Who created Giving Tuesday?

The annual day of giving began in 2012 following two major consumption days in the U.S., Black Friday and Cyber Monday, as a way to honor the value of generosity, Curran told USA TODAY.

“In the very beginning, we acknowledged there are two days that are tremendously powerful for the retail sector and for-profit businesses,” said Curran, who added that countries where Black Friday and Cyber Monday aren’t recognized also participate in Giving Tuesday.

“This was just an interesting counternarrative to challenge ourselves to think about the importance of giving back to nonprofit organizations, causes we care about and to each other.”

It has since grown to a year-round movement officially celebrated across more than 85 countries, including Brazil, Ukraine and Zambia. Giving Tuesday activity takes place in every country and territory around the world annually, according to the organization.

The billions of dollars donated to Giving Tuesday over a decade have come not from wealthy philanthropists, Curran said, but from everyday Americans inspired to support meaningful causes.