by Dalton Black, executive director
Each Thanksgiving, we spend the day with our friends and family, eating delicious food and giving thanks for the blessings we’ve received over the past year. Then, we jump into Black Friday shopping deals, followed by Small Business Saturday shopping and, finally, Cyber Monday online sales. The following day, Tuesday, is considered Giving Tuesday.
Giving Tuesday is a global movement unleashing the power of generosity. Created in 2012, the day has continued to grow and gain momentum across the globe. The idea was simple: a day that encourages people to do good. It is a great way to show thanks and kick off the holiday giving season on a high note.
It’s more important than ever to show up for our communities, and Giving Tuesday is the perfect opportunity to do so. Whether it’s making someone smile, helping a neighbor, or showing up for an issue or people we care about, we each have something to contribute.
This year, Harvey County United Way will be accepting donations for Giving Tuesday to help support a new program we are looking to launch next year. The newly established Helping Hands Fund aims to keep families safely in their homes with rent and utility services to those most in need. During the COVID-19 pandemic, we saw a huge increase in calls requesting this type of assistance. Unfortunately, that need has only continued to grow over the past two years.
“My husband and I purchased a new home in early 2021 as we prepared for our family to grow. We hadn’t even made our first mortgage payment yet before my husband was laid off. We really weren’t sure what we were going to do,” said Alice, Harvey County resident. “Luckily we had some savings to cover our mortgage payment, but we needed assistance to pay our energy bill that first couple months. My husband was only out of work for six weeks until he found another job, but we are so grateful for the short-term help so that we didn’t lose electricity, or worse, our house!”
We believe that when we are able to keep families in their homes with working utilities, we are investing in the health and well-being of our entire community. By assisting in preventing homelessness, we can ease the struggles of shelters and other services working to help reestablish individuals in our community. These types of struggles can happen to anyone at any time so it’s important to stand behind those who are struggling and support them how we can.
On Tuesday, November 29, 2022, we hope that you will add Harvey County United Way to your list of charitable donations for Giving Tuesday. Every donation received that day will be added to the Helping Hands Fund. Your contribution is a sign of support for those in need.
Whether you support Harvey County United Way or some other deserving organization, we just hope you participate in Giving Tuesday. Identify your gifts, pick a cause that gets you fired up, and give back. Each seemingly small act can transform society and build the world we all want to live in.
