For big companies like Amazon, Walmart, and Target, the Black Friday holiday weekend was a success, garnering $7.4 billion in online sales and hoping for $2 billion more after Cyber Monday. But today—on Giving Tuesday—thousands of nonprofits hope to find similar success.
“Whether it’s making someone smile, helping a neighbor or stranger out, showing up for an issue or people we care about, or giving some of what we have to those who need our help, every act of generosity counts and everyone has something to give,” the Giving Tuesday website reads.
Giving Tuesday started in 2012 to remind people in the midst of the Christmas hustle to do good. Last year, over three million donations were made with a total of $400 million raised for nonprofits trying to make the world a better place.
Even nonprofits are giving back. Compassion International’s president, Santiago “Jimmy” Mellado, and President Emeritus, Wess Stafford, came together to serve their local food pantry in Colorado Springs with a rice and bean challenge.
There are thousands of nonprofits seeking funds to continue their faithful work. A few of these organizations include, Helping the Homefront, which assists military families and blesses them with special Merry Christmas boxes; Operation Blessing, which feeds families and assists during natural disasters and Samaritan’s Purse, which provides spiritual and physical aid to hurting people around the world.
Other large organizations doing tremendous work include Compassion International and World Vision, which both release children around the world from poverty, and the Salvation Army, which assists the homeless and others in need in several ways.
Donating money is not the only way to give back. Volunteers are often needed at food pantries and soup kitchens. Mentors also make a powerful impact when they give their time to a child or family in need.
Dan Celia, president and CEO of Financial Issues Stewardship Ministries, encouraged everyone to slow down in the busy season and give back.
“[Giving Tuesday] is a great day to do it. Just participate,” he said. “Take a deep breath from all of the spending and say, ‘Today’s the day I’m going to give back some of the incredible resources God has given me.’”
Photo courtesy: Kat Yukawa/Unsplash
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