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Since its inception in 2012, GivingTuesday has played a role in bringing us joy through sharing, offering us a sense of giving back, and being a pathway to help in healing a heart that may feel ill at ease. Per GivingTuesday.com, it is a “movement that unleashes.”
Undoubtedly, the main power of philanthropy itself is its ability to save and change the lives of recipients, but I also feel that it can transcend the lives of donors. That is to say, we can feel fulfilled, grateful even, with our thoughtful generosity. I often like to say that charitable giving is not a lifelong one-on-one commitment. Rather, I feel it’s something that is best when it’s led by your curiosity and your desire to change the things that are most important to you. This could mean that over time, your charitable giving may change. You may explore supporting charitable organizations that you would not have considered supporting in the past. This year, more than previous years, I’m excited to see how philanthropy can lead us to find common ground where there may be a divide. Let’s use philanthropy to unleash the movement to find values and beliefs we share — rather than those in which we differ — to create a more cohesive world, save lives, save ourselves, and give hope for the future.
In the case of a topic near and dear to me, colleges and universities, which often center and prioritize inclusion, often feel any reverberations of differences in profoundly deep ways. Navigating support of faculty, staff, and students through societal struggles and maintaining a focus on cohesion is a big charge. Perhaps here lies an opportunity where philanthropy and generosity have the power to unite for a common cause. It sometimes only takes little steps to lead to big changes. Everyone has something to give that is distinct to them while being powerful to another.
This GivingTuesday 2023, as you consider ways to be generous and which organizations to support, I ask you to consider those that help promote common ground or get curious and consider nonprofits you assume may not share your values. Here are some nonprofits my family is giving to this year:
- Weave: The Social Fabric Project, an organization that “tackles the problem of broken social trust that has left Americans divided, lonely, and in social gridlock.” I had the pleasure of hearing Frederick Riley, the executive director of Weave, at the 2023 National Conference for Growing Community Foundations and was inspired by the organization’s work to weave people together, help them find common ground, and promote inclusivity.
- Convergence, “a lean, determined, 501c3 non-profit organization focused on solving social challenges through collaboration.” With vast knowledge of policy and process, the organization works “with leaders and doers to move past divergent views to identify workable solutions to seemingly intractable issues.” They have helped to spark action on issues in key areas, such as healthcare, K-12 education, economic mobility, the federal budget process, and more.
- The Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) to support their forward-thinking belongingness efforts. CASE’s Opportunity and Inclusion Center (OIC) “is answering the call to drive change and provide social justice solutions that will advance education to transform lives and provide educational attainment for all.”
My family is inspired in different ways with our 2023 GivingTuesday donations, and that inspiration has given us a different supportive feeling than in years past. My wish for you is to also get inspired with your 2023 GivingTuesday — even challenge your curiosity — to expand your understanding of how you can make a difference in others’ lives by supporting nonprofit organizations that help unleash their own movements in ways that lift, unite, and show respect to others and ourselves.
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