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Since 2012, the first Tuesday in December has been recognized as "Giving Tuesday," a global movement that encourages people to do good things for their communities and the world. Traditionally the day is celebrated by donations to charitable groups, but there are almost limitless ways to join the movement. If you aren't familiar with Giving Tuesday, this post will offer some resources and things to keep in mind as you participate.
Donating money
The Giving Tuesday website has a list of resources to help you find the perfect organization to donate to. I personally tend to use the Charity Navigator site as it lets you search by name, region, or keyword, but any site in the resource list will help you find a nonprofit group to donate to.
Pro Tip: Check to see if your employer offers donation matching, if they do you can make even more of an impact with your donation dollars!
Donating Items
Especially this time of year, many organizations are accepting donations of goods as well. This could mean donating canned goods for your local food bank, or targeted items like old towels for an animal shelter, and of course there are always 'Giving Trees' and 'Toys for Tots' drives around this time of year as well.
Once you have identified a potential cause you would like to help out, make sure to check their website to see what their greatest needs are.
If you have a bit of time to volunteer, you can make a huge difference to an organization. Volunteer Match will let you look for opportunities local to you, and lets you filter opportunities based on cause type, your skills, and even whether you can volunteer in person or virtually.
One final way to celebrate Giving Tuesday this year is to simply be kind. Often, even the smallest act of kindness can have lasting effects on the people around you. A heartfelt thank you, or a compliment to a stranger can mean the world to that person, and your kind gesture could be the catalyst that starts a wave of change.
And don't forget, you can give any time during the year. While a dedicated day of giving is wonderful, chances are the need is there throughout the year. Small, regular donations can be even more helpful than one big one at the end of the year. Incorporating regular giving is an excellent way to feel connected and like you are making a difference.
