Six ways to Give on Giving Tuesday

in , , , , , , , by Linda A Kinsman, Tuesday, December 03, 2019

Happy December!  It is a frosty morning here south of Nashville, TN. And I’m warm and toasty in my cozy home office. I know there are many, right here in my county that aren’t as fortunate. That’s top of mind as I put together this post for Giving Tuesday. This year I’m going to continue to help where I live. To that end, I’m donating food, toys, clothes, books, diapers, anything I can to help local community outreach programs and non profits. If you’d like to help out in your community and need some ideas on where to get started, read on for Six ways you can give on Giving Tuesday.



It's #GivingTuesday 2019





About Giving Tuesday:


Giving Tuesday logo


Giving Tuesday was created in 2012 as a simple idea: a day that encourages people to do good. Over the past seven years, because of you, this idea has grown into a global movement that inspires hundreds of millions of people to give, collaborate, and celebrate generosity. 

Since becoming a Giving Tuesday Ambassador, I've tried to write a blog post or cover this special day on social media in the hopes of encouraging others to join us in our effort to help where and how we can. 


 Six Ways to Give:


Helping in your own community is a great way to get started today. This first way speaks to where my heart is.



1. Give Goods:



Give Goods on Giving Tuesday
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Contact your local community food banks, shelters, senior care centers, day care centers and ask them if they have a wish list. Most of them will happily tell you what they really need. Once you have a list of needs, go shopping in your home. It feels so good to know a spare coat, unused books and toys are going to help someone. Plus, you are clearing your clutter!

Go Shopping:

If it’s on your heart to help with food and personal hygiene items, you’ll need to go shopping. I suggest you take a few minutes to see who has the best price on the items on your list. For instance, I want to donate diapers and women’s hygiene products to women’s shelters and church outreach group because I read that a lot of women won’t spend the night at a shelter because they don’t have access to these items. 




2. Give Time:


Give Time on Giving Tuesday
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Do you have an extra hour somewhere in your week to volunteer? Check in with local nonprofits in your community to see how you can plug in. By volunteering, you can give something back, make a difference to the people around you, develop new skills, and learn more about issues affecting your community.

Volunteering is good for you!


Did you know the right volunteer opportunity can help you reduce stress, find friends, and even advance your career and lead to smiles and happiness? Talk about a win/win! You can find volunteer opportunities at VolunteerMatch,  Pointsof Light, or IdeaList



3. Give Talent:


Give Talent on Giving Tuesday
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Helping out in an office is an area that for some reason has flown under my radar until now. I recently learned that many nonprofits are understaffed or operating on a small budget and can’t afford the marketing, HR, technology, or planning resources that their missions deserve. I work in marketing and was an administrative assistant for years, so I have valuable skills. To help a nonprofit in an office near you get connected with Taproot+.



4. Give Money:


Give Money Giving Tuesday
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If you are short on time, but still want to help somehow, you can make monetary donations. Throughout our communities, nonprofit organizations are working tirelessly every day to make a difference in our communities. We can help today by looking through the list of participating non profits HERE.




5. Give Kindness:


Give Kindness Giving Tuesday
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In theory, we should all be kind each and everyday of our lives, but the reality is we can be a cranky lot sometimes. As we finish off this month, year and decade, why not recommit to showing kindness? Remember, you can’t give kindness fully unless and until you are kind to yourself, so please find simple ways to step back from stressful situations and enjoy your life! You will be better equipped to spread kindness! A seemingly small act of kindness has the power to inspire generosity that can permeate society and catalyze change. I believe it kindness should start at home and radiate outward


Ideas for practicing kindness at home: 


  • Place encouraging or funny notes on bathroom mirrors for your family.
  • Check the washer and dryer. Start a load of laundry or hold what in the dryer.
  • Unload or load the dishwasher.
  • Bake a batch of cookies.
  • Tackle a small chore to lighten the load of another family member.
  • Call your kids/spouse and leave them an encouraging voicemail.



31 Days of Kindness Idea Calendar #GivingTuesday:


Kindness Calendar Giving Tuesday
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This calendar is a perfect way to remember small acts of kindness in your day. You can download it hereI’m going to print one out and place it on out bulletin board so my family can participate as well.





6. Give Voice:


Give Voice Giving Tuesday
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Lastly, help get your kids and teens involved on Giving Tuesday and throughout the year by letting them know their voice matters too! It’s their future, help plug them in by exploring ways to get involved at DoSomething.org or Change.org. Some topics that might be of interest to them include, vaping, bullying, gun violence and more.


By lending our voice to advocate for the causes and issues we care about, we can all be activists who affect the kind of change that makes our world a better place. 




Share Why You Give with an UNselfie:


UNselfie Giving Tuesday
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Every Act has a Story:


My Giving Story Giving Tuesday



Share your story as part of the #MyGivingStory contest and your favorite cause could win up to $10k to help empower their work. Learn more about the contest here




I hope my list of six ways to give today, Giving Tuesday will help you connect with your community. I invite to learn more about nonprofits and a host of other resources available at the Giving Tuesday site here. Be sure to use #givingtuesday on your social shares today as well.

Happy Giving Tuesday! 




Please share in comments: Which of the six ways to give resonated with you and why?
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