Giving Tuesday is a Global Day of Generosity that falls in 2022 on November 29, following Black Friday and Cyber Monday; two mega shopping days. It is a day to reflect on what you have and to truly give back to your community.
Giving Tuesday was created in 2012 based on the simple idea of helping others and according to the organization, has grown to a year-round global movement that inspires hundreds of millions of people from 80 countries to give their time and their donations to support their local communities’ charitable institutions and to make a difference in the world.
How did it get started?
Giving Tuesday was launched in 2012 in New York City by 92nd Street Y as a way to focus on altruism during the holiday season when people are beginning their holiday shopping with huge events like Black Friday, according to Investopedia.
The idea behind the day was to provide a large number of charitable events that ranged from organizing food drives to making donations to organizations that tackled food insecurity around the world.
The organizers went around the US to drum up support for the idea and they were able to get support from the United Nations Foundation. The foundation agreed to partner with the 92Y on the initiative. In 2019, Giving Tuesday became an independent nonprofit organization.
Today, more than 2,500 charitable organizations take part in Giving Tuesday and the number of people participating grows every year. In 2021, the organization raised $2.7 billion in the US. You too can join this special day.
(Kurdyukova Olga / Shutterstock.com)
How you can participate in Giving Tuesday
It’s really easy to participate in Giving Tuesday, stressed a blog from the organization Classy. The causes are almost endless and include food banks, soup kitchens, helping the homeless, cleaning up trash, and natural disaster relief.
Many nonprofits use Giving Tuesday as a way to plan specific end of year campaigns and it is very easy to volunteer to help on Tuesday and any other day of the year. You can advocate for a cause by using the hashtag #GivingTuesday and sharing these campaigns on your social media before and during the event. You can also plan your own event and donate to a specific cause, like a coat drive for a homeless shelter.
Giving Tuesday is also a great time to give to a new cause. You and your family can do some research ahead of time and find a nonprofit that shares your mission. Or donate in memory of a loved one. A donation also makes a very thoughtful holiday gift.
