Christmas Clearing Council of Waukesha County

The Christmas Clearing Council of Waukesha County coordinates giving to families in need during the holidays. Volunteer opportunities include sponsoring a family, donating toys, and working at the toy shop. This organization is one of our most favorite in the community for how they bring joy to families during the holiday season. 

*A few years ago, Lake Country Family Fun organized a toy, mitten, and book drive that was quite successful!

*In 2019, Lake Country Family Fun along with the Ingleside Hotel delivered over 700 books to the Waukesha Christmas Clearing Council. 

In 2021 and 2023, Lake Country Family Fun raised money through our Swim with a Mermaid event to donate a check to the Waukesha Christmas Clearing Council. The upcoming 2024 Swim with a Mermaid event will also support the Christmas Clearing Council of Waukesha County.

You can support their cause through the Illuminated Walking Nights at the Ingleside Hotel this upcoming November 2024.

Gals on the Go Project

Gals on the Go Project is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization established by Gals Institute.  The project’s mission is to improve the social and emotional well-being of children and adolescents through prevention and resiliency building workshops and other programs.  The fun and interactive workshops focus on topics such as healthy relationships, resiliency building, effective coping strategies, confidence boosting, calming anxiety, and many others.  Gals on the Go Project events will be led by trained licensed clinicians through Gals Institute LLC.  “I Am, I Can, I Will” and “Calm, Cool, Capable” are among two of the trademarked workshops.  

Funds raised will be used to offer individual scholarships to those who can’t afford mental health support and for schools and organizations who do not have funds in their budgets to provide socio-emotional education.  Since inception in 2018, Gals on the Go Project has reached more than 500 boys and girls in Waukesha County through our resiliency-based workshops.  

*Full disclosure I have been on the board of Gals on the Go Project since late 2020, because I really believe in the mission. Also, my daughters have taken many of the workshops offered, such as Beauty Inside and Out and Frenemies to gain those positive social skills in the middle school ages. 

Family Promise of Waukesha County*

Family Promise is a non-profit organization that assists homeless families in Waukesha County by providing overnight shelter, meals, and supportive services to help families achieve permanent housing and independence in partnership with community churches. If interested in volunteering, contact: director@familypromisewaukesha.org to see volunteer opportunities and items needed for donation. Follow the Family Promise of Waukesha County Facebook page as they often post items needed and share the good work they are doing.

Salvation Army of Waukesha

The Salvation Army of Waukesha provides a variety of programs and services including providing shelter and meals to those in need. Some of the volunteer opportunities include serving meals, ringing bells, and providing office support. If you are interested, check out their website or Facebook page to view the opportunities available and sign up.

Lad Lake*

Lad Lake provides services to at-risk youth through education and outreach as well as providing residential and independent living services. Volunteer opportunities include being a family advocate, handy person, and assisting at special events. Find out how to volunteer with your family!

Lake Area Free Clinic*

Lake Area Free Clinic provides medical and dental services to low income individuals and families who do not have health insurance. Volunteer opportunities include those who can meet and greet at the clinic, interpreters, screeners, and various medical positions. There are many volunteer opportunities to serve. 

Chosen*

Chosen is a non-profit adoption and foster care ministry which offers community education and provides necessary items to foster and adoptive families. Volunteer opportunities include sorting inventory, event planning/promoting, and carpentry work. Find many opportunities to give back and volunteer.

In previous years, Lake Country Family Fun donated our costumes from our past Costume Swap event to Chosen so foster children could have access to like new costumes at no cost.

The Women’s Center

The mission of The Women’s Center is to provide safety, shelter, and support to empower all impacted by domestic abuse, sexual violence, child abuse, and trafficking.

Be sure to follow the Women’s Center on Facebook as they often post items needed for donation and opportunities to volunteer.

Lake Country Family Fun owner, Erin, donated her old cell phones to the Women’s Center in the fall 2020. When you donate your old smartphones and cell phones to The Women’s Center, they keep some for clients to use for emergencies and the rest they send to Shelter Alliance, which pays them for every phone they send in. 

