Community Interest
Better Together: 2025 Giving Guide
Celebrating milestones and connecting you with local nonprofits who need your support all year long to continue serving Lancaster neighbors
Lancaster has long been known for its spirit of generosity and community. In Fig’s annual giving guide, you’ll get to know a collection of impactful local nonprofits who work each and every day to support Lancaster neighbors. We invite you to learn more about their missions, milestones, and ways to invest in a better Lancaster for all.
Anchor Lancaster
When Anchor Lancaster moved to First United Methodist Church in 2016, it grew from a simple act of service into a nonprofit led by Patty Eastep, its first paid employee. For years, she carried the mission through dawn-lit mornings and long seasons of trust along with a group of faithful volunteers. By 2019, they began offering showers to further restore dignity for neighbors. In 2023, a temporary Day Center opened as a refuge for unhoused neighbors, and by 2024, the Day Center had become a vital branch of Anchor’s ministry—helping guests find housing, healthcare, and community through an expanding network of partners and a growing social-service team. Anchor Lancaster is preparing to make the Day Center permanent through a renovation project at the East King site that includes critical infrastructure upgrades, zoning approvals, and a heating system before winter—continuing the work God began through a single meal and a single servant.
Bright Side Opportunities Center
The passionate team at Bright Side Opportunities Center believes a strong community is made up of healthy individuals. That’s why their focus remains on providing opportunities for people, especially youth, to thrive emotionally, physically, and intellectually. From fitness classes and activities at the gym to STEM programming for Lancaster youth, their services are dedicated to encouraging individual achievement and strengthening the local community. Find out how you can get involved and support more opportunity online.
CASA of Lancaster and Lebanon Counties
CASA volunteers are appointed by a judge to children and youth in foster care, acting as their advocate and making recommendations on behalf of each child’s best interest to the court. These volunteers are a consistent and compassionate adult presence, and they are often the one adult who is part of the case from start to finish. The team at CASA works to provide a volunteer to every child who needs one in both Lancaster and Lebanon counties while screening, training, and offering ongoing support to volunteers once they are approved. They invite anyone 21 years and older to take the first step to learn more about becoming a CASA volunteer by attending an Information Session or support by making a donation on casalancleb.org.
Clinic for Special Children
From participating in cutting-edge gene therapy trials to treating a common cold, the Clinic for Special Children is dedicated to providing compassionate, accessible, and affordable care to families facing rare genetic disorders, primarily from the Amish and Mennonite communities. For over 36 years, the clinic has cared for thousands of families, serving children with more than 485 rare genetic disorders, right here in Lancaster County and beyond.
Compass Mark
Compass Mark‘s purpose is clear: To prevent addiction disorders and reduce their impact on our communities. Their dedicated prevention specialists help young people develop the skills to communicate with others, make decisions, and cope with uncomfortable feelings—using science-backed strategies. Their training department prepares adults to spot problems early and to intervene effectively. The result? Improved public health and increased well-being. Visit their addiction resource hub or learn about giving opportunities on their website.
Lancaster City Alliance
Working to ensure the city is clean, safe, and vibrant for all, Lancaster City Alliance engages diverse stakeholders for the common good of Lancaster. By harnessing the power of the private sector, the nonprofit organization holds a reputation as trusted stewards and works to leverage a broad network of engaged leaders with expansive influence to accelerate progress. Learn more about their initiatives and how you can get involved on their website.
Lancaster Cleft Palate Clinic
At Lancaster Cleft Palate Clinic, they believe in the potential of their patients. From a baby whose newly enhanced smile is shared with their nurse to a child in speech therapy who produces a new consonant they’ve never formed before, opportunities turn into accomplishments each day. With nearly 90 years of experience impacting the community, they are honored to build on a legacy of care for Lancaster and beyond.
Lancaster County Food Hub
For nearly 80 years, Lancaster County Food Hub has been a trusted place where compassion and community meet. Founded as a grassroots faith-based effort to provide for basic human needs—food, clothing, and homelessness support—the Food Hub has grown into a community anchor, serving more than 70,000 neighbors each year. As economic pressures and homelessness have increased, more neighbors than ever are turning to them for support. In response, they’ve opened an expanded Outreach Center, a welcoming space designed to meet the growing needs of the community’s unsheltered and connect them to the services they need. Here, supportive outreach, wraparound services, food and clothing resources, and community partnerships come together under one roof, making help accessible when and where it’s needed most. Together, they’re continuing a legacy of compassion, dignity, and hope—building a strong Lancaster for all.
Lancaster County Homelessness Coalition
The number of people experiencing homelessness in Lancaster County keeps growing—and they need your help now. As the city’s only low-barrier shelter, Clay Street Emergency Shelter allows individuals to come as they are and receive the resources they need to be safe overnight. Through the Road to Home Capital Campaign, the Lancaster County community has rallied to support the Clay Street Shelter—providing over 500 individuals experiencing, homelessness a dignified place to sleep, shower, and get back on their feet. The final $900,000 of this $4.5 million project must be raised before other vital efforts to address homelessness can begin.
