TAMPA, Fla. — In a season where we give gifts to family, friends and loved ones, nonprofit organizations hope to make your giving list too.
Giving Tuesday happens the Tuesday following Thanksgiving. It's described as, "A global generosity movement that unleashes the power of people and organizations to transform their communities and their world."
It was created in 2012 as a day that encourages people to do good. It has grown into a global movement, generating millions of dollars in donations. You can donate to any cause that you feel passionately about, from animal shelters to education efforts.
This year especially, food banks and meal programs have been touched by the COVID-19 pandemic. Feeding Tampa Bay has nearly doubled the number of people they help since many families have been financially impacted by the coronavirus. "Before the pandemic, we saw 650,000 people in our care and now that's grown to over a million," said Shannon Hannon-Oliviero of Feeding Tampa Bay.
Metropolitan Ministries also doubled the number of people they provided holiday meal kits for.
If you can't donate money, consider buying a little extra at the grocery store and donating it to your local food pantry, or consider donating your time by volunteering.
If you do plan to donate today, there's a really simple way to do it. Go to GivingTuesday.org and put the name of the organization where you want your money to go.
The Better Business Bureau has a website where you can check out any national charity. The BBB also has a list of things you should check before donating.