With movements like ‘#Giving Tuesday’, people can give to charity over Thanksgiving and really make a difference in the lives of the less fortunate, on a holiday that has become a frenzy of sales and special offers for consumers.
‘#Giving Tuesday’ – A Global Initiative
Founded by 92nd Street Y, #Giving Tuesday is a movement that is much more than a singular charity or foundation. The movement seeks to connect, collaborate and bring together diverse charitable organizations, individuals and foundations, to facilitate ways for people to give to charity and make a much needed difference to people who have so little during this time of abundance. The organization provides a range of tools and advice to non-profit groups, looking for ways to encourage donations as we move closer to the end of the year.
How #Giving Tuesday Works
Started in the USA in 2012, #Giving Tuesday spread rapidly around the globe and there are currently over 30,000 partner organizations in 68 countries that benefit from the fund raising advice and help from #Giving Tuesday. The organization also works with the United Nations Development Program to help work directly within communities around the world.
The success of #Giving Tuesday is in large part due to its phenomenal success in using social media and the Internet to spread the word and raise awareness. Over 37,2 million Twitter impressions in 2014, means that people are excited about giving and social media and online payment gateways help them to achieve this. In the past four years, #Giving Tuesday has reported an increase of 470% in online donations. Capturing attention with social media is an excellent way to get people talking and more importantly, giving. With an extensive list of donors and supporters, including the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and The Huffington Post, the #Giving Tuesday movement looks set to become even more popular in the coming years.
