October 30 kicks off the most festive time of year. Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, college football rivalry week… For 60 days, we rush from party to tailgate to covered dish. We fellowship with friends, family, and church members. It is the most wonderful time of year or at least the most fattening. Still, it doesn’t leave much time for altruism, does it?
Last year, we spent $10.4 billion on Black Friday. And that doesn’t count online sales, which jumped 14% from the previous year, or Cyber Monday sales, where we spent $3.07 billion. Oh, and now there’s Small Business Saturday sales, which I would give you, but I’m tired of googling. From October through December, we try to give back both to our communities and to our churches. December giving is consistently higher than any other month. Still, with everything we have on our plates – no pun intended – giving back can be pushed to the side. That’s where Giving Tuesday comes in.
Created in 2012 by the 92nd Street Y, Giving Tuesday taps into the power of social media and online giving to facilitate and encourage philanthropy. On the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, contributors and organizations tweet, post, and blog about what they support through online giving. This leads to greater awareness of community needs as well as easier ways for individuals give back.
Giving Tuesday is working. Last year, Giving Tuesday campaigns raised $116.7 million online on Giving Tuesday. Seven hundred thousand people gave. Churches were included in that, too. In 2014, the faith based sector received more from Giving Tuesday than any other sector. Faith-based, education, and human services organizations receive the largest percentage of Giving Tuesday online donations. Is your church missing out?
The average Giving Tuesday donation is $107. What can you do with $107? How much curriculum can you buy, how many hungry families can you feed, how many children can you clothe? 2016 is the year for your church to join the movement. You can find more resources at www.givingtuesday.org. We are ready to assist you, too. We’d like to help you create your own social media plan or Giving Tuesday campaign. For customizable, free materials and personalized coaching, schedule a call with us. This November 29, let’s grow online church giving together.
