Giving Tuesday is the New Black (Friday)
By Melissa Breer, TVG Account Executive
For the past several years, Black Friday sales have been starting earlier, with many stores offering sales days before Thanksgiving and stores now opening on Thanksgiving. While some people may be interested in fighting crowds to hunt down the best deals, many consumers say they feel the true meaning of the holiday season has been lost.
So, how do you combat this and regain the holiday spirit?
You start a social media revolution! Well, not quite, but social media can help. Enter, #GivingTuesday.
If you haven’t heard of it yet, Giving Tuesday is a day of global giving, which falls on the first Tuesday after Thanksgiving, following Black Friday and Cyber Monday (December 1 this year). But, unlike those two days, Giving Tuesday best captures the true spirit of the holiday season. What started as a small campaign in 2012 has now grown into a social media phenomenon that encourages people and businesses to make donations to nonprofit organizations around the world.
In general, funding can be difficult for nonprofits to secure. They rely on grants and donors in order to raise enough money to carry out their programs and research, or to provide support to those in need. And, nonprofits have to get creative in their PR and marketing efforts in order to raise awareness for their organization.
So, you better believe they will be taking full advantage of Giving Tuesday. On a day when so many people are looking for an opportunity to donate and make a difference, nonprofits will be trying to break through the pack to get their message out on social media, in order to attract potential donors.
It’s a simple idea—combine the generous spirit of the holidays with the power of social media, and you get an instant platform for nonprofits around the world.
If you want to participate in Giving Tuesday, or are looking to give back to a worthy organization this holiday season, please consider making a donation to TVG’s holiday charity of choice, the St. Louis Initiative to Reduce Violence (SIRV).
SIRV is a grassroots effort involving St. Louis communities, law enforcement, nonprofit organizations, faith-based organizations, mental health professionals, schools and community leaders dedicated to supporting and implementing programs and initiatives to curb violence in the St. Louis region.
To learn more about the organization, please visit sirvstl.org and make a donation, or visit gofundme.com/SIRVstl. You can make a difference.
Tell us how you’re making a difference this holiday season! Send us a tweet @VandiverGroup.