Summer is a strange season to lead a nonprofit. On one hand, I love it. The days are longer. Churches send mission teams. Students volunteer. Families gather outside. There’s an energy to summer that feels hopeful.

On the other hand, it can be one of the most challenging seasons for organizations like City Relief. When school lets out and families head on vacation, routines change—including charitable giving. Consider this: research suggests that roughly 20–30% of annual online giving can happen in December alone, with as much as 10% occurring in the final three days of the year.