Are you looking for a way to make a difference in the Cary, NC community? As WhirLocal has had the opportunity to interview and get to know local business owners, we always ask if there’s a favorite local charity. It turns out the business community in Cary is very charitable, and Cary is home to many charitable organizations that are making significant impacts in the community. From helping the homeless to supporting cancer patients, there are opportunities for anyone who wants to give back.
Why Charity Work Matters
Charity work isn’t just about helping others; it’s also about growing as a person. By volunteering or donating, you can learn new skills, meet people, and feel a sense of achievement.
It even produces health benefits. According to the Dec 6, 2022 article, “Why Giving is Good for Your Health,” on Clevland Clinic’s Health Essentials website, your brain secretes ‘feel good’ chemicals like dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin. These chemicals make us feel good, engaged, and joyful.
The Clevland Clinic article references studies showing that giving lowers blood pressure, lengthens lifespan, and reduces stress. It also stimulates your mesolimbic pathway, releasing endorphins and giving you what the article calls a “helper’s high that boosts self-esteem, elevates happiness, and combats feelings of depression.”
In essence, giving enriches our lives in profound ways. When we help those in need we put ourselves on a path to self-improvement, better health, and maybe even increased longevity.
Nonprofits and Charity Organizations in Cary, NC
Let’s dive into some specific nonprofits and charities. What follows is not an exhaustive list, nor is it meant to be a best-of list. It’s simply a list of specific charities mentioned by business owners that WhirLocal recently interviewed. We thought we would take a closer look and share what we learned, and hopefully give you some ideas for getting involved.
Dorcas Ministries
Dorcas Ministries is all about helping neighbors in need. They offer financial assistance, run a food pantry, and operate a popular thrift shop. The’yre located in Dorcas Plaza at 187 High House Rd. in Cary.
Donating food, household items or money is a great way to support their work. Check out the donation page on their website to learn more on how to donate.
Volunteers are also welcome, whether you’re good at organizing, enjoy meeting people, or have a knack for numbers. If you wish to volunteer, you’ll need to complete an application and attend an in-person orientation. For more information visit the Volunteer page on their website.
The Carying Place
The Carying Place supports homeless working families, offering them life skills and transitional housing. There are 6,500 children in Wake County that suffer homelessness each year. The Carying Place provides life skills, financial literacy, and 16 weeks of transitional housing followed by 12 months of workforce development and home ownership preparation.
If you’re interested in volunteering, there are several volunteer roles you can apply for. A Support Partner meets weekly with their assigned families and helps them through the steps leading to housing. Caring Sponsors serve as friends and mentors. There’s positions that provide data entry and office assistance. You can help maintain and repair properties. And there are position that help run meal programs and child care programs. Visit their website here to learn more and apply.
With so many working families with children facing homelessness, financial donations are needed now more than ever. To learn more about how to donate, visit their donation page here.
Caring Community Foundation
Since its inception in 2001, the Caring Community Foundation (CCF) has been a source of hope and support for cancer patients across North Carolina, by providing more than $2.7 million in emergency financial assistance. This remarkable achievement has been fueled by the compassion and generosity of individuals from all walks of life—those who have faced cancer’s challenges personally and those moved by the universal desire to support others in their times of need. CCF’s mission centers on alleviating the financial burdens that accompany cancer treatment, ensuring that patients can focus on their recovery without the added stress of how to cover essential expenses like rent, utilities, and transportation.
The foundation’s roots are deeply personal, planted by Jill Wolford’s own battle with breast cancer in 1999. Faced with the harsh realities of treatment and its impact, Jill and her family received overwhelming support from their community. This outpouring of kindness and assistance inspired Jill and her husband, Eric, to establish CCF as a way to “pay it forward.”
Your donation can help CCF reach its goal of supporting over 1,000 cancer patients by 2025, offering not just financial relief but also hope, strength, and the opportunity to focus on what truly matters—beating cancer. To learn more and donate, visit their website here.
CORRAL Riding Academy
Since its foundation in 2008, CORRAL Riding Academy has been at the forefront of transforming the lives of young women in the Triangle area of North Carolina through a unique and impactful approach. Founded by Joy Currey with a profound desire to make a difference, CORRAL quickly evolved from an ambitious idea into a reality. By January 2009, CORRAL welcomed its first participant to the Riding Academy Program in Raleigh, marking the beginning of a journey toward healing and empowerment for many young women facing adversity.
