For the third consecutive year, a national movement to engage people in support of their favorite charities is providing opportunities for local givers to make a difference.

#GivingTuesday, which takes place on Tuesday, Dec. 2, is a campaign to create a national day of giving at the start of the annual holiday season. Begun in 2012 by the United Nations Foundation and other nonprofits, it celebrates and encourages charitable activities that support nonprofit organizations. 

United Way is a recognized partner in this year’s #GivingTuesday national effort.

Every social movement begins with people willing to come together and drive meaningful change.  By being part of #GivingTuesday, United Way hopes to engage more people in more ways that have a lasting impact.

Here are some ways you can get involved:

•Make a donation. According to a survey by Charity Navigator, which evaluates philanthropic organizations, about 29 percent of giving to nonprofits occurs between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day. Financial gifts, whether large or small, are the fuel that drive the work of United Way and our partners in education, income and health. Information on how to support United Way is available at www.changethestory.org/give. 

•Volunteer for a service project. Local agencies such as Volunteer Kalamazoo (www.volunteerkalamazoo.org) and HandsOn Battle Creek (www.handsonbc.org) connect people with service projects year-round. For example, HandsOn Battle Creek is encouraging people to commit to “12 Acts of Service”—completing 12 volunteer activities during the holiday season. The first 10 individuals or teams to post their 12 acts of service will receive a thank-you gift from HandsOn Battle Creek. Find out more at https://handsonbc.wordpress.com/. 

•Use social media to educate others. Individuals can donate a tweet on Twitter or a post on Facebook with a link to their nonprofit organization of choice. 

•Post photos of how you observe #GivingTuesday. Individuals can post photos on social media showing how they celebrated #GivingTuesdaywhile holding a sheet of paper with the words “#GivingTuesday” and “#UNselfie” written on it. Some also write about why they gave. Photos can be tagged with United Way of the Battle Creek and Kalamazoo Region to create a visual collection of good deeds. Those photos might inspire others to get involved.

•Share a story. Many nonprofit organizations have websites or social media sites where individuals can share success stories. For example, our website, www.changethestory.org, is built upon tales of how community partners impact people’s lives. Sharing stories is powerful because they demonstrate how the work of individuals and groups are making a difference.

Our goal for #GivingTuesday is to raise awareness, invite people to get involved, and to provide a means for people to make a positive impact across our regional community.  We hope you’ll join us for this day of giving back!