By Lauren Lao, Marketing Communications Manager, Public Interest Registry
The .ORG domain is used by organizations large and small to connect, aid and inspire their communities. One community “subset” that may not realize the multitude of resources available to them on the .ORG domain are families. Families come in all shapes, sizes, locations, and backgrounds and have incredibly diverse needs. Some families are looking for ways to connect with other families like them or to learn more about their genealogy or ancestry. Others are in need of support or resources offered by the .ORG community – whether it be educational guidance or humanitarian aid. Some families could be seeking ways to bond with each other through activities that support relationship building or opportunities to give back to their local communities.
To help celebrate International Day of Families on May 15th, we wanted to offer a list of .ORG resources out there that can help your family thrive. While the list below includes just a few of the many incredible organizations committed to supporting family units, there are similar organizations across the world.
.ORGs Offer Support
Education – Providing educational opportunities for families of all backgrounds.
Parents As Teachers: ParentsAsTeachers.org
Parents As Teachers is a nonprofit serving more than 195,000 people in all 50 U.S. states. The organization promotes optimal early development, learning and health of young children by supporting and engaging their parents and caregivers.
National Center for Families Learning: FamiliesLearning.org
Over their 30-year history, National Center for Families Learning has engaged multiple generations in learning together and changed the lives of millions of families by providing literacy strategies, programming, and resources.
Aid – Providing food, support, resources, and guidance to families in need of a little extra help.
Operation Refugee Child: OperationRefugeeChild.org
Operation Refugee Child is a network of volunteers who are united in solidarity with refugee families throughout the world. They build awareness about the refugee crisis and how it affects children and collect and distribute essential supplies to ease their journey to asylum.
Family Promise: FamilyPromise.org
- The Family Promise organization “provides food, shelter, and support services for homeless families and advice and advocacy for at-risk families to prevent their becoming homeless.
.ORGs Connect Family Communities
Network + Advocacy – Helping families create networks that support their unique needs.
National Military Family Association: MilitaryFamily.org
- The National Military Family Association (NMFA), headquartered in Virginia in the U.S. is a private non-profit association organized to improve the quality of family life of all military personnel.
Family Voices: FamilyVoices.org
- Family Voicesis a national family-led organization of families and friends of children and youth with special health care needs (CYSHCN) and disabilities. Family Voices connect a network of family organizations across the United States that provide support to families of CYSHCN.
Ancestry + Family History – Helping people understand their family history.
Family Search: FamilySearch.org
- It’s all about the family. FamilySearch is a nonprofit family history organization dedicated to connecting families across generations.
Search Angels: SearchAngels.org
- A nonprofit providing support, advice, and help using traditional search and genetic genealogy for adoptees looking for their birth family.
.ORGs Help Families Bond with Each Other
Volunteering – Helping families bond by giving back to their communities together.
Volunteer Match: VolunteerMatch.org
- Volunteer Match makes it easy for good people and good causes to connect. The organization has connected millions of people with a place to volunteer and helped tens of thousands of organizations better leverage volunteers to create real impact.
United Planet: UnitedPlanet.org
- United Planet Quests are designed to be immersive, authentic, and comprehensive. The program elements allow families to engage fully with a new culture, forge strong relationships, and challenge themselves.
Fun – Creating the fun, engaging atmosphere that allows families to thrive.
The Family Dinner Project: TheFamilyDinnerProject.org
- The Family Dinner Project is a growing movement of food, fun and conversation about things that matter. Over the past 25 years, research has shown what parents have known for a long time – sharing a fun family meal is good for the spirit, brain and health of all family members.
YMCA Family Camps
- There are a host of local YMCA camps that provide families an opportunity to try new activities, enjoy the outdoors and have fun as a family. A few camping options are below but feel free to check out your local YMCA chapter for more information on activities near you.
- YMCA of the Pines Family Programs
- Deer Family YMCA Family Camp
- YMCA of the Rockies Family Camp
- YMCA Twin Cities Family Camp
- Takodah YMCA Family Camp
Are you familiar with an organization that helps families thrive? Share it with us on our Facebook page. If it has been a helpful resource to you and your family, we’re sure it will be helpful to others.