Giving Tuesday is a global day of giving. Each year, nonprofits, small businesses, brands, schools, religious organizations and individuals all over the world celebrate Giving Tuesday.
While Giving Tuesday is the perfect time to consider donating to your favorite non-profit, giving back can also mean smiling at someone, giving compliments, offering a helping hand, being kind — the list goes on. The thought is that giving back creates a kinder world and better communities.
From the Giving Tuesday website: "GivingTuesday is a global generosity movement unleashing the power of people and organizations to transform their communities and the world." What started, in 2012, as an idea to encourage people to do good, has morphed into a world celebration of giving, where more than 150 countries participate! That's pretty powerful.
There are so many organizations doing good, how do you choose which to support? I've listed some that you may know and others that might be new to you, all doing great things for people, the planet and animals in need. Check them out below.
SHELTER ANIMALS
Friends to the Forlorn (FTTF) Pitbull Rescue is a volunteer-based rescue and community outreach organization. Their mission is to promote responsible pitbull ownership, provide breed education, combat pet overpopulation, fight unfair legislation, find qualified homes for sound pitbull-type dogs and other dogs in need in Georgia, and help people and animals within their community.
Jason Flatt, founder of FTTF, is creating the very first sanctuary for pitbulls. Learn more about his passion and incredible work here. Support FTTF's work here.
Best Friends is the only national organization dedicated to ending the killing of shelter animals by 2025. They do this by joining forces with (over 2700) shelters and rescues across the country and the community (that's you!). They fight against puppy mills, breed discrimination and for community cat programs (trap/neuter/vaccinate/return) and shelter transparency. They advocate for community involvement through spay/neuter, fostering, adoption, volunteering and spreading the word. They believe that, Together, We Can Save Them All. Donate to support their cause here.
FARM ANIMALS
Farm of the Free Animal Sanctuary's mission is to create a space where all beings feel safe to be exactly who they are. Greg and Carmen Pope want to rescue animals from factory farms, abuse, captivity, and just any animal in need, with a strong interest in cows, pigs, and chickens. They're just getting started but are going to do big things to help animals, people and the planet! Learn more about them and support their work here.
Full Circle Farm Sanctuary is a safe haven for rescued farmed animals who otherwise would be lost, suffering, and forgotten. They provide a loving, forever home for precious individual animals desperately in need of refuge. They provide lifetime homes for individual farmed animals who otherwise would face horrific suffering and premature deaths. They also educate the public on the beauty, dignity, and worth of all animals through interactions with their residents by offering tours, volunteer days, events and educations. If you are visiting Georgia or surrounding states, take some time to visit the Sanctuary! It's truly a magical place. Support their work here.
CHILDREN
5. Balanced
Balanced is changing the food system by working with parents, policy makers, health professionals and institutions to increase fiber, nutrients and protein diversity (plants!) and decrease cholesterol, saturated fat, sodium and sugar on menus. What does this mean for children? They will have healthier options at school that will not only lead to long-term disease prevention and healthy eating habits, but also lend to their health now—both physically and mentally. "At Balanced, we believe EVERY child, family, and community deserves healthy food in all the places our loved ones live, work, learn, heal, and play - and our advocacy and institutional outreach programs are changing the food system to make healthier foods more convenient, affordable, and accessible." Support their work here.
EPIC Outreach exists to inspire compassion by sharing information through humane education, networking, and outreach to create a kinder world for people, animals, and the environment. EPIC's mission is to create a kinder world for people, animals, and the planet by inspiring compassion for all things. They do this by sharing information through humane education, networking, providing resources, and community outreach. Compassion and kindness starts here! Support EPIC's programs and outreach.
WILDLIFE
I recently saw a news special on the Today Show talking about koalas becoming extinct during out lifetime. Could you imagine? It's heartbreaking news. Not much different than elephants and orangutans losing their home due to rainforest destruction, koalas are losing their home due to Australian brush destruction. One organization that is treating koalas caught in the current brush fire tragedies is Port Macquarie Koala Hospital. They specialize in treatment, rehabilitation, conservation and education. If koalas touch your heart, support this wonderful organization that is helping to preserve them.
From their website: "Fresh thinking and bold action for animals, people and the place we call home." From marine conservation (fighting commercial whaling) to wildlife crime (fighting elephant poaching) to wildlife rehabilitation (untangling seals), IFAW creates solutions to problems by bringing together the community and taking action. Join their mission by taking action and donating to their cause here.
PLANET
The Rainforest Alliance is an international non-profit organization working to make responsible business the new normal. They build alliances to protect forests, improve the livelihoods of farmers and forest communities, promote their human rights, and help them mitigate and adapt to the climate crisis. You might recognize their little green frog seal. When you choose food products with this seal, know you are helping to protect forests, conserve wildlife, and support communities around the world. By donating to them, you're supporting their fight against habitat loss and climate change and their work with local communities to conserve forests and prosper.
10. Sea Shepherd
Sea Shepherd is an international, non-profit marine conservation organization that engages in direct action campaigns to defend wildlife, and conserve and protect the world’s oceans from illegal exploitation and environmental destruction. Their mission is to protect defenseless marine wildlife and end the destruction of habitat in the world’s oceans (which we all need for survival!). Since 1977, Sea Shepherd has used innovative direct action tactics to defend, conserve and protect the delicately-balanced biodiversity of our seas and enforce international conservation laws. Volunteer or donate here.
