Did you know that tomorrow is Giving Tuesday? It’s been in all of the papers.
Dec. 2 is the big day – the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, your last chance to make donations to the Giving Tuesday campaign here. As we said before, there are 127 organizations across five counties that are participating in the Golden Belt Community Foundation’s version of the holiday devoted to generosity. If you’re reading this on Dec. 2, you have until midnight to visit goldenbeltcf.org and donate online.
Organizers note there is a ripple effect when you give to local causes. The money donated in the community stays local and creates a multiplier effect.
There are literally dozens of choices under the categories of animals, arts and humanities, community, education and youth, faith, health, libraries, and social services. We can’t list all 127 organizations here, but here are a few messages we’ve received at the Great Bend Tribune in recent days:
• Central Kansas Partnership’s mission is to improve lives and empower individuals and families to thrive through collaboration, support, and opportunity. Contributions to the Central Kansas Partnership Foundation directly support the work of several local task forces, including: Youth Crew, Rise Up, Suicide Prevention Task Force, COPE (Community Outreach Prevention & Education), Breastfeeding Coalition, and Central Kansas Nonprofit Network.
• The Great Bend Rec Commission offers places and programs that keep Great Bend active, connected, and thriving. The GBRC Foundation could use donations for the golf course and pickleball court projects as well as its many recreation programs and spaces.
• Catholic Charities of Southwest Kansas offers a number of services, including pregnancy support, adoption services, counseling services, food assistance, housing assistance, utilities assistance, legal immigration, and disaster response.
• Volunteers in Action of Central Kansas is seeking community help to sustain essential volunteer-driven services that support seniors, veterans and families in need. For 50 years, this group relied on funding from the AmeriCorps Seniors RSVP grant to coordinate hundreds of volunteers who deliver Meals on Wheels, provide medical transportation, assist with free tax preparation, guide Medicare beneficiaries, shop for groceries, and distribute senior food boxes. Earlier this year, that federal grant was not renewed, leaving a significant gap in the funding needed to manage, train, and recruit volunteers.
• Kansas Children’s Service League works statewide to prevent child abuse and neglect, support parents, promote school readiness and educate communities.
Years ago, United Way had a promotion encouraging everyone to give their “fair share.” The suggested share was one hour of one’s wages once a month. Some people set a benchmark – anywhere from 1-10% of their annual income. Some are able to give more; there’s a story in today’s Tribune about a gift of land worth $1.2 million.
Some may not be able to give at all right now.
How and when you give, and who you give to, or not, is your choice. Aesop is credited with saying, “No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.”
