More Than 100 Partners a Day on Average Add to the Momentum of #GivingTuesday 2014 as the 60-Day Countdown Begins

In just 60 days, on December 2, 2014, the power of micro-philanthropy will once again be front and center on a world stage, as more partners announce each day how they will join the #GivingTuesday movement of social giving. As #GivingTuesday builds on its exponentially growing success, this kickoff to the holiday giving season is set to become part of the mainstream this year moving beyond people’s Twitter streams and into their everyday lives to serve as a counterpoint to the heavy consumerism of the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Last year, #GivingTuesday tapped into the pop culture zeitgeist with its promotion of the “UNselfie,” turning the “selfie” phenomenon on its head and transforming Gen Y self-promotion into a symbol of altruism. Powered by more than 10,000 global partners and the movement’s dedicated group of #GivingTuesday Social Media Ambassadors (SMAs), this group of advocates passionately dedicated themselves to the movement and show no signs of slowing down this year.

In 2014 #GivingTuesday energy will continue to build in continents all around the world and will be represented by partners large and small, for-profit and nonprofit, family foundations and family-owned businesses.

Partner Plans Go From Concept to Concrete

It is 60 days out from #GivingTuesday; now is the time to plan—how are you getting involved? All across the planet, partners are solidifying their plans and planting the seeds to make sure the growth of their initiatives are part of the growth of the global movement. Here is a look at some of the plans that this diverse set of partners are starting to take from strategy to implementation, which range from creative collaborations that will bring basic necessities to women in need, to innovative solutions for funding Native Americans under-represented in the legal field, and many more inspiring initiatives:

• BBB Wise Giving Alliance : The BBB Wise Giving Alliance assists donors in making sound giving decisions – on Giving Tuesday and every day. They help donors by rigorously evaluating a charity based on 20 BBB charity standards so you can trust the charity receiving your donation. Check out a charity at Give.org to quickly and easily see if they are accredited. Know the whole picture, and give wisely.

• Delete Blood Cancer : As part of the world’s largest bone marrow donor center, Delete Blood Cancer is leading the fight against blood cancers like Leukemia and Lymphoma, helping thousands of patients get a second chance at life. It takes $65 to register each potential bone marrow donor, which is covered by Delete Blood Cancer. For #GivingTuesday, Delete Blood Cancer will be hosting a Give-a-Thon to instill blood cancer awareness and encourage audience donations. The day will be filled with patient stories, inspirational messages, blood cancer facts and showcasing the impact donations have on improving the lives of blood cancer patients everywhere.
• Eventbrite is supporting nonprofits’ GivingTuesday event efforts with the launch of Give More Together. Through this program,Eventbrite is waiving ticketing fees for any nonprofit using Eventbrite for their #GivingTuesday fundraising events from 12/1 – 12/6. Organizations will also have the chance to win technology from DoubleDutch, Mad Mimi, SurveyMonkey, and Tweetwall to help power their events. Nonprofit organizations who are interested can learn more and sign up here: http://eventbritepages.com/givingtuesday.
• MasterCard Singapore : Returning #GivingTuesdaySG partner MasterCard will make a contribution to Community Chest Singapore for every transaction made via MasterPass digital wallet from 2-16 December.
• Museum of Jewish Heritage-A Living Memorial to the Holocaust : The Interfaith Living Museum project brings together 90 Muslim and Jewish fifth graders from across NYC to overcome prejudice by discovering what is both unique and shared in their cultures. The six months of cross-cultural learning includes trips to each other’s schools and places of worship and the creation of a heritage-themed mini-museum. On #GivingTuesday, the Museum hopes to raise $8,000, to foster new friendships by treating the students to bowling, pizza, and other bonding activities, including a celebratory dinner for the students and their families.

• U.S. Fund for UNICEF : The U.S. Fund for UNICEF is teaming up with Crowdrise this #GivingTuesday to raise vital funds needed to support UNICEF’s efforts in providing emergency assistance to children and families affected by the Ebola outbreak in West Africa. An estimated 8.5 million children and youth under 20 years old live in affected areas in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, and at least 3,700 children in the region have lost one or both parents to the deadly virus. Each gift to support UNICEF’s efforts around the Ebola emergency to the U.S. Fund for UNICEF will be matched dollar for dollar by the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation, up to $100,000, meaning donors can double their impact.

• The Nightingale-Bamford School : The Nightingale-Bamford School in New York has created a Guide to Giving: Philanthropy Lessons in Preparation for #GivingTuesday to provide K-12 teachers around the country with a curriculum to teach students about philanthropy and leadership. The nine lessons explore why people give, how to find a cause, how to raise awareness and fundraise, and how to celebrate generosity. The curriculum will be available to download for free on #GivingTuesday’s website.
• A Woman’s Place : A Woman’s Place is a community-based social change organization committed to the empowerment of women, ending intimate and domestic violence for all, and building communities where individuals are safe and can flourish. A Woman’s Place will be championing #GivingTuesday with six weeks of countdown-to-December 2 events at local restaurants, encouraging neighborhood participation in the day of giving and raising awareness of the important work they do in their community.
• World Vision : The Christian humanitarian agency World Vision is partnering with Thirty-One Gifts, a direct sales company that focuses on personalized handbags and accessories, to double the impact of donors on #GivingTuesday. For every donation made to World Vision on #GivingTuesday, Thirty-One Gifts will donate a Hope Kit (up to 3,100), filled with essential supplies such as a toothbrush, shampoo, hairbrush and soap to help a woman or girl in need in the U.S. get back on her feet. These kits help provide encouragement and support for the one in three women in America are living in poverty or teetering on its brink.

