November 27th: Mark it in Your Calendar!
Espace idées • November 1st, 2018
Do you know what GivingTuesday is? This global generosity movement, which generated 21.7 billion impressions on Twitter last year, originated in the United States in 2012 and was initiated by the United Nations Foundation and several other charities. The campaign is now present in 150 countries around the world.
In Canada, two organizations (CanaHelps and GIV3) have transformed this event into a national day of giving and volunteering. This year, #givingtuesday will take place on November 27th, just in time for the start of the holiday season, a period synonymous with helping and sharing. The movement encourages businesses and community members to give back to society by making a donation or volunteering with a cause they care about.
How to Participate
Nonprofit Organizations
There are many reasons to get involved with #givingtuesday. Take advantage of this day to raise awareness for your cause, to interest potential volunteers, to increase donations and to explain your impact in the community by sharing your success stories.
November 27th is also an opportunity to set up a new activity or launch a specific campaign with the goal of acquiring new donors, strengthening relationships with current donors, recruiting new volunteers, or presenting your organization to community members. You can view examples of campaigns and get great ideas by clicking here.
#givingtuesday is also a good time to talk about your cause on social media. You can download the material needed to promote this day (logos, visuals, countdown, video) by clicking here.
Community Members
There are three simple ways for you to get involved and make a difference:
- Make a donation to your favourite charity;
- Volunteer with a nonprofit organization;
- Promote the « GivingTuesday » movement on your social media.
Companies
GivingTuesday is a great opportunity to demonstrate your community engagement. Here are some suggestions on how to involve your employees:
- Allow them to choose the organization they would like to get involved with;
- Suggest donation ideas (payroll deductions, bake sales, wear jeans to work day, etc.);
- Organize a blood drive or food drive for the local food bank;
- Allow your team to volunteer during work hours for one day, during GivingTuesday;
- Provide a matching gift program. Match your employees’ donations to registered charities during #givingtuesday (you can set a maximum amount).
For more ideas and information about #givingtuesday, click here. And don’t forget that the Thursday following GivingTuesday is #thankyouthursday, the perfect time to thank your donors for their support.
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