Encouraging acts of kindness around the world
The first Tuesday after Thanksgiving is no ordinary day—it’s Giving Tuesday. Launched in 2012, Giving Tuesday balances the consumer frenzy of Black Friday and Cyber Monday by encouraging people to give back. Nonprofits, civic organizations, corporations, families, and individuals work together to encourage—and nurture—acts of kindness around the world. The Giving Tuesday movement uses social media (including the popular #GivingTuesday hashtag, which is often substituted for the name of Giving Tuesday) to connect people and create opportunities through a formal day of global giving.
As a Solo Mom, you are already accustomed to giving wholeheartedly anyway, every day, in so many ways—without advertising all you do. The Giving Tuesday movement asks you to share your acts of kindness to encourage others to give, as well. As noted on GivingTuesday.org, a formal Giving Tuesday initiative known as #MyGivingStory encourages “everyday givers” to reflect on why they give to a certain nonprofit organization and to share their stories on social media. Individuals can post short essays on the #MyGivingStory tab of Giving Tuesday’s Facebook page; the call for submissions is open through December 31. Winners will be selected, and their featured nonprofit organizations will be awarded $2,500 to $10,000 in grants.
Giving Tuesday provides an opportunity to celebrate our human connection. Want to investigate further? The following list of nonprofit organizations were featured on ESME because of the wonderful work they do on behalf of Solo Moms and their families. Perhaps you want to learn more or wish to connect with these great organizations on Giving Tuesday—or throughout the year.
Girls on the Run: Teaching Girls Life Skills Through the Joy of Movement
The Loomba Foundation: Caring for Widows Across the Globe
One Heart for Women and Children
Center for Law and Social Work
HOW (Housing Opportunities for Women)
Janice Deal is a writer, an editor, and a lover of found objects. Her short-story collection, The Decline of Pigeons (Queen’s Ferry Press, 2013), was a finalist for the Flannery O’Connor Award for Short Fiction. Her first novel, The Sound of Rabbits, was recently named a finalist in the Many Voices Project Prose competition. Janice lives in Downers Grove, Illinois, with her husband, daughter, and three disreputable cats.
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