New Day Celebrates Giving the Tuesday after Thanksgiving
ATLANTA (Sept. 19, 2012) – The global poverty-fighting organization CARE has joined #GivingTuesday, a first of its kind effort that will harness the collective power of charities, families, businesses and individuals to transform how people think about the giving season and create a better world. Taking place Nov. 27, 2012 – the Tuesday after Thanksgiving – #GivingTuesday will harness the power of social media to create a national moment around the holidays dedicated to giving, similar to how Black Friday and Cyber Monday have become days that are, today, synonymous with holiday shopping.
The American giving tradition already has deep roots on Nov. 27. In 1945, that was the day – a Tuesday no less — that CARE was created as way for people in the United States to send food and supplies to families putting their lives back together in war-ravaged Europe. The CARE Package grew into a symbol of American generosity, and CARE itself evolved to focus on long-term solutions to poverty, including the empowerment of women and girls.
“It’s so fitting that the first Giving Tuesday falls on CARE’s birthday,” said Helene D. Gayle, president and CEO of CARE. “Both are about finding creative ways to channel the best instincts of Americans and help those most in need. We’re excited to join the GivingTuesday movement as it grows into a tradition that, each Tuesday after Thanksgiving, brings the world a little closer together.”
Seeing an opportunity to channel the generosity of the holiday season to inspire action around charitable giving, a group of friends and partners, led by the 92nd Street Y, came together to find ways to promote and celebrate the great American tradition of giving. Thought leaders in philanthropy, social media and grassroots organizing joined with 92nd Street Y to explore what is working in modern philanthropy and how to expand these innovations throughout the philanthropic sector. Each week, new organizations have joined the movement and are providing creative ways people can embrace #GivingTuesday and collaborate in their giving efforts to create more meaningful results.
“Communities like ours are about opening doors and bringing people together,” said Sol Adler, 92Y Executive Director. “#GivingTuesday allows us to create a new kind of community – across geographical borders – around the idea of ‘doing good.'”
A team of influencers have met to discuss the ways that people are approaching giving during challenging economic times, along with how Americans can give smarter and use new media to encourage positive change in their communities. #GivingTuesday is endorsed by Committee Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy, Dorothy A. Johnson Center on Philanthropy, Giving Institute, Giving USA Foundation and InterAction. Charity Navigator and GuideStar are serving as Charity Advisors. VolunteerMatch is a volunteer advisor to #GivingTuesday.
About #GivingTuesday #GivingTuesday is a movement to celebrate and provide incentives to give. It will culminate with a national day of giving on November 27, 2012. This first-of-its-kind effort harnesses the collective power of a unique blend of partners— charities, families, businesses and individuals—to transform how people think about, talk about and participate in the giving season. #GivingTuesday will inspire people to take collaborative action to improve their local communities, give back in better, smarter ways to the charities and causes they celebrate and help create a better world. #GivingTuesday will harness the power of social media to create a national moment around the holidays that is dedicated to giving, similar to how Black Friday and Cyber Monday have become days that are synonymous with holiday shopping.
Media Contacts:
Atlanta: Brian Feagans, CARE, bfeagans@care.org, +1.404.979.9453
Atlanta: Nicole Harris, CARE, nharris@care.org, 1.404.979.9503