After our national holiday for giving thanks comes a global day to celebrate giving back: #GivingTuesday.
On Tuesday, Dec. 2, families, communities and more than 10,000 organizations across the world will come together to give. This day isn’t just about giving checks to charity, although you can do that too. The movement’s 2014 video tells people they can give hope, give help, give people a place to sit or give coworkers something to smile about.
Giving her own physical strength and energy, Water Aid America’s Hallie Tamez carried 40 pounds of water on her back for a six-mile trek through New York City on Nov. 21. Tamez’s journey aimed to raise awareness for women and girls who need to carry water every day and simultaneously kicked off her organization’s #GivingTuesday campaign.
The Giving Tuesday movement was founded in 2012 through a partnership between the United Nations Foundation and New York’s 92nd Street Y, a cultural and community center.
Celebrities including Bill Gates, Ellen DeGeneres, Hugh Jackman and Jessica Alba have participated in and endorsed #GivingTuesday. Organizations such as TOMS, National Geographic, Ronald McDonald House and CVS Pharmacies have partnered with the movement.
In 2013, all of the day’s social media coverage was tracked through the hashtag #GivingTuesday. According to givingtuesday.org, the movement reached two billion individuals on twitter and 300 million people on Facebook. There were 7,000 #unselfies* taken and as many as 700 tweets per minute tagged with #GivingTuesday.
*#Unselfie: A photo taken in honor of #GivingTuesday that shows why you give or shows an act of giving or generosity. Example: You holding the gloves you will donate to Make It Better’s Warming Hearts and Hands.
This year, you can help spread the movement and celebrate with Make It Better by:
Donating to Warming Hearts and Hands
Join Make It Better Foundation in giving handmade or newly purchased blankets, hats, coats, gloves and scarves to families in need this winter season. This is our 6th Annual Warming Hearts & Hands program. Help make this winter a warm one by dropping off donations before Dec. 13 at our office at 588 Lincoln Ave.,Winnetka, 847-256-4642, Monday–Friday, between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
Visit this section of our beautifully-designed new website to choose from an assortment of items including Juniper Boutique’s holiday candles, photo books by Books of Life, or a silver gemstone bracelet from Full Bloomed Lotus, just to name a few. Once you make your online purchase, 10 percent of the proceeds will be donated to nonprofits vetted by Make It Better. From now until the New Year, the proceeds will benefit all of our 2014 Philanthropy Award Winners:
- Trees That Feed, winner of our Environment Award
- Skin of Steel, winner of our Most Improved Fundraising Award
- Solidarity Bridge, winner of our Social Justice Award
- Refugee One, winner of our Humanitarian Award
- SitStayRead, winner of our Education Award
- Horizons for Youth, winner of our Audience Choice Award
- Crushers Club, winner of our Athletic Award
- Phalen Leadership Academies, winner of our National Education Award
Taking an #unselfie for #GivingTuesday and posting it on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.
Tweet your #unselfie to @mibfoundationNS and attach the hashtags: #givingtuesday #unselfie #bettergiving and your photo could show up in this story!
