After the Thanksgiving leftovers have depleted, the madness of Black Friday has passed, and your fingers are sore from scouring the internet for the best Cyber Monday deals, consider adding a new holiday tradition to your list by participating in Giving Tuesday on Nov. 27.
Giving Tuesday is an international, daylong opportunity to put your dollars toward a cause that’s near and dear to your heart. Last year’s Giving Tuesday produced a record-breaking $274 million in charitable giving across the United States.
Even in the most divisive political times, Americans of all stripes share an unwavering commitment to philanthropy. This is your chance to join with friends and neighbors to continue this trend. By donating money, food, clothing, volunteering, or simply discussing your support for nonprofits with family and friends or on social media using the hashtag #GivingTuesday, you become a valuable part of our community’s giving spirit.
Some of you might be thinking, “$274 million — that’s a lot of money! Nonprofits seem to be doing just fine without my $10 contribution.” But let us all think about recent need. Disasters like East Coast hurricanes and the California wildfires have ravaged communities. It is estimated that Hurricane Florence alone caused some $20 billion in damage. This year we saw our own natural disaster in Indiana with major flooding in 28 of our 92 counties, a tragedy that Brown County experienced in 2008.
Large-scale disasters are not the only struggle your giving can help. Locally, the need for charitable giving is abundant. Mother’s Cupboard community kitchen serves over 1,000 meals per week. The Society of St. Vincent DePaul provides support to almost 500 families in our community every year. Our neighbors are struggling with food insecurity, transportation, childcare, literacy, and a host of issues that provide plenty of opportunity to make the most out of this day of philanthropy. We are fortunate to have remarkable and worthy nonprofits in Brown County who work to address these very challenges on a daily basis.
If you prefer to donate your time, the Brown County Community Foundation has a special opportunity this November. As we continue to celebrate our 25th anniversary, we’re promoting a Facebook contest that can help turn your volunteer hours into dollars. We hope you’ll help us kick off the giving season by posting photos of your volunteer efforts while tagging the foundation. The charity with the most volunteer posts will receive a $250 donation.
Personally, I know where I’ll be giving. I admittedly become reflective this time of year. I relish the opportunity to be surrounded by family and friends during the holiday season, but also take the opportunity to honor the loved ones who have shaped my life but are no longer here to celebrate it. For my father, who took his own life in 2009, I’ll be making a donation to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. For my great-grandfather, who passed away this year at 96 years old, a contribution to the Lafayette Symphony Orchestra where he played for 50 dedicated years.
Charitable giving is a deeply personal experience. I encourage you all to reflect on the causes or organizations important to you and join me in the spirit of giving that makes this community so special. Let #GivingTuesday be an opportunity to revisit your passions, strengthen your personal values, and serve as a springboard for future involvement.
Will you lend your voice to the #GivingTuesday movement on Nov. 27 and find a meaningful way to give back?
Maddison Miller is CEO of the Brown County Community Foundation. She can be reached at 812-988-4882 or [email protected].
