,600 children across Polk, Hardee and Highlands counties.
• Junior League of Greater Lakeland: Through various programs and community efforts promoting overall wellness of body, mind, and spirit for women and children, league members reach more than 10,000 families each year.
• Rose Dynasty Foundation: This organization strives to provide a safe and family-friendly atmosphere for all people, no matter their gender, race, sexual orientation, and/or religion through mentoring, fundraising, fostering community, and promoting awareness of resources.

The Giving Tuesday movement encourages “radical generosity,” the concept that the suffering of others should be as intolerable to us as our own suffering, according to the movement’s website.

Giving Tuesday was created in New York City in 2012 with a simple goal: to encourage people to do good. Over the past nine years, the idea has grown into the global movement it is today.

Last year, Giving Tuesday participants raised a record-breaking $3.6 billion from 36.1 million participants, bringing the total raised on the day since 2012 to $18.5 billion.