In the midst of all the holiday chaos, Giving Tuesday is a day centered around philanthropy. Last year alone, people in the United States donated a whopping $3.1 billion to charity, with over 35 million participants (a 15% increase from 2021). But while the generous ethos of Giving Tuesday is clearly understood, it can still feel overwhelming to pick the right place to donate your time and money, especially when there are so many great nonprofits to choose from. To make the decision easier, we rounded up some of the best organizations to give back to this Giving Tuesday 2023 and beyond.
When picking a place to donate to, look for organizations that align with your personal values. This could mean funding resources for LGBTQ+ youth via an organization like The Trevor Project, or maybe supporting therapy for Black women and girls through The Loveland Foundation. Don’t forget to check out local charities that understand the specific needs of your community and are invested in creating long-term solutions.
Monetary donations are the most common, as reported by Vox, but there are plenty of ways to participate in Giving Tuesday for free (and according to Chief Data Officer Woodrow Rosenbaum, many people do both). Find volunteer work that can be done entirely remotely with VolunteerMatch based on your passions. Otherwise, you might consider donating blood through Red Cross, helping animals at a shelter, or signing up for an environmental cleanup. Sites like Feeding America can also find local food banks for you to donate items or volunteer your time. Giving back can even be as simple as supporting small businesses or shopping from brands like Hanes, which is donating socks to homeless shelters with every purchase made from Nov. 28 to Dec. 2.
The numbers indicate that most nonprofit organizations rely on consistent, monthly donations to stay afloat, which means Giving Tuesday shouldn’t be the only day of the year we dedicate to giving back. It is, however, a welcome reminder that altruism matters, and community support — big or small — can make a real difference. Read on to find some of the best places to donate on Giving Tuesday, and keep the generosity going all the way into the new year.