Giving Tuesday: A day to give back

Area nonprofits are hoping local residents will take part in the nationwide recognition of Giving Tuesday.

“Giving Tuesday is kind of a day for us to kick off the giving season,” said Karen Langston, county coordinator for The CALL in Union County. “This is kind of a period reminding people that giving is part of the holidays.”

According to their website, Giving Tuesday is a global day of giving. This year’s fundraising campaign will take place today. The fundraising day follows Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday to kick off the holiday season.

Langston said The CALL will be participating this year, along with several other nonprofits in El Dorado and Union County.

“This year, although our efforts to recruit foster families and support foster families is still a priority, we are, in addition to that, adding more post-adoptive support,” Langston said. “We’re really funding a lot more, but we’re not taking away from any of our programs, so we can only do that with increased funds … so we’re hoping that Giving Tuesday kind of riles some people up, gets people moving.”

Facebook and Paypal will match donations, up to $7 million total, throughout the day, until the money runs out. According to their websites, donations of up to $250,000 per nonprofit and $20,000 per donor will be matched.

To donate to a nonprofit organization, visit their Facebook page to make a donation. Not every nonprofit will be eligible for matching donations.

The CALL, a nonprofit which serves foster children and their families, will be represented today on Giving Tuesday. Langston said she will be sharing videos of those affected by The CALL’s work, tagged as My Giving Story.

“Just trying to put a face to who we are,” Langston said. “Because, unlike other nonprofits, you know, I can’t highlight the pictures of the children I serve.”

Additionally, those who wish to donate to The CALL can text the phrase “giving love” to 41444 to be directed to The CALL’s donation page, where one can choose to donate either to The CALL in Union County or to “the greater need,” Langston said, as the nonprofit is present in 47 counties in Arkansas.

The Union County Animal Protection Society will also participate in this year’s event, their first Giving Tuesday. UCAPS Executive Director Mike Means said he hopes being involved in Giving Tuesday will be a boon to the organization.

“[Online donations have] been doing really well for us,” Means said. “It helps a lot, especially in those tight months.”

For more information about Giving Tuesday, visit givingtuesday.com or donations.fb.com/givingtuesday.