Cities:

• Boothbay, ME: A group of local nonprofits from the Boothbay Region of Midcoast Maine are collaborating to let the world know that they live, work, and serve in one of the most caring places on Earth. With under 10,000 year-round residents, the Boothbay Region is home to over 50 nonprofit organizations that serve their peninsula and beyond. The effort has been dubbed #BoothbayTreasures, to express both how the community treasures the work they do and how the nonprofits treasure their supporters. A media campaign leading up to #GivingTuesday will highlight many of the participating nonprofit organizations in the local press, encourage locals to show their support of their favorite causes, and spotlight businesses in the community engaging with charities. On December 2, the community will celebrate with volunteer projects at various locations, a dinner at the local high school, and by urging donors to give. Check out more on the “Boothbay Treasures” facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/boothbaytreasures?ref=br_tf.
• Chester County, Pennsylvania : #GivingTuesdayChester is following in the footsteps of other county-wide initiatives to harness the power of the communities we serve for the benefit of Chester County, PA’s nonprofit sector. For this inaugural year, #GivingTuesdayChester hopes to raise $15,000.
• Delaware Alliance for Nonprofit Advancement (DANA) will be a convener and supporter of #GivingTuesday within Delaware. This will include encouraging their almost 300 member organizations to take part with promoting the movement ahead of December 2, and pushing member #GivingTuesday accomplishments and messages through social media throughout the entire day of action.
• Lansing, Michigan : #GivingTuesdayLansing – Our community has joined together in a effort to make Lansing one of the most generous cities in Michigan. Our goal is to work together, non-profit and businesses alike, to pay it forward on Giving Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2014. Together, our goal is to raise money and awareness for local nonprofits and showcase that #Lansingloves to be the city that “Gives Back.”

• Montgomery County, Pennsylvania : Montgomery County non-profit organizations have joined forces to create #GivingTuesdayMontco, a local effort of the national #GivingTuesday initiative now in its third year. Currently more than 35 organizations are registered on www.givingtuesdaymontco.org and our goal in this first year is to surpass 100 organizations. The all-volunteer #GivingTuesdayMontco committee is providing assistance to organizations interested in registering on the site, as well as a seminar on the marketing of #GivingTuesdayMontco. Stay connected to #GivingTuesdayMontco with all their social media outlets. Like GivingTuesday Montco on Facebook at facebook.com/GivingTuesdayMontco. Follow them on Twitter at twitter.com/GivingTueMontco. Find them on Google+ and Instagram as well!

By leveraging the expertise of the #GivingTuesday community, the movement is providing partner organizations, individuals and philanthropists with the tools and resources to build campaigns with big results, making it easier for anyone, anywhere, to make a difference. These tools and shared expertise also help to catalyze not only more, but smarter giving, and to drive measurable results. Additional resources to help donors and organizations learn how to make smart giving choices are available from expert organizations such as Guidestar, Charity Navigator, BBB Wise Giving Alliance, DonorsChoose, Global Giving, and Network for Good – For more information, including background, partner information, tools, and updates, please visit www.GivingTuesday.org.

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About #GivingTuesday

#GivingTuesday, December 2, 2014, follows the widely recognized shopping events Black Friday and Cyber Monday, kicking off the holiday giving season with a global day dedicated to charitable giving, combining the power of social media and the generosity of people around the world to bring about real change in their communities. Now in its third year, #GivingTuesday is a worldwide movement that celebrates the power of giving in all its forms. This effort builds on the collective power of a unique blend of partners – charities, families, businesses and individuals – to transform how people think about, talk about and participate in the giving season. #GivingTuesday inspires people to take collaborative action to improve their local communities, give back in better, smarter ways to the charities and causes they celebrate and help create a better world. #GivingTuesday leverges the power of social media to create a global moment that is dedicated to giving around the world. #GivingTuesday was founded by 92nd Street Y and is spearheaded in tandem with the support of the United Nations Foundation.

A team of recognized experts and influencers, initially convened by leaders of 92nd Street Y and the United Nations Foundation and supported by a core group of founding partners, originally spearheaded this effort. The founding partners in 2012 included Blackbaud, CECP, charity: water, GlobalGiving, Groupon, Kiva, Microsoft, Pvblic Foundation, (RED), and Unilever, United Nations Development Programme, among many others.

Website: www.givingtuesday.org

Facebook: www.facebook.com/GivingTuesday

Twitter: twitter.com/GivingTues