#GivingTuesday is a worldwide movement of charity “giving” on the first Tuesday of December each year. Now in its 3rd year worldwide, our friends at MyCharity.ie are bringing the concept to Ireland for the first time this year.
The idea started in The U.S. in 2012 as an antidote to the start of the festive shopping season, which is kicked off by Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Shopping is great, but #GivingTuesday is a remedy to the pressures of Christmas spending and gives an opportunity to help the causes that we all care about. Like Black Friday, this idea is now spreading across the world with Canada, Australia, Singapore, Mexico, Latin America and the UK all joining in to put global spotlight on giving.
The big idea is to encourage giving – whether that’s financial support through a donation, time donated by volunteering, support by fundraising, or just promoting your favourite charity through social media.
In Ireland, MyCharity are running a social media Thunderclap to highlight and publicise #GivingTuesday. (A Thunderclap is where thousands of people agree to send a message out on their social media feeds at the exact same time, thus maximising the impact of the tweet or post.) Right now our Thunderclap has a social media reach of over 190,000 people, but we want to make it even bigger before the 8am bang of the Thunderclap on Tuesday the 2nd of December. To sign you, or your company or chairy up to our Thunderclap, click here.
#Giving Tuesday is open to any individual, company or charity to get involved in as they wish, and make it their own, to truly recognise and celebrate the great work that charities do.
After the scandals surrounding REHAB and the Central Remedial Clinic last Christmas, the Irish charity sector suffered heavily during a period that is normally very fruitful for fundraising. This year Irish charities are rightfully fighting back.
Anne Hanniffy, CEO of Fundraising Ireland, said "GivingTuesday is a unique way to celebrate huge impact that the charity sector has in Ireland. Thanking charities in the run up to Christmas for the fantastic work that they do, and only they can do, is the most positive thing we can do as we enter the festive season. Donate, volunteer, or just say thanks to your charity on your social media on #GivingTuesday, the 2nd of December 2014”.
For more info on #GivingTuesday see givingtuesday.ie.