LancasterHistory’s Thaddeus Stevens & Lydia Hamilton Smith Center for History and Democracy
Thaddeus Stevens and Lydia Hamilton Smith knew the power of perseverance. From humble beginnings, they rose to become fierce champions of freedom, equality, and democracy—right here in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Opening in 2026, the Thaddeus Stevens & Lydia Hamilton Smith Center for History and Democracy will honor their legacy through immersive exhibits, stunning original artifacts, powerful storytelling, and hands-on educational experiences. The Center will be a space for learning, dialogue, and civic engagement—inspiring new generations to understand the past as they stand up for justice and strengthen our community today. Thaddeus Stevens and Lydia Smith’s fight for justice changed the nation. Now, it’s Lancaster’s turn to carry their legacy forward. Join the movement to share their stories—visit stevensandsmithcenter.org for more information today.
Lancaster Lebanon Habitat for Humanity
For nearly 40 years, Lancaster Lebanon Habitat for Humanity has created affordable homeownership opportunities for local families, like Kyle and Jewell and their children, throughout Lancaster and Lebanon counties—rooted in a vision that everyone has a decent place to live. In 2024, they proudly opened the Manheim Pike Habitat ReStore, which gives customers access to new and gently used furniture at deeply discounted rates, with sales from the store supporting Habitat’s home building program. Whether you shop, donate, or volunteer, you can impact local families through the powerful work of ReStore and Habitat.
Lancaster Public Library
Lancaster Public Library‘s first used book sale was held in 1956, raising just $154. Seventy years later, dozens of passionate volunteers work year-round to prepare for the now annual Big Book Sale, which raised $138,000 in 2025. The sale of used books to support the Library has grown to include two used book stores, as well as online sales. Connect with the Friends of Lancaster Public Library to learn how you can get involved and where to donate gently used books.
North Museum of Nature and Science
The North Museum of Nature and Science is a nonprofit organization serving over 36,000 visitors and members annually. Through impactful exhibits and educational programming, this cultural hub is a seedbed for STEM learning and career exploration, while serving as a stronghold for the community to preserve and celebrate the region’s natural and cultural history. Visit their website for ways you can support.
SACA
An initiative of SACA Development Corporation, Plaza Centro was built and opened in 2015 to bring renewed opportunity and investment to Lancaster’s southeast neighborhood. Located at the corner of South Duke and Chesapeake streets, the center was the first new shopping plaza in more than three decades, marking a major step in SACA Development’s mission to strengthen the local economy and empower small businesses. Designed to offer a modern, accessible space, Plaza Centro provides improved parking, visibility, and long-term growth opportunities for neighborhood entrepreneurs. Each business reflects the resilience and entrepreneurial spirit of Lancaster’s southeast community. Find out more about the work of SACA and shop local at the small businesses thriving at Plaza Centro.
Samaritan Center
Samaritan Center strives to provide counseling services throughout the whole life span at their two Lancaster-based offices—one on Oregon Pike and one in the heart of Lancaster City. Many of its services are also provided onsite at its community partner locations. With mental health needs on the rise and a lack of qualified mental health providers, Samaritan is committed to growing and expanding its Training & Residency Program to sustain and improve access for the local community. Almost four decades after Samaritan Center was created, the mission remains the same: To foster hope and healing through professional counseling, consultation, and education, while respecting and integrating personal and spiritual values. At its core, Samaritan’s success is thanks to generous donors and volunteers throughout the life of the Center.
Schreiber Center for Pediatric Development
Ninety years ago, Edna Schreiber formed the Lancaster County Society for Crippled Children, and today, they proudly carry on her name and legacy as the Schreiber Center for Pediatric Development. From the beginning, every step forward has been made possible by people who believe Lancaster’s kids, like Zoey, deserve every chance to grow, play, and thrive. Schreiber’s future will be written with the same generosity, hope, and belief in children’s potential as the past. Schreiber invites you to join the Empower Abilities Society, a monthly giving program, to help write the stories of the next generation of Schreiber kids.
United Way of Lancaster
IN 1989, United Way of Lancaster County officially merged with the Lancaster Information Center (LINC). This incorporation allowed United Way to be more responsive to community needs and helped launch what is now known as the 211, a free, confidential helpline that connects people to essential services 24 / 7 / 365. Today, 211 remains the main entry point for housing assistance in Lancaster County, helping address the growing housing crisis. That same spirit of responsiveness drives the new Food & Shelter Fund, created this year to fill critical gaps left by federal funding cuts. Together, United Way is continuing a tradition of stepping up for neighbors when it matters most.
Water Street Mission
Water Street Mission started when Dr. Ezra Sieber and a group of friends began sharing food and the story of Jesus with neighbors in need in 1905. After 10 years, Water Street opened a women’s shelter and men’s dormitory to come alongside people who were struggling. In the late 1950s, they turned a former cotton mill building into their current headquarters, which has since expanded into more than a dozen programs for the community. The heart of Water Street remains the same after 120 years, recognizing each person’s story is unique. As they continue to be a steady presence and grow the resources they provide, they trust in God to stir transformation in the lives of people they serve.
YMCA of the Roses
The Lancaster YMCA was founded in a Downtown King Street residence in 1854 by a small group of men who had a vision of building community and providing a healthy resource to young men in Lancaster City. Over the last 172 years, what evolved into City Center YMCA has become an integral part of the community. By focusing on innovation, collaboration, and staying true to its mission, the City Center Y has survived decades of changes and challenges and is still going strong. YMCA of the Roses was established in 2021 through the merging of the YMCA of York and York County and the Lancaster Family YMCA, which includes the City Center Y. This ensured the entire region had access to a Y, leveraging collective resources for maximum impact.
Want to discover more local? Follow Fig on Facebook and Instagram for inspiration.
