In October, we called upon our readers to nominate the Bay Area's most impactful charitable organizations. From thousands of nomations (way to go!), we've narrowed the running to the Top 49. The time has come to vote in our annual San Francisco's Favorite Charities Contest, presented by PG&E and 7x7.
UPDATE: VOTING IS NOW CLOSED
Every vote counts: The top seven finalists that you select will receive $2,000 from PG&E, while the winning charity will take home $10,000 to help further its cause. All our finalists will get a special tip o' the hat at a party in their honor this holiday season. It's the perfect way to say thank you to the good-doing folks who work tirelessly thoughout the year to make our community better.
Read up on our Top 49 nominees below, and vote for your favorite at the bottom. Voting will continue through Tuesday, November 17th.
Children of Shelters is a nonprofit organization working to provide support and education for children living in or being served by the homeless shelter system.
Tranforming the lives of accomplished high school students from low-income families, Minds Matter helps broaden their dreams and prepare them for college success.
Project Open Hand is a nonprofit organization that provides meals with love to critically ill neighbors and seniors.
BAYS (Bay Area Young Survivors)
BAYS offers monthly support group meetings with free childcare, an active online network, and community-building events for young women with breast cancer in the Bay Area.
Variety Children's Charity of Northern California
Variety is dedicated to delivering life-enriching services and much-needed funds to build better futures for the children of Northern California.
JCYC provides culturally-competent, comprehensive college preparation, information, and assistance targeting students of low-income who are the first of their family to enroll in college.
Blind Babies Founation provides critical early intervention and education services to infants and preschoolers who are blind or visually impaired.
Hearing and Speech Center of Northern California
The Hearing and Speech center provides lifelong professional services to support all people with hearing loss or communication difficulties in achieving their goals.
Project Color Corps is dedicated to creating change by painting inner city neighborhoods with color and patterns that impart positive messages of optimism and hope.
Cake4Kids provides free birthday cakes for foster children and at-risk youth in the Bay Area.
Confronting HIV in communities most vulnerable to the disease, SF AIDS Foundation uses education, advocacy and direct services for prevention and care.
The Bread Project empowers individuals with limited resources on their path to self-sufficiency through skills instruction, on-the-job training, and assistance with establishing a career in the food service industry.
Friends of San Francisco Animal Care & Control
Friends of SFACC raises funds for the city's municipal, open-door animal shelter, San Francisco Animal Care and Control (SFACC), and its partnering rescue groups.
GirlVentures empowers adolescent girls to develop and express their strengths by exploring new physical, social, emotional and creative activities.
The SF SPCA's mission revolves aroaund saving and protecting animals, providing care and treatment, advocating for their welfare and enhancing the human-animal bond.
Toni's provides foster care for sick, orphaned kittens that are too young to be considered adoptable.
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society - Greater Bay Area Chapter
The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society is the largest voluntary health organization dedicated to funding research, finding cures, and ensuring access to treatments for blood cancer patients.
Reading Partners is dedicated to unlocking the skills of students who struggle with reading by providing one-on-one reading instruction to elementary school students reading below grade level.
Dress for Success provides professional attire, a network of support and the career development tools to disadvantaged women to help them thrive in work and in life.
Big Brothers / Big Sisters of the Bay Area
This mentoring program provides children facing adversity with strong and enduring, professionally supported 1-to-1 relationships that change their lives for the better, forever.
The LGBT Community Center provides opportunities, resources, and group support to achieve a stronger, healthier, and more equitable world for LGBT people and our allies.
Oasis for Girls partners with girls and young women of color from under-resourced communities to help them cultivate the skills, knowledge, and confidence.
Causa Justa is a multi-racial, grassroots organization building community leadership to achieve justice for low-income San Francisco and Oakland residents.
HandOn creates volunteer opportunities to connect cool companies and people to schools, parks, and nonprofits in need of help.
Upwardly Global provides customized training and support to find and secure skill appropriate opportunities and achieve full economic potential in the U.S.
Freedom Concepts designs and builds adaptive bicycles and other mobility devices to help kids be kids.
Spark is a philanthropic network of young professionals investing to improve the lives of women around the world with crowd-source grants, pro bono professional services, and more.
The Homeless Prenatal Program partners with families to break the cycle of childhood poverty by joining with families to help them recognize their strengths.
Grounwork connects leaders around the world and invests in their action to inspire sustainable development and progress in their communities.
Living Jazz empowers children and adults, inspires creative growth, and unites diverse communities by living jazz.
Glide Memorial creates a radically inclusive, just and loving community mobilized to alleviate suffering and break the cycles of poverty and marginalization.
Parks Alliance inspires and promotes civic engagement and philanthropy to protect, sustain, and enrich San Francisco parks, recreation and green open spaces.
The Lupus Foundation improves the quality of life for all people affected by lupus through programs of research, education, support and advocacy.
Urban Ed provides educational services to help 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students succeed academically and become knowledgeable and productive citizens.
Arts Workshop helps young people develop critical thinking, creative expression, and basic learning skills through the arts.
Family Dog Rescue is a grassroots-grown dog rescue organization saving 800+ family-friendly dogs a year at risk of euthanasia to place them with loving forever families.
Jewish Family and Children's Services
Jewish Services is dedicated to strengthening individuals, families, and communities of all faiths and backgrounds with a comprehensive system of care.
Homeless Youth develops relationships with youth and young adults aged 13-29 who live on the street in the Haight Ashbury neighborhood of San Francisco.
Aim HIgh creates life-changing opportunities during the summer and beyond through nurturing, prepartion, and inspiration.
Pomeroy Recreation & Rehabilitation Center
Pomeroy Recreation & Rehabilitation Center provides recreation, vocational and educational opportunities for people with disabilities through programs and services that encourage self-expression, promote personal achievement, and lead to greater independence.
