Braunwyn Windham-Burke is giving back to charities close to her heart this holiday season.
The “RHOC” star, 43, told Page Six on Tuesday — ahead of her interview with GLAAD where she revealed she is gay — that she is planning to spend her Christmas and Hanukkah helping others.
“Obviously this year is going to be smaller and I do want to kind of focus more on the meaning of Christmas, giving back to others and doing that myself with my my own thing, which is 25 Days of Giving where we’re supporting four different local charities, raising awareness and donating toys to people,” the reality star said.
She explained how she picked the four charities she is advocating for and why they are so important to her.
“We have always been very vocal about the mental health issues in our family, especially with our teenagers and Tilly’s Life Center helps other young kids who might not have the same resources and that are in difficult situations, kind of struggling at home to get the help they need,” she said. “OC Pride, that is my own hometown. Obviously, the LGBTQIA community is very close to our heart and our family. So that’s going to be what our first fundraiser this week is for, is for OC Pride.”
“I think with a lot of the closures of the restaurants, a lot of people whose family was sort of these restaurants and bars and safe places don’t have that same connection right now this year,” she added. “And I really want everyone to be like, ‘You got a family. Even if you can’t see us out right now, you have a free mom hug from me whenever.'”
She is also working with a BIPOC organization that she was introduced to while protesting for Black Lives Matter.
“OC Protests is a local one, they raise money for food and tents and necessities for the unhoused community in Orange County and I love them,” she said. “They’re young, really inspiring women that started this on their own … I really love their spirit. They’re half my age, but their determination is amazing. So we have been helping them out whatever chance we get.”
“There’s also the OC Food Bank,” she added. “The JCC, the Jewish Community Center, they work with the OC Food Bank a lot. And that’s a good hands-on experience where you can actually show up and do some work. Not just give monetarily, which is so important, there’s also showing up and showing your kids that what you do makes a difference.”