The holidays are a time for joy — but for families that are struggling, they're also full of heartache. And there are many national organizations that are here to help with everything from food assistance to ensuring that children have presents to unwrap on Christmas Day. Whether you're looking for support or would like to lend a helping hand, these organizations are all doing important work to help families in need. 

No Kid Hungry

No Kid Hungry’s mission is straightforward but crucial: to end child hunger in America. Launched 10 years ago, the organization takes several steps in making sure children across the U.S.get the nutritious food they need to grow. Providing food itself — think school breakfasts, summer and afterschool meals — is just one part of No Kid Hungry’s action plan. The organization also provides education on how to shop and cook healthier, conducts necessary research and advocates for programs kids rely on to government agencies and elected officials.

Learn more about No Kid Hungry here.

Save the Children

Save the Children sets out to do exactly what its name promises. For over 100 years, this humanitarian aid organization has worked to give children everywhere “a healthy start in life, the opportunity to learn and protection from harm.” It does that in several ways, from leading the charge to reduce newborn deaths to making sure kids are reading by third grade to stepping up in an emergency crisis.

Learn more about Save the Children here.

Toys for Tots

Run by the U.S. Marine Corps, Toys for Tots's mission is to collect new, unwrapped toys and deliver them to children at Christmas, with the goal of creating joy and sending a message of hope to little ones across the nation.

Learn more about supporting Toys for Tots here.

Family Promise

More than 567,000 Americans experienced homelessness last year, according to the National Alliance to End Homelessness. Family Promise wants to lower that number by helping homeless and low-income families achieve sustainable independence. The organization takes a multifaceted approach, from providing food, shelter and support services to advocating for at-risk families to educating people everywhere about poverty and how to combat it. While the organization spans 43 states, the core of the mission is local: it has more than 200 affiliates across the U.S. that work to address homelessness in their own communities.

Learn more about Family Promise here.

Children's Defense Fund

The Children’s Defense Fund works to provide kids with the basic necessities they need to thrive and reach their full potential. The organization fights for “stable homes, quality health care, ample nutritious food, good schools, safe neighborhoods, and access to resources and opportunities that enable them to reach their potential,” particularly for poor children, children of color and those with disabilities. With four decades of advocacy under its belt, the organization does everything from advocating to Congress to training young people about how they can help children everywhere.

Learn more about the Children's Defense Fund here.

Ronald McDonald House Charities

Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) believes that no family should be alone in dealing with their child’s medical crisis. Founded in 1974, the organization provides families with the resources they need to help care for their sick children. It does so through three different programs: its House program provides families with a place to stay near top hospitals so that they can be close to their hospitalized child without racking up hotel or food costs. Its Family Room program provides families with private places to decompress right in the hospital, and its Care Mobile programs deliver medical and dental care to underserved communities. RMHC spans across the globe and helps provide more than 2.5 million overnight stays each year, helping families save over $930 million in hotel and food costs.

Learn more about Ronald McDonald House Charities here.

The International Rescue Committee

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) helps individuals who’ve suffered from the world’s worst humanitarian crises by helping them “survive, recover and gain control of their future.” This nonprofit provides assistance in more than 40 countries and 20 U.S. cities, providing everything from clean water and shelter to education and empowerment to refugees and displaced people. Last year alone, the IRC provided almost 1.5 million children with schooling and education opportunities, on top of admitting 122,100 children for nutrition treatment. What’s more, it helped 151,700 mothers deliver their babies with the assistance of skilled health personnel.

Learn more about the International Rescue Committee here.

Feeding America

Did you know that 50 million people may experience food insecurity in the U.S. this year due to the coronavirus, including 17 million children? Feeding America wants to stop all of that. As the nation’s largest domestic hunger-relief organization, Feeding America has  200 food banks and 60,000 food pantries and meal programs across the country. The organization works to prevent food waste and provide nutritious food to places that need it. It also ensures families receive food that’s safe to eat, on top of breaking the cycle of hunger and poverty through awareness and advocation.

Learn more about Feeding America here.