Giving Tuesday: Thankful for the Henderson County community

Thanksgiving weekend is fast approaching. But after the turkey has been eaten and the leftover pie has settled, after you brave the Black Friday sales and shop the Cyber Monday deals, after you bid farewell to visiting family and start bringing out the holiday decorations, there is still one more thing to consider.

Tuesday, Nov. 27th is Giving Tuesday, a day to consider making a gift to a nonprofit organization that you care about and that needs your support.

At Big Brothers Big Sisters of Henderson County, we will be participating in this day of giving, and we hope you will decide to give to a nonprofit that matters in your life this year.

Started in 2012, Giving Tuesday has grown in a few short years to become a regular, and laudable, part of many people’s holiday tradition. According to the Chronicle of Philanthropy, over $270 million dollars was donated to nonprofits on Giving Tuesday in 2017, far surpassing the previous record of $180 million in 2016.

People are more generous than ever on Giving Tuesday, and because of that generosity, nonprofits are able to continue the work they do year-round.

There are so many avenues to give during Giving Tuesday. Social media has become a huge part of the day, with the hashtag #GivingTuesday appearing in over 600,000 tweets in 2017, according to GivingTuesday.org. Over $45 million was donated through Facebook to various nonprofits on Giving Tuesday last year.

Nonprofits across the globe will be reaching out by email, tweet, text and Facebook posts this year to encourage their donors to make a gift on Nov. 27.

How can you help? You can make a gift, and you can spread the word. Do you follow your favorite nonprofit organization on a social media platform? Retweet or share their posts, photos and requests for donations.

Sharing those messages with your own friends helps more than you know. In their 2017 Insight Report, GivingTuesday.org showed that the social reach of a nonprofit organization (including likes, shares and retweets) had a greater impact on the amount they raised than other factors.

At the end of the day, Giving Tuesday is about raising money for the good causes that matter to you. According to the IRS, there are 295 nonprofits in Hendersonville alone, working throughout the year to serve your community. These organizations provide services that make life in our region better every day.

One of these is Big Brothers Big Sisters of Henderson County. Providing one-on-one mentoring services to youth throughout the county, Big Brothers Big Sisters works to transform the lives of the children we serve by helping those kids see their own potential and ignite in them the power to achieve it.

We at Big Brothers Big Sisters do not create potential, but we do empower it. Our volunteers work tirelessly throughout the year, mentoring their Littles, and creating friendships with a purpose. You can support BBBS with your time, or your gift. Giving Tuesday is a perfect time to help.

So where will you give this year? What organizations matter in your life? Will you follow your favorite nonprofit on social media and retweet and like and share their posts? Won’t you take just a few moments to help nonprofits impact lives throughout your community this Giving Tuesday?

If you have questions or would like more information, please contact our office at 828.693.8153 or shelbiee@bbbswnc.org.

BBBS of HC is a funded community partner with United Way of Henderson County.