Grassroot Soccer has joined #GivingTuesday, a first of its kind effort that will harness the collective power of a unique blend of partnersācharities, families, businesses and individualsāto transform how people think about, talk about and participate in the giving season. Coinciding with the Thanksgiving Holiday and the kickoff of the holiday shopping season, #GivingTuesday will inspire people to take collaborative action to improve communities, give back in better, smarter ways to the charities and causes they support and help create a better world. Taking place November 27, 2012 ā the Tuesday after Thanksgiving in the U.S. – #GivingTuesday will harness the power of social media to create a national moment around the holidays dedicated to giving, similar to how Black Friday and Cyber Monday have become days that are, today, synonymous with holidayĀ shopping.
For our #GivingTuesday campaign, Grassroot Soccer will be hosting a one-day online donation blitz, with all participants being entered into a raffle for a signed FC Dallas jersey. FC Dallas is a top MLS team. Donations of any amount will be accepted here on Nov. 27th.Ā
Seeing an opportunity to channel the generous spirit of the holiday season to inspire action around charitable giving, a group of friends and partners, led by the 92nd Street Y, came together to find ways to promote and celebrate the great American tradition of giving. Thought leaders in philanthropy, social media and grassroots organizing joined with 92nd Street Y to explore what is working in modern philanthropy and how to expand these innovations throughout the philanthropic sector. The concept gained steam, and by bringing together a group of founding partnersāincluding the United Nations Foundation, DonorsChoose.org,
Mashable, Blackbaud, charity: water, GlobalGiving, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), Kiva, Darden Restaurant Group, Groupon, Unilever and VentureThree Capitalāa nationwide movement was created.
Currently, more than 1000 corporate and nonprofit organizations have committed to participate in the initiative. #GivingTuesday is endorsed by Committee Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy, Dorothy A. Johnson Center on Philanthropy, Giving Institute, Giving USA Foundation and InterAction. Charity Navigator and GuideStar are serving as Charity Advisors. VolunteerMatch is a volunteer advisor to #GivingTuesday.
ā#GivingTuesday is a counter narrative to Black Friday and Cyber Monday because it reminds us that the spirit of the holiday giving season should be about community and not just consumerism,ā said Kathy Calvin, CEO of the UN Foundation. āThe most meaningful gift we can give our children, loved ones, friends and neighbors is the commitment to work together to help build a better world.ā
Those who are interested in joining Grassroot Soccer’s #GivingTuesday initiative can visit http://bit.ly/GRSGivingTuesday. For more details about the #GivingTuesday movement, visit the #GivingTuesday websiteĀ or follow the #GivingTuesday hashtag on Twitter.