Small Business Saturday. The "Black Friday" for the local mom-and-pop shops that could never compete with the Wal-Marts and the Nordstroms on the real Black Friday.
Cyber Monday. The "Black Friday" for online retailers and websites of stores you already went to on the real Black Friday.
These days are designated for the biggest revenue season of the year. But we know that even for the "non-religious", the holidays are about giving. We mostly think about giving things to the people close to us (most of whom probably already have a ton of things), but some of us have a soft spot in our hearts set aside for giving to those who can't afford to give to their families, or maybe even to eat. There are plenty of people who experience the holidays in a totally different way than we could ever imagine. That's why I was excited to learn about the last day of the post-Thanksgiving money-themed days...
Giving Tuesday. The day that doesn't come with great discounts or the hottest new toy for everyone on your list. The day for businesses and organizations who may not mail you a package in exchange for your money. The day for truly giving.
I used to think that charities and non-profits were the only businesses that did anything worthwhile and that every single person should feel convicted to quit their job and start doing the work that non-profit organizations do. I felt that simply throwing money at charities was impersonal and insensitive and what the hurting world needed most was more people to get their hands dirty and start applying for lower-paying jobs that help more people. But I'm learning that not only is that unrealistic, it's illogical.
The first year I went to the Passion conference, Louie Giglio and the other Passion team had selected a handful of organizations that they thought did a substantial job fighting human trafficking and slavery around the world. We got to hear from some of the people who work for these organizations and it became clear that what they needed most was money.
These people do great things. They have great ideas about how to help others. They have experience and training. Sure, there are positions that need to be filled but there are plenty of applicants out there who have the perfect qualities to do this work. They just need support. They need an income. They need funding for their programs. That's something the rest of us can do!
The undeniable truth is that there are big businesses and they make the most money of anyone. More than small businesses and more than charities. And it's okay to work for them. Just because you happen to be great at sales and work for a huge company selling products for profit doesn't mean you are greedy and selfish. You actually have a powerful resource that non-profits and charities don't have: money.
The first year I went to the Passion conference, Louie Giglio and the other Passion team had selected a handful of organizations that they thought did a substantial job fighting human trafficking and slavery around the world. We got to hear from some of the people who work for these organizations and it became clear that what they needed most was money.
These people do great things. They have great ideas about how to help others. They have experience and training. Sure, there are positions that need to be filled but there are plenty of applicants out there who have the perfect qualities to do this work. They just need support. They need an income. They need funding for their programs. That's something the rest of us can do!
The undeniable truth is that there are big businesses and they make the most money of anyone. More than small businesses and more than charities. And it's okay to work for them. Just because you happen to be great at sales and work for a huge company selling products for profit doesn't mean you are greedy and selfish. You actually have a powerful resource that non-profits and charities don't have: money.
See, it takes everyone. Taking care of the needy and defenseless is a team effort. It takes hands and it takes resources.
Now I understand that some non-profits and charities are not as reliable as others. You can't just give your credit card number to any charity that asks for a donation. But in honor of Giving Tuesday, I would like to share some helpful links.
Charity Navigator is a great website I discovered recently that evaluates lots of non-profits based on their spending and effectiveness. If you have no idea who to give to, start here. Or, if there's a charity you've heard of but are a little skeptical, check it out here.
Some major non-profits and charities that I personally trust:
Some smaller, more localized non-profits and charities I like:
So those are just a few. I encourage you to consider giving today (or tomorrow, the opportunity doesn't end at midnight :P) and post #GivingTuesday to your social networks to spread the word!
Now I understand that some non-profits and charities are not as reliable as others. You can't just give your credit card number to any charity that asks for a donation. But in honor of Giving Tuesday, I would like to share some helpful links.
Charity Navigator is a great website I discovered recently that evaluates lots of non-profits based on their spending and effectiveness. If you have no idea who to give to, start here. Or, if there's a charity you've heard of but are a little skeptical, check it out here.
Some major non-profits and charities that I personally trust:
- Compassion International fights child poverty by allowing you to sponsor a child with a monthly payment. You even get to correspond with your child via mail with letters and photos.
- World Vision is another organization through which you can sponsor a child in poverty-stricken areas around the world.
- World Relief is a multi-faceted organization that fights various evils such as hunger, homelessness, and sickness around the world.
- A21 fights human trafficking with prevention, protection, and prosecution.
- International Justice Mission (IJM) is a human rights agency that also fights slavery and injustice, with specific training in law and policy.
- Wycliffe Bible Translators is a worldwide organization that trains and sends missionaries to translate the Bible into languages that don't yet have it. They also help with literacy and Biblical application.
Some smaller, more localized non-profits and charities I like:
- Generosity Feeds fights child hunger locally by holding well-organized meal-packaging events. Community members participate in an assembly-line to make the meals. Each meal costs $1 to make. Find an event in your area or give to one elsewhere!
- TABLE provides weekend meals for schoolchildren in Chapel Hill and Carrboro. Volunteer, donate food, or give money.
So those are just a few. I encourage you to consider giving today (or tomorrow, the opportunity doesn't end at midnight :P) and post #GivingTuesday to your social networks to spread the word!
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