It hasn’t been around as long as Thanksgiving, but it’s been around for decades. “Giving Tuesday,” which falls on November 29 this year, happens last in a sprint of Thanksgiving-time consumer-centered designations. You know the schedule: Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, Cyber Monday, and then Giving Tuesday. According to Council Fund Development Director Lori Werbeckes, the message of Giving Tuesday seems to be, “Spend all your money, but then if you have any left, give it to an organization that means something to you.” Of course, it’s not that. It’s much more than that.
Lori says while finding and donating to a worthy organization is the goal, it’s the conversation around choosing an organization that brings rewards to the donor. For instance, since it’s a gift of importance to you AND your family, Lori suggests spending part of the Thanksgiving meal in conversation about the gift and sorting through deserving organizations to which to give. In this way, Lori says Giving Tuesday “becomes a purposeful act involving family members of all ages.”
One household’s gift to an organization may seem like a drop in the bucket to somebody with a lot more resources. But Lori says every year Giving Tuesday gifts add up to millions of dollars nationwide.
Do you have someone in your family who is experiencing vision loss? How has it impacted their life? How has it affected the family? This year for Giving Tuesday, please consider a gift to the Wisconsin Council of the Blind & Visually Impaired. A recommended starting gift is $35.00. Larger gifts are also well received!
You can give online or contact Lori at LWerbeckes@WCBlind.org or 608-237-8114 to learn about other giving options. Thank you!