Give giving a go this Giving Tuesday
Children walking in the woods, Bunchberry Meadows Conservation Area, AB (Photo by Kyle Marquardt)
Giving Tuesday, a global giving and volunteer movement, officially returns this year on November 28. Started in 2012, Giving Tuesday encourages individuals and corporations to donate and/or volunteer their time to support charities and non-profit organizations. It follows Black Friday and Cyber Monday every year, as a way to help offset the buying frenzy that these days bring. This November 28, start the holiday season off on the right foot by taking part in Giving Tuesday. Are you wondering how to do your part? Check out these ideas:
Make a monetary donation
Choose a charity with a cause that you’re passionate about and donate to it, even if it’s just a small amount — every bit helps. If nature conservation is important to you, consider donating to an organization such as the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC), Canada’s leading land conservation organization. By donating to NCC, you’re helping conserve our nation’s most important natural areas and the species they sustain for future generations of Canadians. It’s also a great way to celebrate NCC’s 55th anniversary of conserving land in Canada, which also takes place on November 28. This year, your donation to NCC will double the impact for nature, as Copernicus Educational Products is matching every dollar donated (up to a maximum of $55,000).
Donate dust collectors
Whenever you hear or read the word “donate,” the first thing that likely comes to mind is money. For those on a tight budget, this may simply be impossible. But donations don’t necessarily have to be monetary. Consider giving away non-perishable food items to food banks, clothes to clothing banks, old office and school supplies to businesses and educational institutions or books and magazines to libraries or doctors’ offices. Donating these items is also an excellent way to declutter your home, school or workplace and to recycle.
Volunteer Rob Wallace at the CV event in Cypress Hills (Photo by NCC)
Lend a helping hand
If monetary donations aren’t in your budget, why not volunteer your time instead? It’s a great way to give back to and feel part of your community and meet others with similar passions and interests. There are plenty of places that can always use volunteers, including clothing drives, food banks, soup kitchens, homeless shelters, wildlife rehabilitation centres and conservation organizations. For instance, NCC hosts Conservation Volunteers (CV) events, such as invasive species removals or species inventories, which allow you to give back to nature while acquiring hands-on conservation experience.
Be a good Samaritan
If you’re unable to donate or volunteer on Giving Tuesday, try doing a few random acts of kindness. You could leave a five-dollar bill in a random place with a kind note on it, give away a still-valid parking voucher, bring in extra food to work or school to share with colleagues or classmates, leave appreciative notes on your colleagues’ or classmates’ desks, shovel snow for a neighbour or help a family member with a chore.
Promote your passions
Use social media to spread awareness about charities and non-profit organizations that you strongly believe in. It can be as simple as liking their social media pages and sharing their posts, videos and photos with your friends and followers.
Now that you’ve been given some ideas for ways to participate in Giving Tuesday, it’s time to give one of them a go. But remember, it’s important to keep the spirit of giving alive year-round, not just once a year.
Happy Giving Tuesday!