The core of CORRAL’s mission lies in addressing and healing the deep-rooted trauma that often leads young women to engage in risky behaviors, resulting from cycles of intergenerational trauma. The Riding Academy stands as a testament to CORRAL’s holistic intervention philosophy, offering long-term support through academic tutoring, equine-assisted psychotherapy, family counseling, mentorship, and vocational training, among other services. This approach underscores the commitment to not just temporary relief but lasting, transformational change in the lives of participants and their families.
CORRAL’s success and the transformation it brings to its participants are made possible by the dedication and generosity of its volunteers. With opportunities at both the Raleigh and Cary campuses, volunteers play a crucial role in supporting CORRAL’s mission. Whether through group or individual volunteering, the community is invited to contribute their skills and time to help these young women access brighter futures.
To learn more about volunteering, visit their volunteer page here. You can also get involved by donating a one-time or a recurring gift to sponsor young women going through the programs. To learn more about donating, visit their giving page here.
Esteamed Coffee
Esteamed Coffee is a café with a mission – to employ individuals with various disabilities, offering them meaningful employment opportunities for the first time. With a commitment to fostering a purposeful, intentional community, Esteamed Coffee enriches the lives of both its employees and patrons. Their goal is to significantly reduce the over 70% unemployment rate for adults with disabilities, supported by a team of dedicated volunteers. Esteamed Coffee invites the community to contribute to their cause, either by volunteering or donating, to continue making a lasting impact on the lives of people with differing abilities.
Esteamed Coffee is located in a renovated 1940 cottage at 114 S. Academy Street in downtown Cary. The space offers a small conference room, a banquette area, and a bar overlooking Academy Street. Their outdoor patio provides a quaint, comfortable area of tables where fury friends are welcome.
Esteemed looks for volunteers to be Esteam Team Guides, involving mentoring those with differing abilities in customer service tasks, include: greeting customers, sharing th mission, sweeping, cleaning, and answering customer questions. Additionally, there are roles in community development, marketing, board membership, social media, website development, and special events. To find out more, visit their volunteer page here, and to donate go here.
NextStep Raleigh
NextStep Raleigh is an innovative recovery center that provides state-of-the-art, activity-based therapy programs for individuals living with paralysis due to various neurological conditions. Inspired by the personal journey of Michael Thor, who suffered a life-altering spinal cord injury, NextStep was established to offer a local solution for intensive, long-term rehabilitation.
Michael’s journey began with a life-altering motorcycle accident just 5 minutes from his home in Raleigh that resulted in severe injuries, including paralysis. His recovery process started at the Shepherd Center in Atlanta, where significant milestones were achieved, such as regaining movement in his toes and standing for the first time since the accident. Michael’s dedication to rigorous activity-based therapy led to remarkable progress.
While the progress Michael made at the Shepherd Center was amazing, it was essential for him to come back home. He still had a long recovery ahead, and the family worried about how he could continue to improve once back in Raleigh, as there was no facility or institution available to match the therapy he was receiving at Shepherd Center. This became the catalyst for his family to found NextStep Raleigh.
To support NextStep Raleigh in its mission to offer affordable, cutting-edge therapy and foster a supportive environment for those affected by paralysis, consider making a donation. Your contribution can help ensure that individuals like Michael continue to receive the vital services they need for their rehabilitation journey. To learn more about donating, visit their donation page here.
Choosing the Right Nonprofit or Charity for You
When deciding where to volunteer or donate, think about what matters most. Do you have a passion for education? Are you moved by the plight of the homeless? Your efforts will have the most impact when they align with your interests and values.
Getting involved with a charity is a rewarding way to contribute to the community. Whether you choose to donate your time, money, or skills, you’ll be making a significant difference. Let’s work together to support these incredible organizations and make Cary an even better place to live.
Ready to take the next step? Contact any of these organizations directly to learn more about how you can help. And don’t forget to spread the word—sharing this information can inspire others to get involved, too. Together, we can make a big impact in Cary, NC.
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