I love Thanksgiving. Spending time with my family always fills with me with joy. And then the immediate consumerism of Black Friday and Cyber Monday kind of sully that good feeling. Not that I don't love a good deal, but wouldn't it be nice to enjoy the gratitude and good will of Thanksgiving a little longer? Now that those two shopping days are behind us, we can get back into the holiday spirit with #GivingTuesday.
#GivingTuesday is a global day dedicated to giving back, and it's today. Today charities, families, businesses, community centers, and students around the world will come together for one common purpose: to celebrate generosity and to give.
How can you participate? Just find a way for your family, your community, your company or your organization to come together to give something more. Below is a list of some of the more than worthy organizations in Reston and Fairfax County. Choose the one(s) you want to support, then tell everyone about how you are giving--this is where that hashtag thing really works. Use #GivingTuesday.
- Cornerstones: Cornerstones promotes self-sufficiency by providing support and advocacy for those in need of food, shelter, affordable housing, quality childcare, and other human services.
- Let's Give Back: Let's Give Back provides GiveBackPacks(TM) that contain items people may need when their child is admitted to the pediatric ICU. Receiving a GiveBackPack is comforting and helpful to the family in need.
- Friends of the Fairfax County Animal Shelter: More than 5,000 animals, including cats, dogs, small mammals, reptiles and livestock, come to the Fairfax County Animal Shelter each year. The shelter opens its doors -- and its heart -- to care for each and every animal. But, the shelter can't do it alone. Through donor and volunteer support, the Friends of the Fairfax County Animal Shelter provides medical care, food, supplies and so much more to help the shelter care for these loving animals.
- Friends of Reston: Friends of Reston supports Reston Association in performing charitable, educational and scientific projects. In addition to raising $1.5M to help fund the Nature House, ????organization has an RA Camps Scholarship Program and has organized the Re-energize Reston challenge with Local Energy Alliance Program (LEAP).
These are just four of my favorites, but there are hundreds of charities in the area that could use your help. The Great Nonprofits website also lists some lesser known charities in the area.
Happy holidays!
