Giving Tuesday – December 3

Giving Tuesday was started in 2012  by the 92^nd  Street YMCA in New York  and the U.N. 

It was created as a response to the commercialization and consumerism of the post-Thanksgiving season, and in particular, the spending frenzy of Black Friday. Their objective was to make it an international movement.

In the U.S. alone, it was estimated $400 million was given in 2018 on Giving Tuesday (compared with an estimated $7 billion spent in the U.S. on Black Friday in 2019). It is difficult to know if this money would have replaced normal giving spread across the year.

Even if much of it replaced normal giving, Giving Tuesday is a wonderful initiative, as it has people thinking about others’ needs instead of their own wants. 

People can become somewhat cynical and put off by all of the good causes reaching out for money but the reality is almost every charitable cause is in dire need of raising money to fund the needs of the people they serve. 

Just yesterday on the subway I saw a news notice about the Cabbage Town Centre in Toronto possibly closing due to lack of funding.

I also saw signs asking for support for refugee families, local food banks and the United Way. 

There are thousands of needs and helping provide a leg up for someone can impact a person for life.

People often rationalize not giving by telling themselves, “With all of these needs, my small donation will not make a difference anyway.” This is not the case.

Fifty dollars can preserve an acre of ecologically sensitive land, or pay for the planting of a tree which offsets carbon coming into the air, or provide food for someone for several days through your local food bank.  

Internationally, $70 can buy a goat, $300 can de-mine an acre of land in a mine-infested country, and $100 can restore eyesight to a child in a developing country or provide a new leg to a person in India.

More than 50% of the money raised by the Yonge St. Mission comes from donations of less than $100. 

In the next few days you will have lots of opportunities to support a worthwhile cause. 

I am of the firm belief there is more good in the world than bad. 

Giving is one way to do good.   

Til next time, 

Chris Snyder 

To learn more about how volunteering and supporting charities can enrich your life, check out my book, “Creating Opportunities: A Volunteer’s Memoir.” https://hilborn-civilsectorpress.com/products/creating-opportunities-a-volunteers-memoir