When I began NICABM, I made it a cornerstone of our organization that we would give back to those who are in need.
It’s a lesson that my parents instilled in me from a young age when they taught me to tithe at least 10% of my allowance each week.
And now, every holiday season, I take great joy in looking back and reflecting on our charitable giving for the year.
In 2024, NICABM gave away $441,210 to organizations making an impact locally, in the US, and around the world.
When we’re picking out organizations, we don’t just give to the biggest names. We try to find the organizations doing great work that aligns with our values and makes the most of every dollar we give.
The World – $190,110
The Citizens Foundation – $31,610
Building and running gender-equal schools in Pakistan
Save the Children – $25,000
Delivering health care in conflict zones and aid to areas impacted by hurricanes
Innovations for Poverty Action – $20,000
Runs randomized controlled trials to assess interventions to reduce poverty
Evidence Action – $20,000
Scales evidence-based programs to reduce the burden of poverty
Amnesty International – $15,000
Helps fight abuses of human rights worldwide
CouldYou? Cup – $15,000
Provides menstrual cups for girls in Africa
GiveDirectly – $15,000
Allows donors to send money directly to those in need with no strings attached. All funds went to recipients in Africa.
Partners in Health – $10,000
Provides high-quality healthcare in some of the world’s poorest places
Doctors Without Borders – $10,000
Provides medical humanitarian assistance to those who need it most
American Near East Refugee Aid – $10,000
Helps refugees in Palestine and Lebanon
Camfed – $5,000
Provides educational opportunities for girls in rural areas of Africa
Human Rights Watch – $5,000
Conducts research and advocates for human rights
World Wildlife Fund – $2,500
Fights for wilderness preservation
The Baa Foundation – $2,000
Provides free health care and education in developing areas of India
Village Impact – $2,000
Provides educational opportunities for children in rural Kenya
Friends of Ecole Agape – $2,000
Supports the only free girl’s school in Haiti
The United States – $134,300
Equal Justice Initiative – $15,000
Provides legal support to individuals who are illegally convicted and unfairly sentenced
Thurgood Marshall College Fund – $10,000
Supports students at HBCUs and PBIs
Hebrew Immigration and Refugee Service (HAIS) – $10,000
Provides vital services to refugees and asylum seekers around the world
Global Refuge – $10,000
Dedicated to serving immigrants, asylum seekers and refugees in the United States
Legal Outreach – $10,000
Provides social and academic support to underserved youth in New York
New City Kids – $10,000
Offers after-school programs for low-income youth
The Innocence Project – $10,000
Works to free the innocent and prevent wrongful convictions
OXFAM – $10,000
Fights inequality to end poverty and injustice
Human Rights Campaign – $10,000
Fights for LGBTQ+ rights
Exodus Transitional Community – $5,000
Provides support for those in transition from incarceration
Covenant House – $5,000
Provides services for youth who are homeless or survivors of trafficking
The Bowery Mission – $5,000
Serves homeless and hungry New Yorkers
Undue Medical Debt – $5,000
Buys medical debt from collections agencies and forgives it
PBS Foundation – $5,000
Uses media programming to educate, inspire, and entertain
Salvation Army – $3,000
Meets human needs without discrimination
Insight Meditation Community of Washington, DC – $1,000
Offers meditation programs and sangha gatherings
Barre Center for Buddhist Studies – $1,000
Offers the integration, study, and practice of Buddhism
Sierra Club -$1,000
Fights for environmental and social justice
Provincetown Art Association and Museum – $1,000
Supports local art and artists
Mass Eye and Ear Foundation – $1,000
Provides advanced training on retinal care and eye surgeries for doctors from developing countries
NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness)– $1,000
Dedicated to improving lives of those affected by mental illness
Taylor University – $1,000
Supports development at Taylor
Michigan State University – $1,000
Supports development at MSU
American Foundation for Suicide Prevention – $1,000
Aims to save lives and bring hope to those affected by suicide
Alzheimer’s Association – $1,000
Provides Alzheimer’s care, support, and research
ASPCA – $1,000
Fights to prevent cruelty to animals
Wikimedia Foundation – $300
Hosts Wikipedia, the free online encyclopedia, created, edited, and verified by volunteers around the world
Local – $116,800
Covenant Soup Kitchen – $30,000
Provides food and access to basic services in the Windham community
Eastern CT State University Scholarships – $15,000
Scholarships for first-generation college students in need
Integrated Refugee and Immigrant Services of CT – $12,000
Supports refugees and asylum seekers in Connecticut
