While perhaps not as widely hyped or publicized as Black Friday or Cyber Monday, Giving Tuesday, described as a “global initiative” by USA Today, is celebrated the Tuesday after Thanksgiving.
Giving Tuesday is celebrating its 5th year of recognition in 2016. Created in 2012 by the 92nd Street Y in New York City, it has joined with the United Nations Foundation and utilizes social media as a platform to encourage donation of not only money but also time and energy as the holiday season approaches. Popular organizations and charities participating in Giving Tuesday include UNICEF, the American Cancer Society, ASPCA and the American Red Cross. These groups may facilitate donation through offering incentives or matching (even sometimes so much as doubling) contributions made anytime over the course of the day.
Another charitable movement attracting national attention is Heinz’s “Selfie for Good” campaign in which the company will donate up to a dollar and 57 cents for every photo taken with a bottle of ketchup at participating establishments and texted to the number 85548.
If you are not able to make a monetary donation, giving your time and volunteering in even a local setting still embodies the essence of this day dedicated to giving. After a long weekend of shopping and searching for the best deals, a day devoted to generosity for the sake of others provides for the perfect transition into what the holidays are actually all about.