Doing Good in the LBC is a weekly newsletter where we’ll share updates from the nonprofits community and how you can volunteer or give back in our city. Sign up at lbpost.com/newsletters.
It was a good week for giving
Long Beach Gives was a huge success this year, raising a record $2,120,279 for nonprofits from over 10,000 unique donations. In the last five years, the weeklong effort has now raised over $10 million for nonprofits.
Some of the top organizations this year included the Assistance League of Long Beach ($170,854), Rising TIDE ($135,880), BOSS Inc. ($87,386) and For the Child ($73,790).
This was the first Long Beach Gives campaign for the Long Beach Post after we became a nonprofit nine months ago, and we raised an incredible $8,209 online, with two other individuals pledging offline donations of $1,000 each. Our media partner 562 Sports raised over $16,000 for their coverage of local athletics.
An annual report on philanthropy across the country shows that, thanks largely to strong stock market earnings, giving across the country in 2023 was up 2% from the previous year. Donations from individuals make up more than half of the $557 billion that was donated to charities in 2023.
I am blown away by the generosity of people; it gives me hope. Thank you!
Digital Divide
Our friends at Heart of Ida got some great news this week: They are one of 50 organizations nationwide to be selected for a nationwide effort to improve digital literacy among older adults.
The initiative, led by the National Council on Aging, seeks to empower older adults with essential skills needed in today’s digital world.
Heart of Ida already offers drop-in office hours at the Long Beach Senior Center. Thanks to the new funding, the organization will also now offer in-person workshops from October to March 2025, with curriculum designed to build confidence in using technology. Topics will include online safety, communication tools and accessing essential services online.
For more information, please contact Heart of Ida at 562-570-3548 or visit their website at www.heartofida.org.
Banned books
Long Beach will now recognize this week (Sept. 22-28) as National Banned Books Week, drawing attention to the rising number of challenges to books in libraries, schools and bookstores.
Requests to ban books are fairly rare in Long Beach, but drawing attention to the importance of literacy, new ideas and creative thinking is always a good thing.
The Friends of Long Beach Public Library advocated for the proclamation, which was approved by the city last week.
If you want to get out and celebrate literature, head toward the coast today for the first Belmont Shore Book Fair from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Chase Bank parking lot at 5200 E. Second St. The event includes more than 50 publishers and authors.
Click here for more information.
Cleaning the coast
Thousands of volunteers came out Saturday for the 40th anniversary of California Coastal Cleanup Day to pick up trash and other debris at five locations in or near Long Beach.
You can help clean the beach throughout the year as part of Justin Rudd’s Community Action Team 30-minute beach cleanups at 9:30 a.m. on the first Saturday of each month at Granada Avenue and Ocean Boulevard. Click here for more information.