The last day of tax-deductible giving in 2016 is tomorrow. Countless worthy organizations kicked off the charitable season with #GivingTuesday and they still need your help. We encourage you to lend your support to as many of them as you can. Financial donations are critical – but so is the gift of your time and power of your voice. Here’s a quick look at some design, art and performance-focused organizations that need help now.
Emily Ray is Paste’s Visual Arts Editor.
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The Art Therapy Project
The Art Therapy Project is dedicated to helping trauma survivors through the creative process. Centered around challenges of Family, Violence and Health, the nonprofit works with with more than 1,000 clients each year including at-risk youth, male and female veterans and 9/11 survivors, as well as adolescent and adult survivors of sexual abuse. Half of all participants are from low-income backgrounds, most care, court-involved and other at-risk communities. Art Therapy provides a non-verbal way for trauma survivors to explore and express their feelings. atocny.org
Photo by The Art Therapy Project
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The American Printing House for the Blind
The American Printing House for the Blind promotes independence of blind and visually impaired persons by providing specialized materials, products and services needed for education and life.
APH is the world's largest nonprofit organization of its kind manufacturing textbooks, cookbooks, dictionaries and other publications in several accessible formats (including Braille, Large Print, Recorded and Computer File). We love Louis, the APH provided database that allows teachers, parents and students to locate thousands of works from across the United States. Donations help offset printing plant operational costs. APH also maintains a unique multimedia museum with artifacts, photos and electronic displays covering the history of tactile alphabets, the braillewriter, Talking Books and more. aph.org
Photo by The American Printing House for the Blind
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Infinite Flow: A Wheelchair Dance Company
Infinite Flow is America's first professional wheelchair ballroom dance company, a nonprofit founded to mass market inclusion through dance and innovation.
The organization is dedicated to increasing access to quality dance instruction for people with disabilities and to building a world-class professional dance company of dancers with and without disabilities. We love Infinite Flow Kids, an inclusive kids dance company in LA where kids of all abilities dance together. (Right now they are learning ballroom and hip hop.) infiniteflowdance.org
Photo by Infinite Flow
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Designs for Dignity
Designs for Dignity has renovated and restored the environments of over a hundred community programs and nonprofit organizations across the Midwest.
The organization transforms nonprofit environments through pro bono architectural, interior and landscaping design. We love the Translife Center Garden created for Chicago House and Social Service Agency, another worthy organization providing housing, employment services, medical linkages, and support services to those who are disenfranchised by HIV/AIDS, poverty, homelessness, and/or gender nonconformity. designsfordignity.org
Photo by Designs for Dignity
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Mudflat Studios
Mudflat Studios is a nonprofit organization offering classes, workshops, programming and events focusing on ceramic arts. Students are encouraged to discover ways to express themselves by creating functional, sculptural and decorative work. Mudflat offers learning opportunities to clay enthusiasts of all ages. We love the community supported scholarship fund. mudflat.org
Photo by Mudflat Studios
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National Museum of Women in the Arts
National Museum of Women in the Arts is the only major museum in the world solely dedicated to recognizing women's creative contributions.
The museum directly addresses the gender imbalance in the presentation of art in the U.S. and abroad, bringing to light remarkable women artists of the past while also promoting the best women artists working today. We love the world-class exhibitions, 18,500-volume library and research center, and performing arts events. nmwa.org
Photo by National Museum of Women in the Arts
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Design Impact
Design Impact is a non-profit social innovation firm made up of designers, community development practitioners, social entrepreneurs, and educators.
The organization collaborates with passionate people to bring design and innovation together to create a better world. We love the wide range of projects, especially those focused on solving hunger problems with good design - from a food truck that fills the summer meal gap for Nashville families to creating nutritionally-dense snacks for kids in Mumbai. d-impact.org
Photo by Design Impact
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New York Theater Ballet
New York Theatre Ballet's mission to is perform small classic masterpieces and new contemporary works for adults and innovative hour-long ballets for young children, all at affordable prices.
The organization's mission is carried out in the work of the Professional Company, its Ballet School NY and it's LIFT Community Service Program. NYTB has earned acclaim for its family and adult program both nationally and abroad. We love tickets to The Nutcracker for under $25 and free online study guides offered to teachers so they can help students become familiar with the stories behind each classic ballet. nytb.org
Photo by New York Theater Ballet
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The Adaptive Design Association
The mission of the Adaptive Design Association (ADA) is to ensure that people with disabilities receive the custom adaptations they need to live healthy lives and fulfill their developmental, academic, and vocational potential.
ADA promotes education, inclusion, widespread replication, and social justice, envisioning a world where Adaptive Design Centers are operating in communities, schools, and organizations everywhere. The organization needs financial donations but also welcomes dedicated volunteers who have backgrounds in engineering, design, fabrication, carpentry, sewing, photography, crafting, therapy and education. adaptivedesign.org
Photo by The Adaptive Design Association
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United Percussion
United Percussion is a youth-based organization dedicated to the expansion of artistic, intellectual and musical talents of performers in Philadelphia.
United is a percussion performance ensemble that teaches members not only to strive for musical and performance excellence, but to understand important political, social and life issues. We love the use of music, percussion and multimedia productions to tackle issues like race, war, faith and fear. The 43 member ensemble presented a emotional production on the 2016 percussion competition circuit, telling the story of the Native American "Trail of Tears" and Andrew Jackson's Indian Removal Act policies. unitedpercussion.org
Photo by United Percussion