Bozeman Magazine

Join the National #GivingTuesday Movement to Encourage Philanthropic Giving in the Gallatin Valley

Bridgercare
The Greater Gallatin Watershed Council
The Traveling School
The Gallatin Valley YMCA
Big Sky Youth Empowerment
The Gallatin Ice Foundation
Hopa Mountain
The Cody Dieruf Benefit Foundation

have joined together for #GivingTuesday, a first of its kind effort in the Gallatin Valley that will harness the collective power of a unique blend of partners—non-profits, families, businesses and individuals—to transform how people think about, talk about and participate in the giving season. Coinciding with the Thanksgiving Holiday and the kickoff for the holiday shopping season, #GivingTuesday will inspire people to take collaborative action to improve their local communities, give back in better, smarter ways to the causes they support and help create a better world.

Taking place December 2, 2014 – the Tuesday after Thanksgiving – #GivingTuesday will harness the power of social media to create a national moment around the holidays dedicated to giving, similar to how Black Friday and Cyber Monday have become days synonymous with holiday shopping.

Several nonprofit organizations within the Gallatin Valley have joined together to encourage giving towards a charitable cause in the community. The most important part of #GivingTuesday is to connect with an organization in a personally meaningful way, whether that’s financial support, volunteering time or sharing expertise to create an even stronger community. Founded by New York’s 92nd Street Y, the effort aims to “celebrate and encourage” giving to nonprofits.

Millions of generous Americans regularly give to charitable causes, but others may be looking for worthy recipients in this season of sharing. They may need a reminder that everyone can be a philanthropist and affect positive change. They might want to get involved, but don’t know how and where. A day reserved for giving may do the trick in conveying the joy of helping one another in today’s “selfie” obsessed culture.

What’s the catch? There’s not one from #GivingTuesday people. They don’t accept or distribute donations. They have nonprofit and business partners that raise money for causes, but they prefer to be thought of as a movement to encourage giving in the local community.

As #GivingTuesday organizers put it: “Families and individuals are encouraged to be generous in whatever ways matter to them, whether that means volunteering at a local charity or donating to a favorite cause.”

With dozens of hard-working non-profits in the Gallatin Valley, worthy causes are easy to find, easy to support and easy to become involved with.

Whether it’s the non-profits who have joined the #GivingTuesday movement or a personal favorite charity, remember that after Black Friday and Cyber Monday comes one of the most beneficial days of the year for many of the charitable causes in our community.