Today is Giving Tuesday, a day created after the Black Friday and Cyber Monday shopping frenzy periods to remind people that the holiday season is also about giving to those less fortunate as well.
#GivingTuesday was founded in 2012 by New York’s 92nd Street Y in partnership with the United Nations Foundation, and with a team of influencers and founding partners, the effort has since turned into a global movement that has engaged over 10,000 organizations worldwide.
On #GivingTuesday, the world congregates to encourage collective giving. It’s a day dedicated to promoting and mainstreaming philanthropy, whether it is giving to causes or volunteering.
Here are our suggestions for organizations to give to, as well as at least one tool to help you accomplish that.
The Shot at Life‘s fundraising campaign.
All monies raised today will support the UN and partners like Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, collaborative work to combat pneumonia, one of the leading killers of children worldwide. For just $10 you can fully immunize a child from pneumococcal disease!
Because Ebola is still a global epidemic and with our founder and editor-in-chief JJ coming from Sierra Leone, West Africa, we will be donating to and encourage you to consider Africa Responds.
Even though the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and The Africa Union have pledged and mobilized millions of dollars towards equipment, supplies and health care workers to the affected nations, not enough it going to fight Ebola compared to other emergencies. Not enough is reaching local organizations who know where the needs are, who are most in need and how quickly and most efficiently to administer it.
Having worked and partnered with Afircare, a partner to Africa Responds, in the past, we are confident in its capabilities and capacity to quickly convert donor dollars into actionable sustainable aid.
AfricaResponds can do it.
As you’re considering where and how to give, there are various apps available to help facilitate it. We’re based in Washington DC and want to plug fellow DC-based tech start up GoodWorld which has an app that enables donors to easily and quickly donate to a cause or charity using the hashtag: #Donate.
A 2012 Red Cross poll found that if a friend posts about a donation, 39% would donate and 68% take the time to learn more.
The social network aspect of social media has positive impact for the philanthropic community.
To donate via Good World, simply choose one of their 30 partner charities such as No Kid Hungry, Humane Society International, or the Red Cross Los Angeles;
Visit Good World on Facebook and comment “#donate + any USD amount” (example: Awesome cause! I #donate $25”) on any post OR
Visit them on Twitter and tweet “#donate + any USD amount @partnercharity” (example: I #donate $50 @NoKidHungry).
You’ll get a link in a reply to register with GoodWorld, which will then charge your card and get you donation to the intended organisations.
Finally, HelpMeSee (www.HelpMeSee.org) is a global campaign to eliminate cataract blindness endemic in developing countries. The HelpMeSee mission is to make sight-restoring, MSIC surgery available to millions of underserved people through financial support and the training of thousands of highly skilled specialist cataract surgeons recruited from within their communities.
HelpMeSee has designed and is now producing a virtual reality surgical simulator and training program to be implemented worldwide, adapted from extensive experience in simulator based aviation training.
Those who are interested in joining HelpMeSee’s #GivingTuesday initiative can visit givingtuesday.helpmesee.org
Thanks for your consideration!