Find out all the ways to help out, including:

• December Holiday Food Boxes 
• Sponsoring a family
• Donating Holiday Items

Lake Country Caring*

Lake Country Caring is a 100% volunteer-run 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides new and gently-used clothing, household items, hygiene items, appliances and furniture to people in need, at no cost. Find volunteer opportunities and more.

Women and Girls Fund of Waukesha County

The Women and Girls Fund of Waukesha County seeks to aid and enrich the lives of women and girls in our community by providing financial grants that enable opportunities otherwise unavailable to them. Find many opportunities to donate and volunteer.

Erin attended their annual luncheon in spring 2024, and this is an amazing organization. If you have the ability to attend, please do to see first hand the work this amazing organization does for the community. 

Canadian Pacific Holiday Train Food Drive

The Canadian Pacific Holiday Train will be rolling through this year, which is great for our local food pantries. In fact, they need food and monetary donations more than ever this year. In 2018 and 2019, Oconomowoc and Hartland had a friendly contest to see which community could give the most donations. Be a change for good in the community! *Check back soon for 2023 dates and times!

HAWS: Humane Animal Welfare Society

There are age requirements at HAWS (13), but HAWS also offers other opportunities, such as their Kids ‘N Critters Day Camp for younger children. Find all the opportunities to get involved with the animals through the link just above.

La Casa de Esperanza

Established in 1966, La Casa de Esperanza is a community-based organization committed to providing opportunities for those within our community to achieve full social and economic participation in society, with an emphasis on the Hispanic population. La Casa helps more than 20,000 individuals and families annually through a variety of programs and services to create positive change in the community. La Casa continues to transform every individual and family it touches, fostering hope and providing opportunities for a prosperous, engaged and connected community.

Find volunteer opportunities for your family.

Coats for Kids

Organized by Fox 6 News in Milwaukee, many local businesses will be taking in donations for the 2023-2024 season. *Check their website later in the year for details.

Donate your gently used coats and help ensure no child goes cold through another harsh Wisconsin winter.

All sizes needed: all sizes of children’s coats for the younger kids, and all sizes of adult coats for teens and older children. Every coat donated will be cleaned by ITU and delivered to The Salvation Army for distribution. #CoatsForKids

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Bonus, reader recommendation:

Sunbeam Kids: Lending a Little Hand

Sunbeam Kids, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides resources and consistent, turn-key, volunteer opportunities for busy families who want a way for the whole family to get involved in community service. 

Kids Impact Community

Toddlers and Kids on a Mission (TOAM) renamed to Kids Impact Community (KIC) to better reflect the powerful work we do within our community of metro Milwaukee and to represent the broad range of service projects we offer that are welcoming to all families and suitable to the developmental level of kids from birth to tween.

The mission is to empower children of all ages to work with their caregivers to build relationships and strengthen the Milwaukee community through partnerships and service experiences in an inclusive environment. 

The vision is to instill the belief in our children that they are responsible for and capable of being dynamic and change-making citizens within their community.

Kids Impact Community strives to provide an environment where all children and families feel safe and affirmed, valued and reflected. We are unaffiliated with any faith traditions or other organizations. We partner with diverse, established, and effective organizations within Milwaukee that, like us, recognize the capability of children to make change, serve others, and build relationships.  

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Lastly, check out our Food Pantry Guide as well to volunteer or donate.

*Those with an asterisk are available to accept AmazonSmile donations. “AmazonSmile is a website operated by Amazon with the same products, prices, and shopping features as Amazon.com. The difference is that when you shop on AmazonSmile, the AmazonSmile Foundation will donate 0.5% of the purchase price of eligible products to the charitable organization of your choice.”

We hope this information has inspired you to give back to our beautiful community this holiday season. We would love to see how your family gives back to Lake Country. Please share your experiences with us and tag us in your photos @lakecountryfamilyfun #lovelcff.

P.S.

Looking for more opportunities? Check out our Foster Care Guide which offers many ways, including but not limited to foster care, to help vulnerable children in our community.