Written by Maggie McDowell and Savanna DiStefano
Today is the sixth annual Giving Tuesday, a worldwide day of giving the Tuesday after Thanksgiving. The movement was founded in 2012 by the Belfer Center for Innovation & Social Impact the 92nd Street Y, a cultural center in New York City that works to bring people and organizations together and was designed to use social media for giving worldwide after a weekend of shopping.
Kibo Group International, a sustainable development organization working in Uganda, Africa, is using Giving Tuesday as an opportunity to raise $10,000 for a well for the Kisiro village in Uganda. According to Kibo Group director of development and alumnus Zach Abney, most of the people in the Kisiro community collect water from a nearby unsanitary swamp.
“Several hundred people would have access to clean water instead of swamp water, the majority of the people wouldn’t have to walk as far for clean water, and the hygiene and sanitation of the village will improve because of our program,” Abney said. “All of those factors generally indicate that they health of a village will improve drastically if we dig a well.”
Another organization that participates in Giving Tuesday is Corners Outreach in Atlanta, Georgia, which assists elementary school children with school proficiency. Corners has a goal for this Giving Tuesday of $50,000, which will be matched by its board. In addition, donors have an opportunity to win a 54-inch HD TV donated by a former recipient of help by Corners, according cofounder and alumnus Terry Davis.
“Giving Tuesday is a great way to gain exposure for Corners Outreach and attract more donors,” Davis said. “This is an opportunity to support and advance Corners Outreach, and other nonprofits like them.”
From Little Rock, Heifer International, an organization that sends livestock to families in developing countries, has been involved in Giving Tuesday since its conception. The organization uses this day to raise money to try and end poverty and world hunger.
“What we plan to do is on our International Headquarters campus in our Heifer Village building on Giving Tuesday, we’ll be giving free gift wrap for any purchases that are made in our shop that day,” said Ellen Brown, senior specialist for corporate marketing and village coordinator for the organization. “We are encouraging people to come in and make their donation in person that day, then they can pick up an honor card to give to their family.”
Approximately 150 different Arkansas organizations are registered on the Giving Tuesday website according to onlyinark.com, including the Arkansas Zoological Wildlife Foundation, the CALL, and Soldier ON Service Dogs, Inc.
For more information and a list of participating organizations, visit givingtuesday.org.
