How to Participate in GivingTuesday 2022
November 12, 2022
 | By Jamie Schloegel, Chief Executive Officer |
On November 29 every act of generosity counts
GivingTuesday will be recognized on November 29 this year. It is always the Tuesday following Thanksgiving, Black Friday, and Cyber Monday. The founders of GivingTuesday had one simple goal: one day dedicated to encouraging people to do good.
Over the last 10 years GivingTuesday has grown into a global movement that inspires hundreds of millions of people across the globe to give, collaborate, and celebrate generosity. Last year’s GivingTuesday raised an estimated $2.7 billion for charitable causes all over the world.
And that doesn’t just come from big donors like the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The vast majority comes from millions of regular folks just like me and you giving whatever we can. Whether it’s making someone smile, helping a neighbor out, or showing up for an issue or people we care about, we each have something to contribute.
Sparking a desire to give from a young age
I encourage you to consider ways you can join this global movement of giving to help unleash the power of radical generosity right here in our own community. La Crosse Community Foundation will be participating this year, but you’ll have to stay tuned for our special announcement that day to learn how.
Not sure where to start on your own in the meantime? How about right from your dinner table! GivingTuesday is a great opportunity to start teaching the importance of giving back with younger generations.
Help your kids spark change on November 29. Check out this great article from GivingTuesday to learn how.
Get your kids involved on GivingTuesday
GivingTuesday is a great opportunity for parents and caregivers to share their values around philanthropy and get the kiddos involved in doing some good right where you live.
Giving back makes kids feel empowered and instilling the value of generosity can have lifelong benefits including: enhancing their mood, fostering optimism, reducing depression, and creating healthy relationships. If we want our kids to be generous, we have to talk to our kids about generosity.
Start by asking your kids what causes and issues matter most to them or what aspects of their local community they’d most like to help. If your kids…
…love being outdoors: clean up a neighborhood playground, park or beach; or donate to local conservation organizations.
…are concerned about the well-being of other kids: collect and donate school supplies; run a toy drive before the holiday season or visit a children’s hospital.
…want to help create a society that’s more kind: make a generosity wall in a public space and encourage others to write kind messages, or paint kindness rocks and hide them throughout the neighborhood.
…are worried about the homeless in your community: prepare care kits and deliver them to homeless shelters (download the toolkit at GivingTuesdaySpark.org)
…love animals: set up a donation drive to support animals in need or organize an online fundraiser for the local shelter.
… want to support our servicemen and women: write thank you messages to first responders or send letters to troops overseas.
… want to address cyber-bullying: ask your school if you can help create an anti-bullying campaign and help plan a virtual rally about it.
… are concerned with food inequities: create bagged lunches and give them to anyone who might be hungry or help raise money for your local food bank.
Three Things You Can Do Right Now
Connect: Follow #GivingTuesdaySpark on Instagram and connect with other kids who are committed to doing good.
Get Ideas: Check out the GivingTuesdaySpark website, which has additional free, kid-focused resources including online lessons, inspiring stories about young philanthropists, coloring pages, dinner discussion topics, and more.
Share: If your kids use social media, encourage them to join the #GivingTuesday challenge and post their act of generosity on TikTok or Instagram and join celebrities and influencers from all over the world on the global day of giving on November 29.
Gifting with the greatest impact
If you’re ready to make a gift now that will have a lasting impact in our community then you can donate to our Community Giving Fund. This fund is the most flexible of La Crosse Community Foundation funds, the Community Giving Fund can respond quickly to changing community needs because its use is unrestricted. Be sure to stay tuned to our social media pages to hear a very special way to give to our community on GivingTuesday!