Spirit of Giving: 6 Nonprofits To Support In Framingham

FRAMINGHAM, MA—It's easy to find a charity. Swing a stick and you'll hit some organization, somewhere, raising money for some cause. But many want to keep it truly local, and help the neighbors around you or the charities that operate right in your community.

The season of giving is upon us. After we smash into people with our carts and knock everyone over at the retail stores for Black Friday, and sit online grabbing red hot deals on Cyber Monday, we turn our thoughts to #GivingTuesday.

Celebrated on the Tuesday following Thanksgiving (in the U.S.) #GivingTuesday kicks off the charitable season on Nov. 28. Since its inaugural year in 2012, #GivingTuesday has become a movement that celebrates and supports giving and philanthropy with events throughout the year and a growing catalog of resources, said the organization. skills and experience who work, not just to care for the immediate needs of the patient, but to understand their psychological needs, keep watch for signs of physical abuse/ and or long term illnesses and to keep accurate files on each patient.

Here is a list of six nonprofit organizations operating or helping in Framingham. Learn more about them.

1. Jeff's Place: Jeff’s Place is the only independent program in MetroWest that provides comprehensive bereavement support services for both children aged 3-19 and their families.
2. The Land Conservation and Advocacy Trust: provides legal support, fiscal sponsorship and technical assistance to help preserve open spaces, farmland, historic places and architecture, natural resources, and to promote sustainability and smart-growth ideals that foster these land conservation values.
3. American Cancer Society: has a local headquarters in Framingham. Its mission to free the world from cancer. The organization funds and conducts research, shares expert information, supports patients and spreads the word about prevention.
4. Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation For Autism: The goal of the Flutie Foundation is to help families affected by autism live life to the fullest. Through its programs and partnerships, the organization helps people with autism get access to care; lead more active lifestyles; and grow toward adult independence.
5. Jewish Family Service of Metrowest: community-based organization dedicated to standing up for those left behind and provides services to more than 5,000 people in need within the Metrowest and Greater Boston regions each year, including extended day academic support for low income children, nutrition and basic family assistance for struggling families, citizenship and immigrant programs and geriatric care management and other support services that enable frail older adults to live independently.
6. MetroWest Humane Society (Ashland): An advocate for animal welfare, MWHS focuses on the well-being of cats in the Metrowest Boston area, including finding loving homes or providing life-long care while educating the community and reducing the feral/stray cat population. MWHS is a volunteer-led, non-profit, no-kill shelter dependent on charitable donations.

What nonprofit do you support? Tell us about it in the comments section.

Photo via Shutterstock