More than 1,000 partners join movement to inspire Canadians to give back
TORONTO, Dec. 3, 2013 /CNW/ - Today, Canadians are coming together to celebrate the opening day of the giving season with the launch of Canada's first annual GivingTuesday. On the heels of two consumer-focused days, Black Friday and Cyber Monday, GivingTuesday is a day when individuals and organizations give back to the charities and causes that are important to them.
GivingTuesday, initiated in Canada by CanadaHelps and GIV3, has successfully generated a movement that encourages Canadians to come together, and join in acts of giving. Over the last few months, more than 1,000 Canadian charities, business, media and individuals have enthusiastically pledged their support for the movement by joining on as GivingTuesday partners.
GivingTuesday partners are large and small, national and local from coast to coast, and represent a variety of sectors. What the partners have in common is a commitment to encourage Canadians to give back. Some of the more than 1,000 GivingTuesday partners include Twitter Canada, Tim Horton's Children's Foundation, MS Society of Canada, The University of Guelph, Canadian Women's Foundation and United Way.
"It is incredible to see Canadians from all sectors come together to discuss and celebrate the importance of giving back," said Marina Glogovac, president and CEO, CanadaHelps. "We encourage all Canadians to join us today in underscoring the significance of giving by finding ways to contribute to their communities and causes that are meaningful to them."
In its inaugural year in 2012, the US saw a 53 per cent increase in online giving on GivingTuesday. Now that GivingTuesday has come to Canada in 2013, the goal is to increase giving by even more and spread the movement across the country.
Throughout the day today and through the holiday season, Canadians are invited to participate in a number of programs and events organized by GivingTuesday partners. Some of these include:
- Interac Canada will be adding up to $25 to each donation (up to $5,000) made to Canadian charities through www.GivingTuesday.ca and www.CanadaHelps.org on December 3rd.
- Women's College Hospital has a bold goal of raising $50,000 on GivingTuesday to buy an MRI biopsy unit for breast exams
- YMCA-YWCA of Greater Victoria will use GivingTuesday as the kick-off of their Christmas campaign to raise money for the Y's Strong Kids Campaign
- Alzheimer Society of Nova Scotia will receive a matching donation from Deloitte for all individual donations on Tuesday, December 3, 2013
- The Montreal Children's Hospital Foundation has been running a five day volunteer appreciation campaign, leading up to Giving Tuesday, posting a photo and a volunteer profile on social media every day.
- Calgary Public Library Foundation is having a text to donate campaign to add children's books to the Library's collection. A text to GTBOOKS will donate $10 and be matched by an anonymous donor
For a list of what all GivingTuesday partners are up to today, please visit: http://bit.ly/GTCactivities
"We feel truly inspired by the overwhelming amount of support that Canadians have shown for GivingTuesday," said John Hallward, Chairman, GIV3. "We hope that the momentum generated by GivingTuesday will inspire Canadians to give back not just on December 3, but throughout the year."
To learn how Canadians can get involved and give back, visit GivingTuesday.ca and follow #GivingTuesdayCa
A full list of GivingTuesday partners can be found at: http://givingtuesday.ca/about/partners/#PARTNERS
About GivingTuesday
GivingTuesday was created by 92nd Street Y, which led the effort in partnership with the UN Foundation. GivingTuesday is launching for the first time in Canada in 2013. It was first initiated by GIV3 and CanadaHelps.org and lists 15 founding partners:
- GIV3
- CanadaHelps.org
- Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP)
- Apathy is Boring
- Community Foundations of Canada (CFC)
- l'Association des Professionnels en Gestion Philanthropique (APGP)
- Mobile Giving Foundation Canada (MGFC)
- Ipsos Canada
- Heart and Stroke Foundation
- Ontario Trillium Foundation
- Tim Hortons Children's Foundation
- Canadian Red Cross
- Habitat for Humanity Canada
- Ebates.ca
- The Walrus Magazine
GivingTuesday is a day for the charitable sector, businesses, and individuals, and encourages all Canadians to join the movement and give and volunteer for charities of their choice.
About CanadaHelps.org
CanadaHelps.org allows donors to give safely and securely to any registered Canadian charity. As a registered charity itself, CanadaHelps has facilitated over $350 million in donations to Canadian charities online since it launched in 2000. The mission of CanadaHelps is to engage Canadians in the charitable sector and provide accessible and affordable online technology to both donors and charities to promote - and ultimately increase - charitable giving in Canada.
About GIV3 www.giv3.ca
GIV3 is a movement of The GIV3 Foundation, a registered Canadian charity (CRA # 896499464RR0001). GIV3 has a unique mission: to encourage more Canadians to be more giving (greater Giving, Inspiration, Volunteering). GIV3 does not represent any specific charity but encourages Canadians to give to any registered charities of their choice.
SOURCE: CanadaHelps.org
For media inquiries, please contact:
Kelsey Strickland
Hill+Knowlton Strategies
416-413-4788
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