Axios Finish Line: A day for generosity
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It's Giving Tuesday. For most of us, that means it's the day when an astonishing number of charities send us emails asking for money. But the mission of Giving Tuesday, the organization, is much bigger than that.
Why it matters: Not all of us have spare cash to give — but all of us can be a bit more generous.
The big picture: Generosity takes many forms.
- Sometimes it's as simple as spending time with a friend or neighbor and listening to what they have to say.
- A kind word to a colleague, thanking them for everything they do, can work wonders.
- If you know new parents, offer to look after their children for the evening.
- Cooking for people is nearly always greatly appreciated. And elderly neighbors often love help with yardwork and other chores.
- Your local small businesses greatly value your business— but they also love it if you spread the word about them or leave a glowing review online.
Between the lines: The nonprofit sector always has less cash than it needs, and has found Giving Tuesday to be a powerful and effective fundraising tool.
- Not all financial generosity needs to go via a charity, however. The needy are all around us — and they appreciate a gift of cash all the more if it comes from an individual who's giving with thoughtfulness and respect.
- Charities also have many volunteering opportunities. That's a great way of getting hands-on experience with an organization and can be very rewarding.
- Once Americans start volunteering for an organization, they become much more likely to give money to it — which is often what the charity really wants.
The bottom line: Charities understandably want to be efficient and effective — and cash is generally the best way to help them achieve those goals.
- Giving Tuesday is a good day for that kind of giving. (There's no bad day for it.) At the same time, it's also a good day for inefficient acts of generosity. Not everything needs to be optimized.
This article appeared in Axios Finish Line, our nightly newsletter on life, leadership and wellness. Sign up here.
