WACO, Texas — Non-profits like Caritas of Waco rely on the community's support to give back to their neighbors.
Every year on Giving Tuesday non-profit organizations nationwide remind people the importance of giving back locally.
Alicia Jallah the Co-Executive Director at Caritas of Waco said although the need has gone down since the pandemic started, they're still serving about 200 Central Texas families every day.
Each year they're able to provide food and other services to more than 40,000 Central Texas families and the donations they receive help with more than just groceries.
"It helps us provide utility assistance so people can keep their electricity on, or roofs over their heads and things like that. It just helps us to provide whatever those urgent needs are or emergency needs are for our families," Jallah said.
Even during challenging times, Jallah said the support has remained steady.
"People have just really seen how families are struggling, how people are struggling during this time and they just really rose up to meet that need and they just continue to do so," Jallah said.
She said non-profit organizations would not be able to help those in need if it wasn't for their volunteers and the people who are generous enough to give.
"We also work with a lot of the local pantries here in Waco. You know we all serve or see some of the same people and so we have to work together in order to just support the common good," Jallah said.
They typically project the need to be higher at the end of the year, so they hope the community keeps on giving this holiday season.
Local non-profits:
Caritas of Waco website: https://www.caritas-waco.org/
Helping Hands Ministry of Belton: https://www.helpinghandsbelton.org/
Mission Waco website: https://missionwaco.org/
Family Promise of East Bell County: https://www.familypromisebellcounty.org/