Nonprofits throughout Chester County have joined #GivingTuesday in a first of its kind effort that will harness 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.
Coinciding with the Thanksgiving Holiday and the kickoff of the holiday shopping season, #GivingTuesday will inspire people to take collaborative action to improve their local communities, give back in better, smarter ways to the charities and causes they support, and help create a better world.
Taking place Dec. 2, – the Tuesday after Thanksgiving – #GivingTuesday will harness the power of social media to create a national moment around the holidays dedicated to giving, similar to how Black Friday and Cyber Monday have become days that are, today, synonymous with holiday shopping.
“Last year, more than 10,000 nonprofit organizations in 46 countries were part of #GivingTuesday,” explains Kristine Parkes, partner at kultivate and organizer of the initiative in Chester County. “After learning of the success that Bucks County had in encouraging the giving spirit locally I went to work to bring #GivingTuesday to Chester County. The Chester County Community Foundation and the United Way of Southern Chester County have been instrumental in getting the word out about #GivingTuesdayChester.”
To be part of #GivingTuesdayChester, a registered charitable organization must have a service area that includes Chester County and the ability to to accept online donations through its website. A new website set up for this year’s event, GivingTuesdayChester.org, has more information on the national movement, a list of participating organizations in Chester County, and links to their donation pages. All donations are made directly to the nonprofit through its own website.
“People can donate to the organizations any time, not just on Dec. 2, but #GivingTuesday garners more excitement and we expect this excitement to bring in additional donors,” Parkes said.
Along with the GivingTuesdayChester.org website, there is also a Giving-Tuesday-Chester Facebook page. Donors are encouraged to spread the message through social media to get others involved.
There are currently more than 50 Chester County nonprofits signed up to be part of this year’s #GivingTuesdayChester. Organizations have until November 15 to sign on.
Web marketing and web hosting company IQnection donated design and hosting services for the GivingTuesdayChester.org website.
To learn more about #GivingTuesdayChester participants and activities or to join the celebration of giving, please visit: www.GivingTuesdayChester.org or on Facebook at Giving-Tuesday-Chester.
#GivingTuesday is a movement to celebrate and provide incentives to give. It will culminate with a global day of giving on December 2, 2014. This effort harnesses 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 will inspire 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 taps into the power of social media to create a global moment that is dedicated to giving around the world.
