As we gather with loved ones this holiday season, take the opportunity to spark conversations about generosity. Share stories from your volunteering experiences, explain why and how you choose to give, or inspire your family and friends with examples of generosity from social media.
By involving those closest to us in these discussions, we can inspire kindness and create a more compassionate world.
Here are five ways to spark generosity with your family and friends:
1. Share personal experiences: Talk about a time you volunteered, donated to a cause, or received support from others. Sharing your experiences can make the concept of giving more relatable and inspire others to take action.
2. Ask about your family’s giving traditions: Every community has their own unique way of giving and supporting one another. Ask your family how they’ve shown up for their loved ones and neighbors. This might spark a renewed interest in their own generosity and inspire them to renew those traditions.
3. Talk about GivingTuesday: While millions of people have either hosted a campaign or supported one, there’s still plenty of folks out there who might not be aware of GivingTuesday. Share your experiences and explain why you think your family members should join you on the most generous day of the year.
4. Organize a family volunteer outing: Identify a local organization or a GivingTuesday campaign in need of volunteers, like a food bank or holiday gift drive. Coordinating a family outing to volunteer can create lasting memories while also making a difference in your community. Make sure you take photos and post them on social media with #GivingTuesday.
5. Encourage your family to find a cause they care about: Each of us has something we’re passionate about. Some care deeply about animals, for others it might be literacy and education. When chatting with your family, help them find a cause they care about and then get them connected to a nonprofit or a GivingTuesday campaign that’s addressing those issues.
Here are some quick facts to share about GivingTuesday:
- GivingTuesday is the Tuesday after Black Friday and Cyber Monday, this year it lands on Tuesday, December 3rd.
- GivingTuesday, a global movement to amplify generosity, began in 2012 as a call to celebrate giving in all its forms — acts of kindness, volunteerism, financial contributions, and more.
- Over 100 countries officially participate in GivingTuesday each year with campaigns hosted by local leaders.
- In 2023, $3.1 billion was raised in the United States on GivingTuesday and millions of people volunteered their time with causes they cared about.
- 80% of donors who made a recurring donation on GivingTuesday made a second one-off gift before the year was out.
- Donors don’t just give money on GivingTuesday. They also share time, talents, in-kind donations, and access to their social and professional networks. In 2022, GivingTuesday saw 11 million people donate goods and 10 million volunteer in the U.S. alone.
Remember, these conversations should be casual and light-hearted while still fostering a sense of togetherness. This holiday season, let’s work together to inspire kindness. Every act of generosity helps shape a better, more compassionate world.
If you need help with your #GivingTuesday planning, check out our resource hub at GivingTuesday.org/Participate.
