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Giving Tuesday is a big part of the Thanksgiving holiday season and falls on Tuesday November 30 in 2021. Coming after the hectic frenzy of Black Friday and Cyber Monday shopping, giving Tuesday reminds people to show gratitude by supporting those organizations that take care of the community.
This yearly event that was founded in 2012, is described as a global generosity movement that encourages people to do good by volunteering or giving charitable donations, according to Star News. While many people think that participating in Giving Tuesday means just writing a check, there are far more meaningful ways to give.
“I think everyone giving back in a united way all at once brings the community together,” Tommy Taylor, CEO of United Way Cape Fear Area told Star News. “You can be in a community or part of it. It is always better being part of a community.”
Help Support Your Local Community
Giving Tuesday is a way to support your community by connecting to the nonprofit organizations that help the needy according to a blog from the GivingTuesday organization. There are over 1.5 million nonprofit organizations registered in the US and they all need volunteers.
You can find volunteer opportunities through VolunteerMatch, an organization that helps you find the best volunteer opportunities near you. It can be for just a day, like participating in a fundraising event or for the long haul.
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Volunteer as a Family
Kids who volunteer are more likely to continue as adults. So volunteering as a family teaches your children how to care for others. Just pick age-appropriate things to do. Preschoolers can help you drop off food to a soup kitchen or food bank. Older kids can make thank you cards to drop off to firemen or medical staff, read to dogs in animal shelters to help them get adopted, or even organize a toy drive for a homeless shelter.
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Be a Virtual Volunteer
The pandemic changed the way people volunteer. When lockdowns closed nursing homes, schools and even animal shelters as places to volunteer at, people got creative and went virtual. There are so many things that people can do online for Giving Tuesday, according to the blog. You can do an email campaign for a local organization, make telephone calls, post on social media with the hashtag #GivingTuesday, or plug your cause with a YouTube video.
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Make Your Holiday Purchases Count
When you do your holiday shopping on Cyber Monday or any other day, use a search engine that gives back to charities. There are search engines that plant trees, give to needy children, protect animals, or provide clean drinking water. Here’s a list.
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