Organizations to Support in the Trump Era
As many of us work through the stages of post-election grief, the urge to action is growing. In years past, I’ve been as guilty as anyone in making a single donation after a natural disaster or humanitarian crisis—and then moving on. Not this time. It’s going to take everything we’ve got to combat the forces unleashed by Donald Trump, Mike Pence, Steve Bannon, and their band of bad hombres. I’ve been researching the best organizations that can specifically combat the disasters that are brewing: environmental protection/climate change, human rights, reproductive/women’s health rights, citizen’s rights, fighting corporate oligarchy, and independent journalism. My family and I plan on choosing one in each category and setting up a monthly donation to help for the long haul.
Of course there are many more; I just put this together to help myself and my friends and family. All of these have high ratings from Charity Navigator and/or I have some personal knowledge of their efficacy.
Environmental
Center for Science in the Public Interest
https://cspinet.org/
Because science.
Earthjustice
http://earthjustice.org/
The nation’s largest environmental organization, providing legal services for environmental causes of every kind. They call themselves the “legal backbone” for all other environmental organizations.
Environmental Defense Fund
https://www.edf.org/
Climate change/carbon emissions; sustainable agriculture/food; and a particular focus on how to make environmental improvements an economic win-win. They partner with corporations to find practical solutions but accept no corporate donations.
Natural Resources Defense Council
https://www.nrdc.org/
Litigation, research, advocacy, partnerships. Highly regarded and very large, mobilizing now for the fight.
Sierra Club Foundation
http://www.sierraclubfoundation.org/
Clean-energy research and advocacy; protecting public lands and water; fight for clean air and water. Large and powerful.
Union of Concerned Scientists
http://www.ucsusa.org/
Climate change; influencing government policy to combat global warming; positive work toward clean energy. Focus on solutions.
Protection of Minorities & Immigrants
Immigrant Defenders Law Center
http://www.immdef.org/
Social-justice legal center that helps children of immigrants in Southern California, who are now at risk of deportation.
Lambda Legal
http://www.lambdalegal.org/
Civil rights for lesbians, gay men, transgenders, and people with HIV/AIDS.
MALDEF
http://maldef.org/
The country’s largest Latino civil rights organization, with a focus on legal action.
Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC)
http://www.mpac.org/
Protecting the civiil rights of Muslims in America and helping build a strong integration of Muslims into American society.
NAACP Legal Defense Fund
http://www.naacpldf.org/
Civil rights; voting rights; economic and racial justice.
Southern Poverty Law Center
https://www.splcenter.org/
Monitors hate groups; teaches tolerance; works for criminal justice. Focus on racial justice and LGBT rights.
The Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights
http://theyoungcenter.org/
The organization’s name pretty much says it.
Women’s Health & Reproductive Rights
Planned Parenthood Federation
https://www.plannedparenthoodaction.org/
Reproductive and women’s health care and advocacy for rights. Donations are split 50/50 between the national advocacy group and your local Planned Parenthood affiliate.
Planned Parenthood Southeast
https://www.plannedparenthood.org/planned-parenthood-southeast
Serving Southern states that currently appear most likely to have services banned.
Emily’s List
http://www.emilyslist.org/
A single-minded focus on getting pro-choice Democratic women elected at every level of government.
Citizen Advocates
Public Citizen
http://www.citizen.org
Congressional watchdog and advocate for fair global trade, consumer rights, and health research/drug safety. Nonpartisan. Has led the fight against Citizens United and focuses on curtailing corporate power. No corporate donations accepted. Very effective lobbyists.
A Free & Fair Press
If we don’t pay for quality journalism, the parent companies will resort (even more than is already happening) to clickbait and re-posting of un-fact-checked lies. The only way to get the facts is to pay journalists to do the hard work of getting them. Please pay the subscription fee for at least one quality newspaper (The New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Economist); donate to NPR and your local NPR station; donate to PBS and its essential show Frontline; and pay to subscribe to such magazines as The New Yorker and the Atlantic.
Also consider donating to this group, singled out by the MacArthur Foundation:
The Center for Investigative Reporting
https://www.revealnews.org/