Windham No Freeze Shelter – $10,000
Assists people experiencing or at risk of homelessness
Joshua’s Tract Conservation and Trust – $10,000
Protects more than 5,000 acres of land in Northeastern Connecticut
Connecticut Public Broadcasting Network – $6,000
Uses media programming to inform, educate, and inspire
UConn Foundation – $5,000
The Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts
Mansfield Downtown Partnership – $5,000
Provides economic development services and oversees the redevelopment of Downtown Storrs
Windham Area Interfaith Ministry – $5,000
Provides basic needs and support to area residents with insufficient income
Holy Family Home & Shelter – $5,000
Compassionately supports families and individuals experiencing homelessness
Center for Medicare Advocacy – $5,000
Advances access to comprehensive Medicare coverage
Willington Dollars for Scholars – $2,000
Offers financial assistance to students pursuing secondary education
Mansfield Holiday Fund – $1,500
Provides assistance to community families for the holidays
New England Public Media– $1,000
Provides programming that nurtures community, civility, and curiosity
Access Community Action Agency – $1,000
Serves low-income individuals and families
Storrs Congregational Church Food Pantry – $1,000
Serves area individuals facing hunger
Benton Art Museum – $1,000
Works toward the collection, preservation, and research of art
Our Companions Animal Rescue – $1,000
Advocates for animals in need
Town of Mansfield – Farm to Families Fund – $300
Connects asset-limited families to fresh, locally sourced food
Total (World, USA, Local) $441,210
Now I’d like to hear from you. What inspires you to give? I’m always eager to hear how you give back to your community, whether that’s with time, money, or resources. So please, leave a comment below to share the important work you do.
It truly warmed my heart to see the variety of organizations that you supported.
I am co-founder of a 501c3 organization that supports women who are leaving abusive home environments.
We offer intensive trauma counseling (including counseling to treat religious trauma) using evidence based approaches, at no charge.
Through our “Housing for Healing initiative, we also assist the women to find their own apartment, where they can have a safe space to heal, as we have too often witnessed that women are re-traumatized by feeling dehumanized and disempowered by the homeless shelter environment.
But once they are able to find their own “safe space” to live in and heal, they flourish and become empowered to find their own God-given gifts and talents.
Some women develop their own small business to become self-sustaining. And some even use what they have learned during their own healing journey, to then reach out to other women as a a trained “lay counselor.
It is a beautiful cycle to witness and be part of. It’s amazing how something as simple as a safe space to live, can have such an impact that multiples outward.
It’s a lot of work and at times I do get weary, but when I see a woman who has lived in shame and fear most of her life, hold her head up high, as she tells me about her latest innovation for her emerging business, and shares about the other women she is now reaching out to… And I am reminded that it’s all worth it.
Thank you for your heart toward helping those in need, in such diverse ways.
Hi, thanks for your update. I had no idea your organisation gives so much.
I am involved with a church ministry team that offers counselling to our community members, for free in a range of contexts. We have been really blessed by your resources, we have a team of over 40 pastoral counsellors dealing with a huge variety of needs and we also run our own online training every 2nd year which includes written work, study groups, mentoring and supervision of new counsellors as they complete their first year of meeting with counselees.
Our Church also runs a Health centre, offering medical care and counselling to mostly disadvantaged people in the neighbourhood and beyond, particularly to refugees and other marginalised groups who struggle to access care. I am honoured to be a volunteer counsellor in this church community and be part of a committed team caring for people in Cape Town, South Africa
Since 2001, our tiny non-profit organization gives people-helper training to adults in Uganda & Malaysia who cannot afford education yet are at the front-line of helping refugees and the traumatized. Each semester, we use university psych and couns grad and doctoral students as our interns. It has been greatly rewarding for all.
I support non-human animals and nature. Kitty Of Angels is a wonderful, home-run local to me, cat rescue. I tried fostering and failed so I now live with three wonderful cats and donate to Kitty Of Angels to support their work. I also donate to people for the ethical treatment animals, Heaven on Earth cat rescue, and the Audubon society.
