The Story of Stuff Project made this video to inspire more people to choose family over frenzy the day after Thanksgiving, also known as Black Friday. I’m spending the day with family in Atlantic City, NJ. Please join me in signing the pledge on the site to confirm that you’ll spend that day investing in community and family, rather than stuff. And, on the following Tuesday, I will participate, support, and enjoy “Giving Tuesday.”
There is just a week until November 27th, the first #GivingTuesday and national day of giving. #GivingTuesday will help many people give more strategically this holiday season. If anything, the day will prompt conversation about philanthropy in the U.S. and maybe even reach around the world. I also like how nonprofits are using it to leverage their own fundraising efforts for that day. Here’s an example from UN Refugees
Here’s an update I received from Aaron Sherinian from the United Nations Foundation, one of the founding partners behind this great idea of a national day of giving, about the momentum of this effort and how it is building.
We celebrated a major milestone this week with over 1,000 partner organizations now participating through innovative programs to help “Get out the Give” in all 50 states…and around the world. This is not about “charity,” it’s about leaders and retailers working with charities collaborating with volunteer organizations supporting local communities and media organizations catalyzing global efforts. It’s a 360-degree ecosystem of a new kind of philanthropy that thrives in our social media world. The response has been as creative as it is comprehensive. Check out the enterprising ideas that have come alive from the founding partners (starting with our friends at 92Y, Mashable, Groupon, DonorsChoose, United Way, Case Foundation, Charity Navigator, Unilever, Microsoft et al) and 1,000 participants on www.givingtuesday.org.
You can read more about #GivingTuesday in USA Today: and the Harvard Business Review Blog.
My fundraiser for November every year is to raise a little money for NTEN as part of saying #ntenthanks. As many of you may already know, NTEN is the professional association that supports people who work in technology for the nonprofit sector. I’m proud to be a community member for over ten years and that’s why I’ve taken my hat off to NTEN and lifting a my NTEN mug to say thank you for helping the entire nonprofit tech sector improve its impact.
How will you or your nonprofit celebrate Giving Tuesday next week?
Masha Chernyak says
Here at the Latino Community Foundation, we are raising money to help undocumented students apply for Deferred Action. It’s a new policy that gives young people who were brought here as children, a temporary work visa & protection from deportation. There is one chance to apply and the fee is a staggering $465.00 –
Join us and help our youth people reach their dreams!
rally.org/dreamteam
Lynley says
One great way to replace “stuff” with giving in a powerful way — give Glue Gift cards which allow your recipient to give back to the nonprofit work of their choice.
http://www.thegluenetwork.com/GiftCards
Also – gift tags to accompany traditional gifts and company gift cards that create marketing value as well.