Open your hearts on this Giving Tuesday

It seems that we all know the named days: Thanksgiving Thursday, Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, Cyber Monday, and today – Giving Tuesday.

Giving Tuesday – a “day” created just 12 years ago that is an antidote to the commercialization and consumerization of the holiday season. A day with only one purpose: “do good.”

I love Giving Tuesday. I encourage friends to read every appeal. I wish friends would all choose to do good today and choose to do good every day.

Last week was a study in contrasts for me.

As president and CEO of the United Way of Central Massachusetts, it is important for me to stay updated and connected to news and events in the nonprofit world, to be aware of trends and changes in philanthropy and charity, to work to be authentically engaged with the community in which I serve.

Last week I received an e-newsletter from Inside Charity. It led with this headline: “Giving Tuesday is Bad For Nonprofits.” It was a headline that grabbed my attention. The opening paragraph contained this: “If you don’t want see (sic) your nonprofit save and transform more lives than (sic) Giving Tuesday (GT) is a fine, touchy-feely waste of time, money and organizational resources.”

I read the article on the same day that I participated in the first leg of the March for the Food Bank (of Western Massachusetts). This was the 15th year of the March, which was originally called Monte’s March.

It raises attention and awareness about the issue of hunger in Western Massachusetts and America. It raises hundreds of thousands of dollars that are invested into food security, into ensuring people have food – seniors on limited income, veterans who have served our country, low-wage working family members, children. It is an investment into people, into community, into a better future and into a thriving economy. And it is made up of donors who give $5 to $50,000.

The contrast was startling.

Giving Tuesday “…is a waste of time and effort”; the March for the Food Bank is a two-day movable community of compassion and care for others.

In the past few years, I have learned that every donor, every possible contributor is our most important donor. All donors are worth our time and effort. Much as I express joy over the large gift, a MacKenzie Scott gift, and I work for the next one, I also realize that standing on a shop floor at 2 a.m. talking to third-shift workers – some who will contribute one dollar a week – is equally important.

Here is why.

I believe that we in America are slowly experiencing an erosion of civic engagement. I see this in angry and divisive political advertisements. I see this in the percentage of registered voters who exercise this right. I see this in annual reports about the decline in charitable contributions. I see this in the post-COVID years, a drop or loss of people who choose to volunteer. It concerns me as a leader within the United Way network; it troubles me as a citizen of the United States.

Any way and every way that we can bring attention to issues and needs; any way that we can elicit and inspire an increase in engagement – in personal philanthropy, in volunteerism, in thinking and acting for others, is good. It is better than good.

I admit, my e-mail, social media sites and texts get clogged with all of the Giving Tuesday appeals. A while ago I said, “too much” and simply deleted them. All of them. But not anymore. I have and I will receive hundreds of Giving Tuesday appeals. Efforts from nonprofits working to get my attention, working to tell an important story, working to ask me to consider thinking of others, asking me to give this Tuesday. Though overwhelming, I now smile as I read each one. What an amazing city, what an amazing country we live in with this much good that is happening. My heart will be full.

We too, at the United Way, will ask everyone to consider giving this Tuesday. We ask for support for such efforts as our Women’s Initiative and the powerful Dollar $cholars program; our new partnership with Worcester Public Schools and the North Quadrant Promise Neighborhood working to ensure that all students graduate and have great opportunity; our Food Security Initiative with 19 partners looking to reduce hunger; the YouthConnect collaborative that provides care and support for our children and teens; the Tiny Homes and Permanent Supportive Housing projects; and our four building blocks of community success: youth opportunity, healthy community, financial security and community resilience.

I love Giving Tuesday. I love the appeals. I love seeing – over one long day – the good that is happening all across our country. I love the idea that we can all increase our community engagement and, in doing so, build a beautiful and healthy community and country.

Give Tuesday. Give every day.

And I thank you.

Tim Garvin is president and CEO of the United Way of Central Massachusetts.

This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Tim Garvin: Giving Tuesday is a day to open your hearts