Today is Giving Tuesday! What is it?
They say:
“We have a day for giving thanks. We have two for getting deals. This year help us create #GivingTuesday. A new day for giving back. On Tuesday December 2, 2014, global charities, families, businesses, community centers, students and more will come together to create #GivingTuesday.
It’s a simple idea. Just find a way for your family, your community, your company or your organization to come together to give something more. Then tell everyone you can about how you are giving. Be a part of a national celebration of our great tradition of generosity.”
Giving Tuesday provides links to countless charities and you can learn about their missions and beneficiaries. Check it out and pass it on!
What am I doing for #GivingTuesday?
I’m spreading the word about Cycle for Survival. Cycle for Survival is the indoor team cycling event that raises funds for rare cancer research. 100% of the funds go directly to Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and are allocated within six months of each event. Events are held in February and March in New York, Boston, Chicago, San Francisco, DC, NJ and Miami (and more now!)
I signed up in Chicago for the 4th time (and my 3rd as captain of the “Erica Finds” team). [See 2012 recap HERE and 2103 recap HERE. ] Last year, Cycle for Survival raised over 20 million dollars to help cure rare cancers and this years the goal is even higher! This year will be extra special because my team will dedicate it’s efforts to support my friend, Ivonne, who beat one rare cancer as a child and is battling another rare cancer now.
Want to support out team? Here is the link!
I will also donate to the Passports with Purpose fundraiser again. If you know me, or read this blog, you know that I LOVE supporting good causes and I also LOVE a chance to win things. Three years ago, I came across the Passports with Purpose fundraiser for Room to Read, an organization that supports literacy programs in the developing world. Passports with Purpose is an annual travel bloggers’ fundraiser with a chance to win great prizes with as little as a $10 donation. As I always say, you have to be in it to win it!
Two years ago, I won a 3 night stay at Jicaro Lodge near Granada, Nicaragua from Ever the Nomad! We went in November 2013 and it was AWESOME! (recap) Our donation supported water.org. $116,000 was raised to build 5 wells in Haiti. A definite win-win for us!
Last year, I won THREE prizes: a Kindle paperwhite from Get Away Mavens, A 2 night all expense stay at the Four Seasons in Seattle from La Jolla Mom (recap) and a $1000 Homeaway gift certificate from Girl Gone Travel. We used it to visit an fantastic condo in Cap Cana Marina, Punta Cana Dominican Republic a few weeks ago. It was AMAZING! Last year, $84,000 was raised in support of buildOn and helped to construct two schools and fund two adult literacy programs in the Sikasso region of southern Mali, Africa.
This year’s fundraiser aims to raise money to support Sustainable Harvest International’s efforts in Honduras. For every $5000 raised, SHI can help a family learn to farm sustainably for FIVE years.
Go to this link to give/enter the raffle. They have an amazing line up of prizes and just a $10 donation gives you a shot at getting one of them. Proceeds go directly to Sustainable Harvest International, so it’s also tax deductible — and is likely to meet your employer’s matching guidelines if you’ve got that option. (That would be a WIN-WIN-WIN!)
Last thing, I plan to make charitable gifts for some holiday presents. If you have any family members or friends that you are giving charitable gifts in honor of this year for the holidays, consider making them today so that #GivingTuesday is a success!
What are you doing for Giving Tuesday? You can donate your time, your money or your effort to something. Think out of the box and tell me about it in the comments!