#GivingTuesday Archives - Cindy Goes Beyond

November 27, 2018

Giving Tuesday 2018

Giving Tuesday began in 2012. It was created with the intention of balancing out the heavy spending that occurs immediately after Thanksgiving, on Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

Asha Curran, who dreamed up the idea, hoped to turn people’s attention from two days of consuming to one day of giving. In the last seven years, the idea has spread to 55 countries, globalizing the concept.

In its first year about $10 million was raised online. Last year the total reached $300 million, benefitting tens of thousands of non profit groups and organizations.

I happily participate in Giving Tuesday, shared on social media as #givingtuesday, donating to five or six organizations annually. Today, driving to meet grandson Oliver for lunch at his school, I had a flash of inspiration. I’ve been practicing five daily gratitudes throughout the month of November. I have five grandchildren. What if I let each child choose the organization or group they wanted to donate to? Then I could make a donation in their name.

The grandkids liked the idea! Below are the organizations they chose.

The Trevor Project

This project began in 1994 as a story told on stage and then in a short film. In 1998 the film producers launched the Trevor Lifeline, the first national crisis intervention and suicide prevention lifeline for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer & questioning youth.

Since then, hundreds of thousands of young people in crisis have reached out to The Trevor Project’s multiple in-person and online life-saving, life-affirming resources–Trevor Lifeline, TrevorChat, TrevorSpace and Trevor Education Workshops. Check out The Trevor Project.

This was grandson Dayan’s organization of choice and a donation was made on his behalf.

Kansas Angels Among Us

Located in Pittsburg, Kansas, this organization, founded in 2000, helps to relieve some of the financial burden of utilities, wigs and other needs of cancer patients. Angels Among Us is volunteer based with about 250 volunteers or “angels,” which help raise money for cancer patients.

Founder Diana Polston says that the organization’s volunteers participate in fundraisers with local businesses to raise money throughout the year. One of their biggest fundraisers is the Crawford County Fair Angel Cafe. Check our Angels Among Us.

Grandson Jonathan chose this organization and a donation is on its way, on his behalf.

Haven of Hope Rescue Foundation

Established in 2009, this group based in Oklahoma focuses on saving dogs that have no hope. They do not discriminate based on age, sex, color, breed, length of fur or ability to obey basic commands or stay off the furniture.

To grow and expand, Haven of Hope depends on donations and adoption fees for rescued dogs. Sponsorship of our rescues and donations are greatly appreciated and necessary for them to continue their mission, which truly is . . to Save Dogs! Visit Haven of Hope’s website for more info.

Grandson Joey wanted to support an animal rescue organization. A donation was made on his behalf.

Canned Food Drive for Families in Need

During lunch with Oliver at his school, we discussed Giving Tuesday and my idea of allowing each grandchild to select an organization to donate to. At first Oliver wanted to check out sports program for youth.

Then he remembered that his class is collecting canned goods to donate to local groups that will distribute baskets to needy families. He asked if we could help with that project. Of course we can!

I used the money I would have donated on Oliver’s behalf to purchase canned goods. I’ll deliver these to Oliver so he can take them to school. Contact Crosslines Ministries of Joplin to donate canned goods.

Legacy of Hope Dog Rescue

My family in the Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area is involved with this organization. The group rescues dogs in dangerous, hopeless or needy situations and places them in foster care with sponsors until they are ready for adoption.

They envision a community knowledgeable about dog preventative health and behavior training, leading to empty shelters. Low cost spaying and neutering options are offered through Legacy of Hope. They also help to educate people about Pit Bulls, which are suffering as a breed. Check out their website.

A donation was made on behalf of granddaughter Aubrey, who also wanted to support an animal rescue organization.

Giving Tuesday Begins with Me

My intention, in allowing the grandkids to select organizations that they care about, is to create the awareness and practice of helping others. I’ll make these donations, on their behalf, with the sincere belief that when they are young adults they will pick up the batons I pass to them and continue on.

First I must model for them what giving looks like. Then they can later choose to give their time, money, and resources.

May Giving Tuesday become a way of life, every day, within us all.

November 29, 2017November 29, 2017

Giving Tuesday 2017

I’m getting a very late start on my blog post tonight, due to a full day. However, I paused long enough to honor the day, which is Giving Tuesday, and make donations to the organizations of my choice.

Giving Tuesday, also referred to as #givingtuesday, is an international day set aside for donating funds or time to charities and organizations around the world.

This special day, which is always observed the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, Black Friday and Cyber Monday, was created in 2012 by the 92nd Street Y and the United Nations Foundation.

I learned about #givingtuesday in 2015, and it has become a yearly event for me. I typically celebrate Thanksgiving with family, and devote focused awareness on gratitude. I sometimes participate in Black Friday. This year I did. I sometimes participate in Cyber Monday. This year I did. Since learning of Giving Tuesday, I have always participated.

