5 Ways to Make a Difference on Giving Tuesday

Giving Tuesday falls just after Black Friday and Cyber Monday – the start of the holiday gift buying season –  and is a way for people to give something back to their communities. Created in 2012, in New York City,  the organization went from one simple idea of doing good and helping others to a global network of thousands of people from almost 100 countries who want to support charitable institutions in their communities.

In 2024, Giving Tuesday falls on December 3, and the theme this year is radical generosity. There are no limits on which organizations you wish to donate or volunteer your time and talent to, stressed a blog on the organization’s website.

When Giving Tuesday first began, the founders wanted to create a movement that used social media and technology to promote charitable giving, according to a blog on Classy which is part of Go Fund Me.  The funds that are collected in just 24-hours have the potential to support community projects all year long. Here are five ways you can help:

Give Monetary Donations

Make a charitable donation on Giving Tuesday to an organization that is doing good in your community or internationally. In 2020, US charities raised around $808 million online out of the total of  $2.47 billion collected on Giving Tuesday, according to The Chronicle of Philanthropy. Many nonprofits spend months putting together elaborate digital campaigns to compete for donations.

Fundraise for a Cause You Believe In

You can do more than just write a check, you can start your own fundraising campaign for a cause you believe in, suggested Classy. You can run a bake sale, start a food drive, or even participate in a charity run. There are many easy ways that you can encourage your friends and family to support a good cause.

Donate Goods and Services

Donate canned goods to a food drive to supply families with food for the holidays, provide hurricane relief, give your kids outgrown clothing to Goodwill, start a Little Library, or bring toys to a homeless shelter; these are just a few ways that you can give back to your community. Check ahead to find out what type of supplies the organizations need.

Give Your Time

One of the best ways to make a difference in the world is to volunteer your time to help others. You can volunteer to walk dogs at an animal shelter, read to preschoolers, weed a community garden to help address food insecurity, or clean-up a playground. All of these things help your community become a better place to live.

Shop Brands That Give Back

Start your Giving Tuesday early by doing your holiday shopping with brands that give back, reported Hello! magazine. There is  a myriad of companies that are supporting causes that you believe in like women’s rights, the environment, clean water, and taking care of needy children. Patagonia uses recycled materials and gives back a self-imposed Earth Tax to help support sustainability. TOMS donates a pair of shoes for every pair you purchase. And the chic clothing company Rixo supports gender equality and partners with SmartWorks by donating clothing which is given to women who are re-entering the workplace.  And there are so many more.