Instead of the regularly scheduled content of this blog, I wanted to highlight one of the great events happening this week. We had Small Business Sunday and Cyber Monday for our Christmas shopping needs. Today is for the spirit of the season. Today marks the annual Giving Tuesday, a global event that encourages people to do good. It was launched in 2012 in New York and is now it’s own non-profit! They hope to encourage the spirit of the giving season in any way you can. For some this may be a donation, for others it could be helping out a neighbor.

During this year, we’ve seen how a little love and compassion can go a long way. Why not spread the joy when you can? Especially during this season, which is often bittersweet for many. There are so many ways that you can brighten someone’s day during this season. If you have the monetary means, below is a list of places you can fund during this season:

1. Your local library
2. St. Jude
3. Your local place of worship.
4. A cause you are passionate about.
5. A local non-profit. You can visit https://greatnonprofits.org/ to find a list of non-profits near you.
6. Donate canned food to Feeding America or your local shelter.
7. Habitat for Humanity
8. The American Cancer Society

If you do not have the monetary means to donate, consider some of these other great ways to help out today:

1. Donate gently used clothes to a shelter.
2. If you are crafty, knit or crochet hats, scarves or gloves and donate them to your local shelter.
3. Volunteer online. You can visit sites like Points of Light to find places to volunteer.
4. Participate in a build for Habitat for Humanity. They are taking the proper CDC precautions and require face coverings in order to participate.
5. Donate toys, food, cleaning supplies, blankets, leashes, etc. to your local animal shelter.
6. Shop for the holidays with Amazon Smile. When you go to https://smile.amazon.com/, you can select a charity. When you use the Smile url, proceeds are donated to the charity of your choice.
7. Help a neighbor! If you have a neighbor who can’t leave their house due to COVID or other reasons, offer to pick up their groceries. Dropping off a nice note or plate of cookies to cheer them up is also a great option.
8. If you go to a place of worship, check with the staff and see if any members are having trouble at this time. Many are not able to do things themselves right now and might need assistance with errands. Or they would just love a phone conversation with someone to catch up!
9. Show your support for the health care workers on the front lines. Their work has never stopped.

If you want some more inspiration, check out Giving Tuesday’s site for more information. They have great resources for individuals, non-profits, and companies who want to participate.

Thanks so much for reading everyone, and happy Giving Tuesday!