5 Lake Forest Nonprofits To Support This Holiday Season

LAKE FOREST, IL — If you’re like many of your Lake Forest and Lake Bluff neighbors, you may spend a good part of the holiday season with your credit card in hand buying gifts for family and friends. Coming up soon is a chance to give back to the local community.

Giving Tuesday, which in 2024 falls on Dec. 3, is a day dedicated to supporting nonprofit and community groups. Since 2012, nonprofits worldwide have used the Tuesday after Thanksgiving to galvanize fundraising, rally volunteers and add momentum to their causes.

Maintaining funding is a constant challenge for many nonprofits that fill gaps and meet other needs in the Lake Forest area.

Here are 10 nearby nonprofits to consider getting behind on Giving Tuesday, listed in alphabetical order:

1. Bernie's Book Bank: Distributes free quality books to under-served children throughout Lake County, fostering literacy and love of reading from birth through sixth grade.
2. CROYA (Committee Representing Our Young Adults): Creates leadership opportunities and safe social spaces for teens through peer-led programming and community service initiatives.
3. Lake Forest Open Lands Association: Preserves and restores more than 800 acres of natural areas through conservation science, environmental education programs, and community stewardship initiatives across multiple nature preserves.
4. PADS Lake County: Provides comprehensive homeless services including emergency shelter, permanent supportive housing, and wraparound services to help individuals achieve stability and self-sufficiency.
5. YouthBuild Lake County: Empowers young adults ages 17-24 who have dropped out of high school by providing education, job training, leadership development and support services while building affordable housing in local communities.