Giving Tuesday is annually celebrated on every Tuesday following Thanksgiving in the United States. This year it falls on November 29th. This day encourages people to give back to the community.
It is touted as a "global generosity movement unleashing the power of people and organizations to transform their communities and the world". The organization of the same name is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit that supports the global movement.
Giving Tuesday reimagines a world built upon shared humanity and generosity. It urges people to have a more generous attitude in their life to always help the needy and thus helping in the betterment of our world.
| Event | Giving Tuesday |
|---|---|
| Date | November 29, 2022 |
| Day | Tuesday |
| Significance | The day encourages people to give back to the community. |
| Observed by | United States |
Giving Tuesday History:
Giving Tuesday was founded in 2012 by New York's 92nd Street Y in partnership with the United Nations Foundation. The holiday was first announced in September 2012, two months prior to the first Giving Tuesday occurring on November 27. The announcement was made by the technology website, Mashable. The purpose of the day is to inspire people and companies to take action, just like Black Friday and Cyber Monday created a framework for retailers to sell merchandise.
Other partner organizations announced over the coming weeks included Microsoft, Sony, Aldo, Case Foundation, Heifer International, Phoenix House, and Starwood. Mashable provided detailed coverage of Giving Tuesday. Other news and opinion websites that announced Giving Tuesday well in advance were CNet, the Huffington Post and Deseret News. Shortly before, during, and after the date, GivingTuesday was covered by Washington Post,nthe White House official blog, ABC News, and the Huffington Post. Forbes used the occasion to publish a guide to effective giving.
In 2012, Asha Curran, then 92Y's chief innovation officer, and Henry Timms, who was its executive director, traveled across the country to promote the idea. The organization was able to draw vital support from the United Nations Foundation, which became the initiative's co-founder. In the decade since, the idea has gained a large following, spurring billions of dollars in financial donations to nonprofits worldwide. The hashtag #GivingTuesday has become a popular tool to inspire generosity among social media users.
In 2012, when GivingTuesday was launched, the organization had a big goal: to make giving more central in daily life of peopl around the world. The commitment to a core set of values, an open, distributed leadership model, and a belief in transformational partnerships inspured the organization on a course to build the first global generosity movement and the first global day of celebration open to anyone and everyone and that is the background behind the origins of this day.
Today, GivingTuesday is an inclusive and pluralistic community of millions of givers, with activity in every country on every continent. We celebrate and uplift grassroots generosity and generosity as a universally held value. Around the world, across diverse giving cultures, our network of local leaders in over 70 countries and hundreds of communities innovate, collaborate, and inspire collective generosity as a way to build the world they want to live in.
Giving Tuesday Significance:
Giving Tuesday is a global initiative that encourages people and organizations to donate their time and money to charitable causes on the Tuesday following Thanksgiving in the United States. With its focus on altruism and awareness of those in need, the Giving Tuesday movement is a counterweight to the consumerism embodied by the events that immediately precede it on the calendar and these are Black Friday and Cyber Monday which are heavily focused on only self-consumption.
From its start, Giving Tuesday has seen its mission as encouraging altruism, both through personal efforts and by giving one's time and resources to nonprofit entities. It provides various resources—including organizing and communication tools—to assist nonprofits that participate in the event. It conducts all of these as it believes that our world has turned so selfish today because of materialism in the society and that's why it is very important to spread the ideas of generosity across our world for the betterment of the society.
According to the GivingTuesday official website, organizations can capitalize on the awareness generated by the event in a number of ways, whether by creating volunteer-driven events, developing fundraising campaigns, or hosting guest speakers. 4 It also encourages businesses and nonprofit groups to amplify the message of giving back by using the hashtag #GivingTuesday on social media. The movement has also fostered the development of philanthropic efforts tailored to local needs and specific groups.
More than 2,500 nonprofit organizations took part in Giving Tuesday in its initial year, raising approximately $12 million in funds through online donations. 8 Since then, the movement’s impact has increased dramatically, with the 2021 event helping to generate $2.7 billion in total donations in the United States alone, a 9% increase from 2020. 5 The day has developed into a global phenomenon, with more than 80 countries claiming their own national Giving Tuesday movements.
Giving comes in many different forms such as buying a present for someone, donating to charities or volunteering at a local soup kitchen or homeless shelter etc. It has been suggested that when we give to others, the hormone, oxytocin, is released and this induces feelings of warmth, euphoria, and connection to others. Overall giving has a lot of benefits to it as it keeps our mood happy as we feel satisfaction on helping others which is good for our health also. And by helping others it helps us in building the social connection with others and also we contribute in making a better society.
Giving Tuesday Celebrations:
GivingTuesday is all about celebrating each and every single act of generosity we have to offer. Whether it's making someone smile, helping a neighbor out, or showing up for an issue or people we care about, we each have something to contribute. Identify your gifts, pick a cause that gets you fired up, and give back – not just today but every day.
There are many activities which you can do to help people and to bring a positive change in their life. So use this opportunity to donate to a nonprofit that's doing work that aligns with your values. Don't forget that small community-led organizations need your support too!
You can use this occasion to distribute essentials to homeless people to make their life easy! Start with non-perishible snacks and bottled water. Add bandages, lip balm, and travel-sized sunscreen. Include socks, menstrual supplies and hand sanitizer or wipes. Don't forget gloves and hand warmers for cold weather!
Help strangers! Pay for the next person's order at the coffee shop or drive-thru. Leave a gift card or cash at the gas pump. Tuck a grocery store gift card & a note in a shopping basket. Leave a great online review for a business you love.
We sometimes forget that one helpful way of giving back is by volunteering. Contact a local hospital, shelter, or nonprofit ahead of time and see how you can help. So if possible then definitely try to volunteer for any noble cause in helping others for this occasion and also remember to help others for the whole year as well.
Most Searched FAQs on Giving Tuesday:
1. When is Giving Tuesday celebrated?
Giving Tuesday is annually celebrated on every Tuesday following the Thanksgiving in US.
2. How do I participate in Giving Tuesday?
You can participate in Giving Tuesday by finding an online fundraising site to contribute to or donating to your favorite charities and nonprofits.
3. What is the goal of Giving Tuesday?
Giving Tuesday was created in 2012 as a simple idea: a day that encourages people to do good. Over the past nine years, this idea has grown into a global movement that inspires hundreds of millions of people to give, collaborate, and celebrate generosity.