2 Nonprofits to Actually Donate Your Money
If you’re anything like me, you might be skeptical of every charity that comes your way. Understandable, in the era of social media and internet scams, there are many entities that claim to be legitimate only to guilt-trip you out of donating a couple of dollars.
In light of this, I’ve decided to take a look at 2 nonprofits that are taking real steps in advocacy and social justice. The Innocence Project and the Equal Justice Initiative are two organizations fighting for criminal justice reform and working to dismantle mass incarceration one step at a time.
The Innocence Project
What is it about?
The Innocence Project, as detailed on their website, aims to “exonerate the innocent through DNA testing and reform the criminal justice system to prevent further injustice.” The organization focuses on a multitude of individual cases that are also available for view on the website. One thing that stands out to me is how each case, upon clicking on it, appears incredibly detailed and discusses the procedural events. It is reassuring to know that they are aiming to put a face to the name of those who have fallen victim to the corrupted justice system. They also include many stories about the ongoing fight for criminal justice, regardless of whether or not the Innocent Project was involved in the case or not.
How do I get involved?
First and foremost, you can directly donate to the cause. Other than that, the Innocence Project also has items like t-shirts and tote bags for sale, where the proceeds go towards their cases. You can also volunteer, apply for jobs, and invite exonerees to speak.
The Equal Justice Initiative
What is it about?
Like the Innocence Project, the Equal Justice Initiative strives for criminal justice reform. They also focus on issues such as racial justice, children in prison, and the death penalty. EJI also takes part in specialized projects that help to recognize America’s racialized history. One of these projects happened in June 2019, where EJI partnered with the local community of Nashville, Tennesse to build historical markers of four men who had been lynched in the late 1800s. You can read more about it here. EJI has also created special exhibits illustrating the history of lynching in the United States.
How do I get involved?
The main way to directly get involved with the Equal Justice Initiative is to donate. You can also sign up for updates through their website.
