Over the years, we have all experienced the swell of shopping “holidays” taking over the days following Thanksgiving — beginning with the frenzy of “Black Friday”, then shifting to a less-crazed (though still considerably profitable) “Small Business Saturday” and “Cyber Monday.” The retail industry has long benefitted from this surge in seasonal shopping. But we, as Americans, can do so much more with our wallets than just shop. We can give as good as we can get — hence, #GivingTuesday.
Pickett & Associates is helping two area non-profits with their “Giving Tuesday” promotion this month in preparation for this “National Day of Giving,” the Tuesday following Thanksgiving — this year December 2. We hope to harness the potential of the season of giving to benefit these folks who we work with throughout the year. It’s a counter-narrative to the holiday shopping sprees; #GivingTuesday is an organizing principle to remind us all that the spirit of the holiday season should be about community and not just consumerism. We’ve created a series of customized visuals as well as enlisting those benefiting from the organizations to tell their story throught “unselfies.”
Partnering with #GivingTuesday gives charities, non-profits, families, businesses, and individuals the tools and resources to harness the power of giving during the holiday season. If you have afavorite charity — perhaps you serve as a board member or service provider — pass along this link: www.givingtuesday.org. It’s a wealth of promotional toolkits, useable graphics, informative webinars, and sample initiatives can be freely used to make a campaign successful. Over the past three years, #GivingTuesday has gained momentum, and with the help of it’s founding partners (including The United Nations Foundation) has been joined by over 10,000 organizations. Collectively, #GivingTuesday and its partners are transforming the way people view personal philanthropy. #GivingTuesday is about ordinary people coming together to give what they can in a smart, effective, and informed way for more meaningful results.
Social media is key to making sure that the #GivingTuesday message grows and helps people engage in meaningful ways with the core idea. It’s also one of the best ways to celebrate giving and to share your organization’s story, mission and values. By launching an involved and creative social media campaign, including fun incentives and personal stories, you can inspire greater giving to your cause.
#GivingTuesday does not collect any percentage of monies raised, and serves only as a call to action and organizing tool. It is not a donation platform, but rather a community of organizations and individuals who all believe that by encouraging creative giving and amplifying small acts of kindness, we can change our world for the better.
