In 2012, Giving Tuesday was started as a response to traditions such as Black Friday and Cyber Monday, which focus on materialism. It was intended to give people an outlet in which to focus on generosity and the spirit of giving. Since the movement began, people have utilized social media to increase awareness for meaningful causes and set up individual and group fundraisers. In fact, Giving Tuesday this year raised over $380 million for various charities and organizations.
Giving Tuesday is within itself a wonderful practice, and it has helped raise awareness for important causes and connected people who share common goals. However, the reality of giving to a charity simply isn’t feasible for many people, considering that nearly half of Americans struggle to afford basic necessities such as food and transportation.
The average donation for Giving Tuesday is $105, but most people simply can’t spare that much money. One of the concepts behind Giving Tuesday is that anyone can donate money, but for people who are struggling financially, this simply isn’t the case. For those who cannot afford to donate to a fundraiser, there are countless ways to be generous that don’t necessarily require a monetary donation.
Even right here in the NC State community, there are numerous ways to get involved, on campus and in nearby organizations. The executive vice chancellor’s website provides a list of organizations on or near campus that are always looking for volunteers, including Feed the Pack pantry, JC Raulston Arboretum and the Agroecology Education farm.
There are also several different apps which allow you to share your talents without giving a monetary donation. For instance, the website Real Simple offers a few ways to market products on social media sites in exchange for a donation to the charity of your choice. There are also apps such as Juno, Volunteer Match and Idealist which help match you to a volunteer organization. The act of giving your time or talents to an organization is invaluable, and it can be just as meaningful as responding to a Facebook post asking for donations.
For those who do not have the time or the money to give to an organization, there are countless ways to spread kindness throughout the day. Even seemingly small acts such as opening the door for someone, thanking the person who hands you your lunch or even just smiling and saying hello are powerful acts that can brighten someone’s day and foster a stronger sense of community.
Amid the stream of posts, hashtags and fundraiser goals, sometimes it is important to take a step back and remember that “giving” refers to so many different things, from giving your time to an organization to donating your talents to simply showing kindness to others. The purpose behind Giving Tuesday is simply to celebrate and encourage giving, but this does not necessarily require a social media post or a financial donation.
Of course, for those who can afford to donate to a charity, this is wonderful way to show kindness and contribute to a cause. But for those who can’t, there are countless ways to give that are not always tangible or able to be measured in numbers.
