Holiday season is key for charities seeking donations

"It impacts the ability to fully serve our clients," she said. "With all the budget cuts and limitations with foundations and corporations, we really need to rely on individual donations to really help us further our dollars."

Organizations that provide services to the poor often see a bump in contributions during the holiday season, rather than large scale organizations, said Jan Masaoka, executive director of the California Association of Nonprofits. She cited organizations such as the Girl Scouts and civil rights groups as examples.