Here are the recipients of my donations this year:

BlinkNow – Created and run by 31 year old Maggie Doyne, this organization is in its 10th year. Traveling after high school graduation, Maggie was deeply touched by the children in Nepal, who were living in destitution. With her savings of $5000, Maggie began to care for children who were without parents, homes, education, medical care and basic necessities. In 10 years she has built a children’s home, a school, and a women’s center, and her organization provides necessities, education and medical care. Maggie is Mom and guardian to 50 children.

Check out BlinkNow HERE.

TOGETHER RISING – founded by blogger, author and activist Glennon Doyle, this organization began through Glennon’s blog, Momastery. Women began reaching out in tangible ways to help each other. Today Together Rising restores hope by helping women and families in crisis and by responding immediately to disasters around the world by raising and sending funds and necessities.

Check out TOGETHER RISING HERE.

World Vision – this Christian based organization has created programs that benefit children, families and communities in need, around the world. They offer child sponsorships, medical and school supplies, food, sustainable living by way of seeds, fruit trees and farm animals, clothing and clean water.

Learn more about World Vision HERE.

Haven of Hope Rescue Foundation and Carthage Humane Society – both of these organizations aid animals by rescuing dogs (Carthage rescues other animals as well), and helping to place them in foster homes and ultimately into forever homes by way of adoption.

Haven of Hope, based in the Oklahoma City area, has saved hundreds of dogs since 2009. Check them out HERE.

And Carthage Humane Society has been in operation since 1948. Their mission is to provide a safe haven for animals in their care and aid in finding suitable homes for those pets. Find out more about them HERE.

Of course, donations and the volunteering of time and services can, and should, take place year round. I am grateful though, in the midst of this busy holiday time, that there is a special day for focusing on those people and organizations that live the giving lifestyle 24/7. These people and groups are making a difference in the world. Our attention and awareness, our funds, our time, supports them in their efforts.

And that is such a good thing. That’s #givingtuesday. Together we can change the world.

December 1, 2015

Journey 335: #GivingTuesday

I discovered another yearly event today. I really am wondering how I’ve missed all these special days. As my awareness shifts, I discover so many new things. There’s Thankgiving, for expressing gratitude for all of my blessings. There’s Black Friday and Cyber Monday to purchase gifts for my loved ones. And now I find there’s #GivingTuesday, a day set aside to give back to my community or my favorite charity by way of volunteering my time or making a financial donation.

#GivingTuesday was created in 2012, the idea of the 92nd Street Y in New York City. According to the GivingTuesday website, “#GivingTuesday is a global day of giving fueled by the power of social media and collaboration. Observed on the Tuesday following Thanksgiving (in the U.S.) and the widely recognized shopping events Black Friday and Cyber Monday, #GivingTuesday kicks off the charitable season, when many focus on their holiday and end-of-year giving.”

For my first #GivingTuesday I made the following contributions:

Chase the Chill Joplin.

My friend Ann Leach brought this event to Joplin. Scarves are donated, by dropping them off at one of three collection centers, and will be tagged. They are then hung in public places and are free for the taking for anyone who needs a scarf for warmth. Cities across the US are participating and I’m so glad Joplin is joining in for the first time.

I purchased five scarves today, one in honor of each of my grandchildren. I’ll volunteer as well, to help tag and hang the scarves.

The Salvation Army Joplin

This is a national organization, however I chose to donate locally. I picked this organization because about .96 out of every $1.00 goes toward helping others. The Salvation Army offers assistance to adults for rehabilitation, veteran affairs services, provides ministries to prisons and the elderly, and combats human trafficking. For children they offer hunger relief, Christmas presents, camps and programs, and housing and homeless services. On an international level, they offer emergency assistance services. Joplin certainly benefitted from relief efforts by The Salvation Army after the 2011 tornado.

Joplin Humane Society

I care for mankind. I care for animalkind. The needs are great at this Joplin shelter, which operates at full capacity most of the time. I’ve sponsored animals here before, paying the adoption fees to make the chances of selection for those animals greater, and I’ll do it again. My sister Linda has a dream of opening a shelter as well, someday, that specializes in fostering and adopting out dogs and cats. There’s room in Joplin for more kind people helping animals. I hope to be able to donate to her organization at that time too!

BlinkNow

On a global level, I made donations to two organizations. BlinkNow is located in Nepal and is the creation of Maggie Doyne, who founded this non-profit at the age of 19. Their mission is to focus on building community, through caring for children, education, healthcare, empowerment, and sustainability. Maggie has adopted 50 homeless children and built a children’s home and school that provides shelter, medical care, education…and love.

Mary’s Meals

Headquartered in Scotland, Mary’s Meals slogan is, “A simple solution to world hunger” and their mission is to provide every needy child with one free school meal. To accomplish that, they have set up school meal projects in some of the world’s poorest communities, where hunger and poverty prevent children from gaining an education. Mary’s Meals was founded in 2002 and has grown from its first feeding operation of 200 children in Malawi, to a world-wide campaign, providing free school meals in hundreds of schools and feeding over 1 million children a year.

I am very thankful for the opportunity to give back, on a local and global level. I share my experience, not for praise, but to live openly and transparently as I journey and to encourage others to follow their hearts. Anne Frank said, “No one has ever become poor by giving”. Such a true statement. Indeed, I am enriched.