You've heard of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, but how about Giving Tuesday? It’s a movement to get people to donate to charities. Now in its third year, #GivingTuesday lit up Twitter and Facebook timelines. The movement reached two billion people online in 2013.
“Charitable giving is increasing by leaps and bounds because it's so much easier to give by doing it online. On Giving Tuesday we've seen a 90 percent increase in online giving on this day year after year since it started,” said CNBC Personal Finance Correspondent Sharon Epperson.
Local non-profits in Silicon Valley like Asian Americans for Community Involvement, or AACI, spent today reaching out to followers. Director of Development Anne Im says they're trying to get creative while fundraising.
"And there's a lot of need during the holidays, so I like the fact that Giving Tuesday falls right after Thanksgiving,” Im said.
Donations made to AACI during the Giving Tuesday push will help renovate and support their woman's shelter for victims of domestic violence.
"A lot of families come with the clothes on their back and nothing else, so we provide them with everything,” Im said.
Another non-profit, Silicon Valley Faces, is raising money for their Camp Everytown program. It’s a camp that brings high school students together and focuses on social and emotional skill building.
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"That helps them get along with people who they think are different than them, help them realize they have a lot in common with everybody else,” said Executive Director Pat Mitchell.
An anonymous donor will match donations to them this year up to $250,000.
While donations may be rising, numbers from the Chronicle of Philanthropy show California ranks 40th of the 50 states in giving.
Many non-profits hope the 24-hour period might have a lasting effect on people.
“Regardless of what comes in today, it's just another way to send the word out about our efforts as an organization to fund raise,” Im said.
