Turn Every Day into Giving Tuesday: Amplify Community Impact Year-Round

We can't travel and we can't spend money on experiences. But we can greatly impact the lives of our neighbors and our communities by allocating our dollars, our energies, and our promotional skills to a number of excellent causes working to make the world more just, more equitable, and more humane. Here are a few causes worth knowing.

Social Justice + Human Rights

Anti-Racism Daily is dismantling systemic racism through its free, daily educational newsletter. Recent emails include a list of anti-racist resources for the office and classroom, actions to support the Immigrant Defense Project, and Black-owned bookshop recommendations.
The best way to give? Donate, become a subscriber, and share with friends.

Lotus Campaign is a remarkable organization using innovative, out-of-the-box methods to solve homelessness in the United States, namely by engaging with the for-profit real estate sector and social service support organizations to provide stable, permanent housing. (Jeralyn is on the advisory board.) They've had incredible success so far, but it's an uphill battle: Recent studies show that the pandemic will lead to more people experiencing homelessness — possibly an additional 250,000 people by the end of the year. LC is looking to expand their landlord participation program, invest in new housing, and raise awareness.
The best way to give? Donate money, make connections, and spread the word.

Travel Is Better in Color is a new platform drawing attention to dynamic travel writers and photographers of color and the distinct lenses through which they see the world. The twice-monthly newsletter rounds up the best travel writing, projects, and internet finds from these many diverse voices across the globe.
The best way to give? Follow them on Instagram, nominate a creative, and join the mailing list.

Hunger Relief

Covid has been a disaster in so many ways for so many people, and it’s only exacerbated what was already a terrible problem in this country: hunger. Because of the coronavirus, some 28 percent of American families with children are suffering from food insecurity this year — a nearly triple increase from the 10.5 percent rate in 2019. Black and Latinx families are hit especially hard.

Feeding America, the biggest hunger-relief charity in the United States, reaches one in seven Americans in need. (We'll do the math: That's 40 million citizens.) If they hit a goal of 6,500 #GivingTuesday donations, another donor has offered an additional $200,000 — that translates to an additional two million meals.

Food Bank for New York City has provided more than 1,202,000,000 free meals to New Yorkers in the last 35 years. Every $1 donated helps provide 20 meals; $150 helps provide 3,000 meals. #GivingTuesday gifts will be quadruple matched today.

The Hunger Project focuses on hunger relief for the 690 million people around the world who are undernourished, 60 percent of whom are women and girls. Empowerment and self-reliance are critical components of their mission. Giving Tuesday gifts will be doubled today.

Donating to the food charities is an excellent way to help out, but don't forget what you can do on a personal level. If you bought extra food earlier in the pandemic, consider donating it to a local charity or church. Or you can take the initiative and organize a food drive among your community or pod and take responsibility for donating extra items that local charities need.

Climate Action

We won't be able to go anywhere if we don't take care of the planet. Make environmental stewardship part of your regular giving regimen.

The Environmental Defense Fund is working to stabilize the climate, transform the global energy system, and create more sustainable methods of growing food. Start a new monthly gift before midnight to unlock a bonus match from the Wilson Charitable Trust, and your first 12 gifts will earn a total match of $3-for-$1.

The Center for Responsible Travel (CREST) conducts research and field projects to apply tourism to sustainable development. You can help increase the positive impact of responsible tourism by donating to their JustGiving campaign or helping them fundraise.