By: Yaffa Seraph Santos

 

Is it true that a little can go a long way? SmallCanBeBig.org sure thinks so. This Massachusetts-based nonprofit is proof that you don’t need to have a philanthropist’s bank account to help others in need.

 

SmallCanBeBig.org was founded this year by a PR agency whose staff members were growing increasingly concerned about the rising rates of homelessness in Massachusetts. The organization works closely with 10 respected Massachusetts charities, including HomeStart and Project Hope. The charities serve by identifying families who need emergency aid, in many cases to avoid homelessness.

 

Through SmallCanBeBig.org, donors can pool donations to provide the help that the families need, whether it is to turn on electricity that has been cut off or to make a payment that keeps a family from being evicted. On SmallCanBeBig’s website, potential donors can read the situations of families in need and choose a family that they would like to help. Donors choose the amount they would like to donate, which can be as little as $3.

 

According to SmallCanBeBig, what makes their organization unique is the directness of the giving. You read about a family in crisis on the website, you make a donation, and it goes directly to the family. If you live in Massachusetts, SmallCanBeBig.org offers a way to help your neighbors and support your local economy. And if you don’t, you can still lend a hand- caring knows no state lines.