You’ve heard of it but what is Giving Tuesday?
What is Giving Tuesday?
This holiday season, you may find yourself caught up in the hustle of Black Friday and Cyber Monday (there’s even a Red Thursday now!) If you think the holiday season is getting more and more commercialized, you’re not the only one.
Giving Tuesday started in 2012 in the United States after the Thanksgiving weekend. It is a response to the commercialization and consumerism that occurs during the holiday season. Giving Tuesday is a global movement that takes place every year. It’s a time when charities, companies, and communities come together to rally for their favourite causes. This year, Giving Tuesday is on November 30, 2021.
THE POWER OF SOCIAL MEDIA
Giving Tuesday creates real change by using the power of social media and generosity. This global movement provides a platform for people to donate their time, resources, and talents to issues that matter to them. Giving Tuesday also brings together nonprofits, companies, schools, civic organizations, families and individuals. This day of giving unites communities and shares our capacity to care for and empower one another.
THE MOVEMENT IS GROWING
The data is clear, Giving Tuesday has grown from an idea to an epic movement! In 2017, an estimated 6 million Canadians participated in Giving Tuesday (1). Since Giving Tuesday started, the number of dollars donated increased by more than 450% (2). That’s a lot of good happening in the country!
In 2017, $427.7 billion was raised in the United States during Giving Tuesday. That's 2.05% of the 2018 U.S. GDP (3)!
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
Whether you donate to your favourite nonprofit, volunteer your time, or do a random act of kindness, anything helps! You can also spread the word on social media! Join the conversation online and share how you will be giving back this year using the hashtag #GivingTuesdayCA.
Giving Tuesday Infographic 2018Whether you donate to your favourite nonprofit, volunteer your time, or do a random act of kindness, anything helps! You can also spread the word on social media! Join the conversation online and share how you will be giving back this year using the hashtag #GivingTuesdayCA.
What about Sea Smart? On November 30, sign up to volunteer with us, pick up 3 pieces of trash, or donate! For $15, you can send 3 students to a Sea Smart school workshop and empower them to learn about and protect our oceans and environment. For every child you send to a Sea Smart workshop, you are sponsoring a new ocean champion!
Donations go towards our Bursary Fund to provide a life-changing experience to the students who need it most. This fund supports children and schools with financial need who would otherwise be unable to attend our programs. To date, over 100 students have accessed our workshops, after school programs, and summer camps through donations to our bursary program. What's more, Sea Smart's impact has a ripple effect that spreads within kids' schools, families, and communities!
Thank you for your generous support in helping us power waves of change this holiday season!
REFERENCES
GivingTuesday: What the data say. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://givingtuesday.ca/blog/entry/what-the-data-say.
GivingTuesday: What the data say. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://givingtuesday.ca/blog/entry/what-the-data-say.
Weiner, G. (n.d.). Giving Tuesday 2019: Predictions, Stats & Facts. Retrieved November 25, 2019, from https://www.wholewhale.com/tips/givingtuesday-stats-and-facts/.
