gt-give-thanks“We need to eradicate apathy.” – United Nations Foundation Founder and Chairman Ted Turner

From the environmental movement to the civil rights movement, history has long been shaped by individual citizens standing up and standing together.

This #GivingTuesday on December 2, citizens from around the world will celebrate giving and take action to create change in their communities. The UN Foundation is a founding partner of #GivingTuesday, a global day to “get out the give,” following two days to get deals, “Black Friday” and “Cyber Monday.” Our goal is to empower people to engage in philanthropy in ways that work best for them in order to build a better world.

One of the best ways to do this is to support the life-saving and life-changing work of the United Nations, the organization with the reach and mandate to drive global progress.

That’s why for #GivingTuesday, the UN Foundation is connecting people to the UN’s transformative work in global health, girls’ education, and more. Here are some ways you can get involved:

  • Families Giving Globally: Help families and children around the world. The UN Foundation is leveraging the Giving Tower – a partnership with CrowdRise – to encourage families to help other families. Through Families Giving Globally, families can donate to three UN Foundation campaigns that work with UN partners to help families and children around the world.
  • Girl Up: Help girls in Malawi go to school and have a brighter future. Girl Up is launching SchoolCycle, a month-long campaign (December 2-31) to raise money for the UN Joint Program on Adolescent Girls in Malawi to provide bikes for girls so they can get to school safely. A donation of $125 provides a bike, spare parts, maintenance training, and a chance for a brighter future to one girl. Learn more at GirlUp.org/SchoolCycle.
  • Nothing But Nets: Give a holiday gift that gives back. On #GivingTuesday, Nothing But Nets is rallying supporters to Gift a Net in honor of family, friends, and loved ones this holiday season to send 5,000 bednets to families in Africa. Nothing But Nets works with UN agencies and other partners to purchase and distribute the nets. It costs $10 to provide a life-saving net to a protect family from malaria – so that they can celebrate many more holidays together too. Learn more at www.NothingButNets.net/GiftANet.
  • Shot@Life: Help protect a child from pneumonia and give them a shot at a healthy life. Every gift to Shot@Life on #GivingTuesday will unlock a matching gift from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, up to $200,000. All funds raised on #GivingTuesday will go toward protecting children around the world from pneumonia, one of the leading causes of death in children worldwide. This is part of the UN Foundation’s broader efforts to support the UN in reducing child deaths.
  • Trade digital currency and make a difference. On #GivingTuesday, join online site Hub Culture – a collaborative social network powered by a digital currency, Ven. Throughout the day, any Ven that is traded or bought will support the UN Foundation though a portion of its trading margins.

It takes people everywhere coming together to make positive change happen in their communities. And that takes time, patience, understanding, and a lot of work. But we know that by coming together around moments like #GivingTuesday, we can celebrate, inspire, and support efforts of partners like the UN and other organizations who are putting their best foot forward to help create a better world.