Tahoe Magic is a 501c3 nonprofit organization formed in 1994 to help low-income families with children in the South Lake Tahoe area. Tahoe Magic continues to evolve in response to what our local community needs and is now focused on helping families and our neighbors, on a year-round basis.

For the first 14 years, Tahoe Magic’s main support was to families who struggled at holiday times. Tahoe Magic believed that every child should be able to experience a little magic in their lives and to this goal, the organization has provided gifts to thousands of children at Christmas.

Through time, Tahoe Magic began responding to the evolving changes and community needs. In 2006, many middle class families had moved away from Tahoe, and the local economy had begun to decline, which unfortunately resulted with our low-income populations struggling to stay in Tahoe.

The Board of Tahoe Magic realized that families were often in crisis on a year-round basis and that Tahoe Magic could help them to remain in Tahoe, with heat, electricity and a roof over their head.

Tahoe Magic now focuses on helping families and our neighbors, on a year-round basis.

Tahoe Magic disburses a substantial amount of financial support to our local community members in response to requests referred through our community partners. We are the only nonprofit in South Lake Tahoe that is designed to provide financial assistance to families in crisis immediately through this referral process. We are able to do this through a legacy gift, grants and donations.

“I wanted to thank you for giving me a platform to make a donation to our community. I have been in this area since 1989. I was a cocktail waitress back in the day and I understand how this must be affecting families here at this time.”

Christia donor during the COVID-19 crisis

“Thank you so much. I do not know what South Lake Tahoe would do without Tahoe Magic. It makes all the difference in the world to our clients.”

Nonprofit partner to Tahoe Magic

”Hello, I’m Nellie. Thank you for helping mom with the rent and all the other bills she had. I don’t know who you are but you are a sweet, loving and awesome person. “Godbless” you and may repay you. With the money that was left, my mom could buy me and my brother new shoes that we needed.”

Nellie

“Thanks for all you are doing for our community and our social services partners.”

Donor to Tahoe Magic

”No words can describe how thankful we are.”

A mom who had to take time off from work to be with her 10 year old daughter who had a brain tumor

“Tahoe Magic is the one nonprofit that we can turn to for emergency shelter assistance. It is what our clients worry the most about above all else, not having a place to live during this traumatic time.”

Nonprofit partner to Tahoe Magic

“Thank you so very much during this time. It was very hard for us after having a newborn with so many unexpected expenses. We need more programs & people like this in the world. Thank you so much; you’ll never know how much it meant to us.”

Shauntyaha, Gerardo and Gresha