By Carol Fisher-Linn
It’s a good thing…
I hate Black Friday! I can’t, for the life of me, understand how people will risk life and limb to battle the hordes of shoppers in commercial establishments across America. Especially when, everywhere you turn, online retailers are enticing you with huge pre-Black Friday sales weeks before Black Friday hits the stores. And then, you always have Cyber Monday after Black Friday where you can shop in the comfort of your own home. I would like to remind you that once all your shopping is done and out of the way, in whatever manner you are comfortable with, I invite you to consider making your philanthropic holiday or year-end contributions to an agency of your choosing on Giving Tuesday, this year on November 28th, the day after Cyber Monday. Since Giving Tuesday is a global movement that aims to encourage people to spread generosity through philanthropy, why not jump in and join the crowd?
How it started: Recognizing how the holiday spirit had shifted to consumerism, New York’s 92nd Street Y partnered with the United Nations Foundation to form Giving Tuesday. The first Giving Tuesday took place in 2012 to encourage people to help make a difference and impact their community. Since the first Giving Tuesday, there are now over 240 locally-led communities with around 33.1 million participants across the United States. The Giving Tuesday movement has raised billions of dollars for nonprofits from pet adoptions to the environment, kids-at-risk or charitable organizations which then reach out to help others in need.
With selfless generosity and community support during the holiday season, Giving Tuesday has proven to change lives across the world! So, how does it work? Many business, organizations, big and small companies, and individuals donate money on this day. Knowing Giving Tuesday is coming they consider their year-end giving plans based on many factors – company history/tradition, tax breaks, giving back, paying forward, or simply wanting to give a leg up to a not-for-profit organization that they particularly like or whose mission they embrace.
Cattaraugus County has a special promotional fundraiser for not-for-profits that year-end donors might consider looking into. It is called Cattaraugus Gives and it represents many not-for-profits looking for the generosity of donors on Tuesday, November 28th. Their Facebook page tells us this: “Presented by the Cattaraugus Region Community Foundation, Cattaraugus Gives is again set for Giving Tuesday, Tuesday, November 28 this year! Cattaraugus Gives is a thrilling 24-hour online fundraising event joining nonprofits from across the Cattaraugus County community in both competition and collaboration. In 2022, Cattaraugus Gives eclipsed the milestone of raising over $1 million for area nonprofits since 2019. 88 participating nonprofits together raised over $275,000 last year. Join the Cattaraugus Gives movement and help cultivate a more giving, caring, and compassionate community. Cattaraugus Gives is your one-stop shop for year-end charitable giving in Cattaraugus County. Together let’s make an even bigger difference for our nonprofits in 2023!”
www.cattaraugusgives.org puts potential donors in touch with libraries, churches, historical associations, little leagues, animal rescues, hospice, food pantries, educational programs and so much more all over Cattaraugus County. In Ellicottville, the following are included in the 24-hour campaign: The Ellicottville Playground, Ellicottville Rotary, EVGV Recreational Trail, Frank Pitillo Memorial Fund, Nannen Arboretum, and Bob McCarthy Foundation. Your opportunity to support your favorite non-for-profit lies as close as your fingers on the keyboard. So, why not review your options now and plan to spend some time on your computer on November 28th, contributing to your favorite cause? Of course, all donations are 100% tax deductible, and you can donate any time. However, if you donate on November 28th, you help your favorite organization win hourly monetary prizes and there are even prize gift cards for a few lucky donors. Go online and check them out. Happy donating!