#GivingTuesday, November 28, 2017
Adapted from an article by Jack Brooks,
Executive Director of the Mid-Atlantic UM Foundation
On Tuesday, Nov. 28, many generous people, moved by the reason for this season of giving, will participate in #GivingTuesday at https://www.givingtuesday.org/. It is a global day of giving fueled by the power of social media and online collaboration.
Celebrated on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving (in the U.S.), following the widely popular and profitable Black Friday and Cyber Monday shopping days, #GivingTuesday kicks off the charitable season, when many focus on their religious (primarily Christmas and Hanukkah) holidays and end-of-year giving.
The trend of promoting outreach and support through social media combined with traditional fundraising tactics continues to grow. #GivingTuesday originated at the 92nd Street Y in New York City. Since 2013, the movement, galvanized by a single hashtag, has grown remarkably.
#GivingTuesday continues to build and engage people in ways that many didn’t think possible.
- Over 1,640,000 gifts generated
- Financial commitments of over $177,000,000 made
- 98 countries participating
- Countless new volunteers recruited for organizations
Key to this approach is the use of social media such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to identify a project and build awareness among people, while making a simple appeal. This year the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has posted on Facebook its intent to match $2,000,000 of gifts during GivingTuesday making gifts count even more.
Any official charity (501©3) with a specific charitable initiative or project, such as a school, community service or religious organization, is invited to get involved. On the website you will find resources for “Organizations, Individuals, Tools, and Much More.”
While it’s too late to jump in this year, with a great plan and some preparation, you can lead your organization toward participating in a future GivingTuesday.
For more information visit https://www.givingtuesday.org/