- North Shore Family Adventures
- Posts
- Giving Tuesday Guide
Giving Tuesday Guide
Inside: Food banks, education, arts, culture, environmentalism and more
Giving Tuesday is TODAY — a perfect opportunity to invest in the organizations strengthening our local communities every single day. You can see our full Giving Tuesday guide or read on for categories and picks for how you can give back this year.
Know the North Shore: New GaGa Pit
Lake Bluff now has a new GaGa Ball Pit! This year’s Beagle Dash helped fund the project, and volunteers assembled the new equipment. If you or your kids are new to the game, you can find a summary of how to play here. Lake Bluff PE teachers will spend time in class making sure the kids know how to play.
Does your car insurance cover what really matters?
Not all car insurance is created equal. Minimum liability coverage may keep you legal on the road, but it often won’t be enough to cover the full cost of an accident. Without proper limits, you could be left paying thousands out of pocket. The right policy ensures you and your finances are protected. Check out Money’s car insurance tool to find the coverage you actually need.
Food banks
Family Sharing of Ozaukee County - Distributed 736,795 pounds of food in 2024, serving 400+ families monthly. Shopping-style pantry plus mobile services in Mequon/Thiensville. 1002 Overland Court, Grafton.
Ozaukee Food Alliance - Serves 400+ families monthly from Saukville location. Featured on CBS Evening News for innovative Fresh Foods/Food As Medicine Initiative. 100 E. Green Bay Ave, Saukville.
Hunger Task Force - Milwaukee's free food bank serving 33,000+ monthly through 80+ partner sites. Operates 208-acre farm producing 500,000+ pounds of fresh produce annually. 100% of donations directly supply food.
Community
Shorewood Foundation - 61 years enhancing village culture and quality of life. 100% volunteer board, zero administrative costs. Leading Fourth of July fireworks sponsor since 2003. [email protected]
Whitefish Bay Public Library Foundation - Supporting library's 85th anniversary with $2.5M endowment campaign. Funds collections, programs, technology for all ages. 5420 N. Marlborough Drive.
Outreach Community Health Centers - 40+ years providing healthcare, behavioral health, dental, and housing services regardless of ability to pay. Serves 14,000 clients. New WELL Certified facility in Glendale. 220 W. Capitol Drive.
Education and literacy
Bernie’s Book Bank
Bernie's Book Bank - 28+ million books distributed since 2009. Served 20,000 Milwaukee students with 160,000 free books in 2024-2025. Opening new Glendale facility at 5235 N. Ironwood Road. 5-year study proved significant impact on reading achievement.
Shorewood SEED Foundation - Supporting educational excellence since 2003. Donated $275,546 in 2019 alone. Current $1M matching gift opportunity toward $3M endowment.
Fox Point-Bayside Educational Foundation - Over $100,000 contributed in 2024 to enhance Stormonth Elementary and Bayside Middle School. Funds Makerspace, STEAM initiatives, and technology.
Whitefish Bay Public Education Foundation - $1.3M+ contributed since 1993. Awards teacher grants, scholarships, and funds innovative programs like the Middle School Media Center redesign.
Mequon-Thiensville Education Foundation - $200,000 recent grant serving 3,700 students across six schools. Celebrating 25th anniversary.
SHARP Literacy - Serves 8,500+ students annually across 40 schools with innovative STEAM-focused literacy programs. 25+ years of educational impact.
Environment and Arts
Schlitz Audubon Nature Center - 185 acres protecting last undeveloped Milwaukee County lakefront in Bayside. Serves 27,000+ children annually, 262 bird species observed. 4-Star Charity Navigator rating.
Skylight Music Theatre - 66 years of professional music theatre excellence. 358-seat Cabot Theatre in Historic Third Ward. Current season includes Joseph and Fiddler on the Roof. Enlighten program serves 13,000+ MPS students.
Wisconsin Humane Society - Ozaukee Campus - 145+ year legacy. Serves 40,000+ animals annually statewide, matches 13,000+ with families. No-kill policy, fully donor supported. Pet Food Pantries, Safe Haven Program. 630 W. Dekora St, Saukville.
See our full guide!
Nicolet Rec Classes
The Nicolet Recreation Department offers 171 Winter/Spring programs and activities at 24 different locations across the community for toddlers, youth, teens, adults, and senior adults! This edition includes 30 new programs including Youth Nature Classes and Yoga Fitness Classes. Browse the bulletin online. Online registration for 2026 Winter/Spring programs begins Monday, Dec. 8th. You can also fax, mail, walk-in, or use our drop box to register beginning Dec. 22nd.
See you out there,
North Shore Family Adventures
P.S. Forward this guide to anyone still asking, “How can we support our community???”
Reply