The antithesis to Black Friday and Cyber Monday
Thanksgiving is a time for celebrating and giving thanks for the blessings of the past year. Ironically the days surrounding Thanksgiving, particularly Black Friday and Cyber Monday, have become known as the biggest consumption (shopping) days of the year. Retail ads for “can’t miss” deals are bombarding us almost from the moment we finish the Thanksgiving feast with our families.
How Giving Tuesday started
But what if, instead of making a list for the next blockbuster deal, families could reflect on how they can give back? That’s the idea behind Giving Tuesday, established in 2012 by Henry Timms, executive director of a NY-based community organization. In his words,
"We had this idea. You know about Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Could you add a day that reversed the trend, that, after all this consumerism, …people would give back [and] engage with the world?"i
Timms’ hope was that other people could make it part of their own holiday tradition and expand on the idea. In his vision, people would sit with their kids at the table and talk about “what are the charities we care about? What are the causes our family stands for? Why is philanthropy important to us?”i
Giving Tuesday philanthropy guide
This holiday season, rather than hunting for the best deals, think about how you can make a difference in the world. How can you best support the causes that matter to you or your employees the most? This guide will walk you through how to to make an informed decision about where and how to direct your giving.
The impact of Giving Tuesday today
Today, Giving Tuesday is a global movement to “unleash the power of radical generosity around the world.” ii It has grown into a global network of leaders in 75 countries that collaborate year-round to build a world where generosity is a part of everyday life. Celebrated every Tuesday, the main event is held the Tuesday after Thanksgiving in the United States. In 2020, it had the following impacts:iii
- $2.47 billion in donations in the U.S., a 25% increase over 2019
- More than 240 community campaigns in the U.S.
- 1 million adults in the U.S. participated, a 23% increase over 2019
- 6 million social media conversations across 145+ countries
- 15,000 nonprofit professionals attended GivingTuesday training sessions
- 60,000 attended the GivingTuesday livestream on Dec 1
- With over 100 contributing partners and 50 global data hubs, the GivingTuesday data commons is the largest philanthropic data collaboration in the world
Start your own spark this Giving Tuesday
In the words of a famous hymn, “it only takes a spark to get the fire going.” For Henry Timms, his simple spark has spread like wildfire. And that’s a good thing.
“From the very first days, it was a story of other people stepping up and saying, I would like to make this idea better…. And that’s been a joy to watch."i
Use our strategic philanthropy guide to develop a game plan for giving and learn how to launch your Giving Tuesday campaign before the holidays arrive – there’s still time.
You may also be interested in watching the interview with Henry Timms on why he started Giving Tuesday.
Source: Giving Tuesdayiii
Source: Giving Tuesdayiii
GivingTuesday Czech Republic organized a “Light for Doctors” campaign to light up hospital buildings across the Czech Republic, shining a symbolic light for all health professionals and fellow citizens affected by COVID-19. (Source: Giving Tuesday)iii
#GivingTuesdayGuam organized a donation drive with the Salvation Army to fill vans for people in need of clothes. (Source: Giving Tuesday)iii
A group of teens in Louisville, KY assembled “Dinner on Us Baskets” to kick off a 23 Day Kindness Challenge. They are going to surprise friends and neighbors with the dinner baskets. (Source: Giving Tuesday)iii
Source: Giving Tuesday iii
Source: Giving Tuesday iii
