Giving Tuesday inspires people to give back to their communities (Credit: GivingTuesday.org)

Black Friday and Cyber Monday are all about finding the best deals on holiday gifts for friends and family members. But GivingTuesday, which will be observed on November 29, 2022, has a more altruistic purpose. "The Global Day of Giving" encourages people to do good by helping those in need.

GivingTuesday was started in 2012 by Henry Timms at the 92nd Street Y in New York. It was an instant success. Over $10 million was donated to charities worldwide in a single day. Things have only improved since. In 2021, the movement helped raise an astounding $2.7 billion for worthy causes. Even better, about 35 million US residents participated in GivingTuesday in various ways.

Giving Tuesday has been a success worldwide (Credit: GivingTuesday.org/ CC-By-SA-2.0/ Keela.com)

While giving money certainly helps, there are many other ways to observe GivingTuesday. Help an elderly neighbor or donate your gently-used clothing and toys to local shelters. Better still, ask your friends to help you with a service project close to your heart. You can also select something from the 50 Acts of Kindness suggested on the GivingTuesday website.

What are you going to do to make a positive difference in your community on GivingTuesday — and every other day? Let us know by adding your comments below!

Resources: GivingTuesday.org