As Americans gear up for Christmas with Black Friday shopping and Cyber Monday sales, another event just around the corner is helping give back to local communities this holiday season: Giving Tuesday.
Giving Tuesday, to be held the Tuesday following Thanksgiving, began in 2012 with the simple idea of “a day that encourages people to do good.” What started as a small, organized event has now turned into a global movement with over 70 countries involved. Giving Tuesday, an independent nonprofit organization, has also created resources to help small businesses participate in Giving Tuesday within their communities.
Some ways small businesses can get involved include:
- Coordinating a drive of specific goods: Last year, Chapel Hill Tire in North Carolina worked with their community ahead of Giving Tuesday to collect warm clothes and nonperishable foods that were later delivered to a homeless encampment. They also coordinated a toy drive through the Ronald McDonald House and sent a truck of dog food to a local animal shelter.
- Donate goods or services: On Giving Tuesday 2021, a popular DC restaurant donated food to local residents in need. Similarly, a local boutique collected and curated care baskets for nurses and essential workers at their local hospital.
- Raise money or give a portion of sales to an organization you and your team are passionate about.
- Close your doors for the day and volunteer locally as a team.
The options are endless. Giving Tuesday will also provide logos, social media graphics and flyers in a Small Business Toolkit. This year, Giving Tuesday will be held on November 30, 2021. To find out ways to get your small business involved, click here.