About – Tahoe Magic

Tahoe Magic is a 501c3 nonprofit formed in 1994 to respond with essential needs to low-income families in South Lake Tahoe during a crisis. We are only able to do this through legacy gifts, grants, donations and our referral process.

For decades, the Board of Tahoe Magic has worked together to bring a little magic into the lives of families, children and neighbors. The nonprofit is overseen and administered by an all-volunteer anonymous group of local South Lake Tahoe community members. Together we make a difference. Please see: Our Impact.

Our Timeline story shares how from the early days, we’ve been ever-evolving to respond year-round to families in crisis. The Board of Tahoe Magic understands that at any time, they may need help to keep heat or electricity on, or a roof over their head.

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I just wanted to thank you for all the help you've given me for my son and I. Thank you with all my heart. I ask God for good health for all the people who do such a great job helping those of us who need it. Thank you so much. I work cleaning houses. If one day I can volunteer and someone needs my help, I will do it with all my heart. Thank you very much for Tahoe Magic. And for all the people who give us help.
Maria

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“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

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“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

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”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

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“Thanks for all you are doing for our community and our social services partners.”
Donor to Tahoe Magic

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”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

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“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

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“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

Timeline & History

1994

Tahoe Magic originally forms to bring holiday gifts to children who would not otherwise have had this experience. The nonprofit worked with schools to identify these children and Santas would go out to these low income families bringing gifts. Along the way, Tahoe Magic founders realized that many of these families were struggling with keeping basic needs going during the holidays. In response, Tahoe Magic evolved toward providing one-time financial relief to families to help them keep their heat and electricity on, or keep food on the table.

2003-04

Tahoe Magic continues to organize a financial help network to help respond to local families in crisis in South Lake Tahoe with basic needs. Every year, Tahoe Magic continues to donate an average of $38,000 a year to families living in South Lake Tahoe with one-time financial crisis support.

2020

With the onset of COVID and the shutdown of South Lake Tahoe, Tahoe Magic shifts to helping community members with monthly home rental assistance for a total of $357,000 directly to 640 households.

2021

Tahoe Magic continues during COVID-19 with monthly home rental assistance for locals in need for a total of $172,000 directly distributed to 335 households in South Lake Tahoe.

2022

COVID wanes and as people are able to go back to jobs, Tahoe Magic returns to providing one-time crisis help to families for their basic needs of electricity, power, heat and food, in South Lake Tahoe for a total of $112,000 to 135 households.

2023

In 2023, Tahoe Magic provided more than $115,000 in assistance to 130+ households in South Lake Tahoe and approximately $800,000 has been donated to our community since the onset of COVID.

2024

2024 marked Tahoe Magic’s 30th-year anniversary of serving the most needy families who live in South Lake Tahoe with one-time financial crises funding. Please view our impact results tracking here.

2025 to 2026

The need in our community continues at a steady pace with Tahoe Magic helping locals in crisis with more than $100,000 in grants annually (we are on track in 2026 to help at this level). Since the pandemic when Tahoe Magic stepped up with monthly rental assistance, we have returned to our original mission to help allocate crisis grants (working through referring agencies) for South Shore locals who have unexpected expenses that threaten their ability to remain in Tahoe. And 2026 will be marked in our archives as the year we reached the one-million dollar mark in aid to local households. Thank you community members…we so appreciate your constant support that allows us to give back 100% of your donations to locals in need! Thank you for your trust in our process!

Thank You to our Donors