I volunteer for Love One Community that provides free meals and free laundry to everyone in need in Sandy, Oregon.
For several years post retirement I have maintained my licensure as an LMFT so that I can continue to volunteer my services to our church members in AZ. I am thankful for the ongoing opportunities to learn that are offered thru NICABM.
Carol Horan, MA, LMFT
I’ve spent the bulk of my career working with unhoused folks in San Francisco. I’ve changed settings a couple of times and so like to volunteer at Tenderloin Tessie’s holiday dinners, both because I get to see and catch up with some folks whom I don’t usually see and because the dinners are done so well. There’s live music and people are served at the tables and the whole thing is just done with such a sense of joy and dignity for the folks we serve.
This is beautiful! Grateful for the healing work that you do with those who are unhoused.
This sharing exercise is very inspiring. Since I learned the tithing principle from the Bible, I have been practicing it and being blessed. My regular and cheerful giving goes primarily to the church to reach people and help them in various ways, especially exploring and knowing God’s Word. As a Christian, I have been tithing faithfully for over 50 years. Here is a favorite Bible verse that motivates me to give (or tithe) generously and cheerfully: “One man gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly but comes to poverty. A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed” (Proverbs 11: 24-25). I must add that my giving is not limited to tangibles; much of my giving is sacrificing my time and using my God-given talents.
Thanks for inspiring us to change the world. A Course in Miracles 108 – To give and to receive are all one in truth. 🙏
I’m thankful for you and far NICABM!
You have created a Community that has shared the riches of knowledge wisdom and research and shown a generoosity of spirit that is a model for us all….wishing you all a wonderful and joyous Christmas Season and a year ahead the brings still more people knowingly and unknowlingly into a Community of caring, healing and giving.
That’s great, I’ve always believed in supporting others and humanistic causes including protection of our planet and life in general. Also I’m a Buddhist and have experienced that this makes a cause to be supported in one’s own life 🤔 🌈🙏🙏💖
Kudos to you.
For 30 + years I have tithed 10% of my income to spiritual groups. A few years ago, with the stock market boom, when Elon Musk and others where using their wealth to shoot themselves off to space, I decided to give 10% of my assets to spiritual groups.
The reward has been great. I feel connected to so many people and to my surprise, generosity has become one of my traits. I give not only money but my time and myself, within limits of course, to others. That reward is also great.
Thank you for giving so generously back to those most in need. Every year I’m touched and grateful to read the list of beneficiaries and reflect on how they may be putting the resources to good use. Thank you also for providing such quality content to diverse professionals so we can learn from each other and deliver best practices to our clients. Wishing you and the entire community a blessed 2025.
-Art Therapist, Cincinnati
Thank you for this awesome report. I prefer to stay connected to nicabm’s impact on helping and healing adventures even though I retired as a LICSW in practice for 40 years when I was 81 years of age. Now at 85, I cherish the sense that I am connected to my kin. Once a healer and helper, always a healer and helper! Sending my hearty Congratlations on your continuing growth and sharing for many years to come. Dr. Buczynski, you are an inspiration! Linda Collins Thomas
“Once a healer and helper, always a healer and helper!” … Yes indeed! Love that you are still using your gifting and training to care for others. You are an inspiration!
Thank you! I so appreciate that this professional community values giving and sharing support beyond its own doors. Before this career I worked as volunteer or staff for a variety of nonprofits. mostly environmental. Donations in any amount made a difference to us. And being involved was my passion and gave me purpose. Now I support those causes with donations and letter writing. It’s still my passion and gives me purpose as balance for my professional life. And this year I fostered a dog… the first, I hope, of many!
Seeds of hope
Wow! So happy I could contribute! Hope I can do it in the coming years too ☺️🎄
Great work! Just curious if the split of donations reflects the value of revenue received from each of those locations?
In awe as I read of the care and wide network of needs you provide support to
At present I focus my support on healthcare givers at the frontline through concessionary rates to carers and pro bono where I can to students…
I offer free emotional resilience training to Charitable Trusts, feels little enough. i am inspired to be more focused and consistent in giving in 2025 🙏