Celebrated on the Tuesday following Thanksgiving, #GivingTuesday kicks off the charitable season, when many focus on their holiday and end-of-year giving. Since its inaugural year in 2012, #GivingTuesday has become a movement that celebrates and supports giving and philanthropy with events throughout the year and a growing catalog of resources.

In honor of #GivingTuesday, please consider donating time, talent or resources to one of the many amazing Downtown Overland Park non-profit organizations:

• CommuniTea
  • CommuniTea is a non-profit tea and coffee shop; a small percentage of profits are invested back into the shop, but the rest goes out into the community! Donations are made to area non-profits and meeting space in the coffee shop is donated for group meetings. If you donate $25 or more to help CommuniTea's outreach, you will receive a "passport" good for 10% off every purchase in the shop for an entire year. Click here to learn more.

• Growing Futures Early Education Center
  • Growing Futures Early Education Center, formerly Head Start of Shawnee Mission, is a not-for-profit organization providing quality early education opportunities and family support services for children in Johnson County, Kansas. Today, Growing Futures serves over 250 low-income children and their families with Early Head Start and Head Start programs. Growing Futures is funded only in part through federal and state grants and are currently required to raise more than $333,000 in private/community dollars each year to meet matching requirements for federal grant funding. Click here to learn more about volunteer and donation opportunities.

• InterUrban ArtHouse
  • The InterUrban ArtHouse enriches the economic vibrancy of the community by creating a place where artists and creative industries can work and prosper in an affordable, sustainable and inclusive environment. The ArtHouse provides programming for those wishing to advance their artistic skills, professional development and business training for artists and creative entrepreneurs, community engagement and art therapy. Learn more about how you can support the ArtHouse's programming by clicking here.

• L'Arche Heartland
  • L'Arche Heartland began in 1987 with a mission to make known the gifts of people with intellectual disabilities through mutually transforming relationships through three core programs:
    • Homes | Core members (adults with intellectual disabilities) share homes with assistants (adults without intellectual disabilities who choose to share a season of their lives living in mutual relationships with core members) planning menus, shopping, preparing meals, completing household responsibilities and leisure activities.
    • Academy | Core members and assistants gather five days a week to pursue activities focused on creative expression including visual arts, music, journaling, reading skills, math skills, foreign language, puzzles and games.
    • Green Express Studio | Thirty core members participate to learn more about employment skills, life skills and care for the environment by collecting aluminum, plastic and paper recycling from area businesses. Core members also share their time by volunteering at animal shelters, community centers, food banks and with Meals-on-Wheels.
  • Learn more about becoming an assistant or volunteer with L'Arche by clicking here.

• Overland Park Historical Society
  • The OPHS is dedicated to identifying and preserving the history of Overland Park through large collections of historic photographs, artifacts and documents that are available for research at the society headquarters located in the Strang Carriage House in Santa Fe Commons Park. You'll also find an extensive collection of historic items from Overland Park at the OPHS' exhibit space at the Johnson County Arts & Heritage Center. Learn more about becoming a member or volunteer for the OPHS by clicking here.

• Sacks on Santa Fe
  • The Heartstrings Community Foundation provides unique employment opportunities for adults with intellectual/developmental disabilities within local business communities. Sacks on Santa Fe, a part of the Heartstrings Community Foundation, is a boutique clothing store for men and women offering upscale resale clothing and a selection of new accessories and home decor. Click here to learn more about how you can help by donating online, dropping gently used items for resale or as a volunteer.

• Ten Thousand Villages Overland Park
  • A proud member of the Fair Trade Federation, Ten Thousand Villages creates opportunities for artisans in developing countries to earn income by bringing their products and stories to our markets through long-term fair trading relationships. Volunteers are crucial to the success of Ten Thousand Villages because committed volunteers assist in keeping overhead extremely low, allowing for the purchase of more fair trade items from artisans around the globe. Volunteers are asked to work at least eight hours per month and attend a Fair Trade 101 Orientation; click here to learn more.

There's still time to contribute to the 2017 Mayor's Tree Lighting charity fund benefiting the Johnson County Christmas Bureau. The JCCB provides groceries, personal care items, winter clothing, coats, holiday gifts (sometimes the only gifts a family will receive) to over 10,000 low-income neighbors each year. Financial donations may be sent to the Downtown Overland Park Partnership office (7315 West 79th Street); non-perishable food and personal hygiene items are also being collected (click here for a list of locations). Please click here if you would like to volunteer to work at the JCCB Holiday Shop.