‘Giving Tuesday’ promotes holiday charity
Local leaders encourage giving, aid Operation Stand Down
JOHNSTON — Lt. Governor Dan McKee and other Rhode Island city and town officials presented checks to the Johnston-based veteran service nonprofit organization Operation Stand Down RI this week and are encouraging others to donate as part of Giving Tuesday.
Giving Tuesday is celebrated the Tuesday after Thanksgiving and following Black Friday and Cyber Monday, some of the biggest shopping days of the year. Its purpose is to celebrate small acts of kindness and generosity in the community.
According to OSDRI Executive Director Erik Wallin, a former captain with the United States Air Force, OSDRI is the state’s leading and largest nonprofit provider of housing, employment and training for veterans. Their goal is to give local veterans “a hand up, not a handout.”
“All of the money we receive on Giving Tuesday, like it does throughout the course of the year, goes directly to helping our veterans by paying for their housing, their food, clothing, getting them back to work and even legal services,” said Wallin.
Each year Operation Stand Down services thousands of veterans throughout the state. Their annual Boots on the Ground event is one of their biggest successes, where 7,000 boots are placed representing fallen service members who have fought in the global war on terror.
“It’s an amazing sight to see down at Roger Williams Park,” said McKee.
Johnston Mayor Joseph Polisena, North Providence Mayor Charles Lombardi, Cumberland Mayor William Murray, and Pawtucket Mayor Donald Grebien all donated funds on behalf of their respective towns and hope it will inspire others to follow suit.
Polisena noted that his father was a Korean War veteran and said “we can’t do enough to pay back the veterans.”
“You’ve given us our freedom and you continue to fight,” he said. “We’re very proud to have Operation Stand Down here in Johnston, and I ask you all to make a donation because these men and women put their lives on the line and now they need us. They’ve been injured, they’ve been hurt. Never forget the veterans because they’ve never forgotten us.”
Lombardi said his own father was a veteran in the Coast Guard and donated as part of his charitable Christmas party celebration next month.
Mayor Murray said he himself is a veteran and that the town of Cumberland is pleased to help OSDRI.
“For 25 years they’ve taken over Diamond Hill Park and do so much,” said Murray. “Listen, we’re standing here free and hopefully healthy and based on what our veterans do for us we should do something for them.”
Grebien said Pawtucket has a great veteran’s organization that is very active and said the city “knows how important it is” to support the veteran community.
“It’s a worthwhile cause,” he said.
“Operation Stand Down is a leader in pushing for our veterans and we’re happy to support them,” said McKee, adding that in about a week or so he will be designating OSDRI as the recipient of at least $1,000 as part of a charity event. He said he hopes people in the community will “keep Operation Stand Down in mind” as they continue through the rest of the holiday season.