‘Tis the season. Black Friday, Cyber Monday - sales now seem to stretch over weeks, if not months. On Tuesday, Nov. 28, though, people are invited to hit the pause button on their shopping. Instead, they’re being asked to give their dollars to charity.
Shopping has become something of a tradition after the Thanksgiving holiday in America. In 2012, two nonprofit organizations in New York City wanted to celebrate another great American tradition, giving to charity.
In the midst of the holiday frenzy, Giving Tuesday was born.
Ben Bingle is manager of the DeKalb County Nonprofit Partnership. The program of the DeKalb County Community Foundation provides education and support to area nonprofits. He said Giving Tuesday is now global in scope. But it isn’t restricted to just national or international causes. Many local groups that provide much-needed services also participate.
“For those individual donors that want to make an impact right here at home," Bingle said, "find your favorite organization and a cause that you want to support, and make your donation on Giving Tuesday.”
Bingle said most are set up to take online donations. He said people can also mail them in, or even walk in to a local nonprofit and hand them a check or cash on Giving Tuesday.
Bingle said there’s even an initiative, #ILGIVE, to help. It includes a website where you can search for nonprofits to support throughout Illinois, by area and category.