We all know the world goes crazy on Black Friday & Cyber Monday with tons of shopping whether it be for themselves or for friends and family. But after all that madness comes an opportunity to give back on Giving Tuesday. I shared my thoughts on Black Friday and opting out of the madness here, and I think Giving Tuesday is another great way to extend our celebration of giving thanks and expressing gratitude by helping others.

You can choose any organization or cause that is important to you and make a donation or go the extra step and find a way to volunteer. Giving Tuesday doesn’t have to be just about donating money, there are several ways to participate and today I am sharing a few of those ideas in hopes of encouraging others to participate in Giving Tuesday.

1. Monetary Donation: The fastest and easiest way to participate in Giving Tuesday is to make a monetary donation to the organization(s) of your choosing. There are so many wonderful organizations deserving of your support and attention, do some research and find one that speaks to you!
2. Volunteer: Whether you have an organization that you already support or want to become involved with a new one, contact them and see what volunteer opportunities they have.
3. Donate Goods: There are many organizations and shelters in need of clothes, toys, books, etc. Take some time to clean out your closet and donate any gently used items or purchase a few new items needed by the organizations to donate.
4. Provide Food: Many shelters will gladly accept hot meals to help serve to those in need. Call and see if there is any need for dishes for an upcoming meal. And if they don’t need hot meals see if they will accept food donations of non-perishable items.

Like I said there are several ways, both big and small, to participate in Giving Tuesday. Do some research and see what organizations speak to you and see how you can get involved!

Here are a few organizations I love supporting:

• Conservation International
• Faraway Friends
• World Wildlife Fund
• National Parks
• Kind Campaign
• Invisible Children