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Sometimes the best places to give back are in your own community.
That’s at the heart of the mission of GivingTuesday, which is today. The event is seven years young and encourages people across the United States to give back to their communities, at least for one day. That can be in the form of monetary or item donations, volunteering, and more.
In 2018, about 3.6 million monetary donations were made online of around $400 million, according to GivingTuesday’s website. That’s roughly $111 per donation.
In the Valley, multiple organizations are seeking residents’ help on GivingTuesday. Givingtuesday.org lists a variety of ways for people to help out across the nation.
Out in Surprise, Spencer’s Place is still yearning for an opening date (Daily News-Sun, Feb. 9 2019, page 1), having had to push it back due to financial woes and building setbacks. However, Spencer Nickell and his mother Karin York remain confident their endeavor will come to fruition.
On Facebook, Ms. York pleaded for the community to help Spencer’s Place with funds for chairs, a refrigerator, an ice machine and beginning stock. Ms. York’s faith is also keeping her and her son in high hopes.
“It is 10 months today that we signed on this building,” Ms. York stated Sunday. “10 months of waiting, 10 months of hoping, 10 months of planning and dreaming. We have doubled the projected timeframe in which we were to open. We have nearly given up yet somehow remained hopeful. In this 10 months, we have met amazing people, acquired new friends, and felt the support of strangers! We have grown in our faith and tested our tenacity!
“As Pastor Marty Kaiser stated today, our experience and expectations have not always been in alignment as waiting is the hardest part of this journey!
Hebrews 11:1 has become our mantra!”
Out in east Phoenix, The Little Woody is hosting nonprofit Bridging AZ and their Veterans Furniture Project for a fundraiser and a demonstration of how veterans are turning wood into art.
On GivingTuesday, veterans will be at The Little Woody, 4228 E. Indian School Road from 4-6 p.m. The Little Woody will also be hosting a Sock Drive for the Homeless for the month of December, with 1,000 pair of new socks the goal. The socks will be distributed by Bridging AZ, a local nonprofit that provides beds and furniture to veterans and families in need.
“Turning wood into art is literal what we do” stated Jim Piscopo, executive director of Bridging AZ. Veterans use lathes to make custom wood pens every Tuesday at Victory Place in Phoenix.
Until Dec. 24, The Little Woody is collecting new socks for the homeless. Bring in a six-pack or larger of new athletic socks and receive a free drink.
People can also check out The Little Woody’s game room while they are there.
Bridging AZ is certified to accept donations that qualify for the Arizona Charitable Tax Credit. Visit www.BridgingAZ.org for more information.
GivingTuesday is a global movement unleashing the power of people and organizations to transform their communities and the world on Dec. 3, 2019 and every day, according to its website.
It receives support from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, The Case Foundation, Fidelity Charitable, Ford, Microsoft, Nielsen, PayPal and more.
It was created in 2012 as a simple idea: a day that encourages people to do good. Over the past seven years, GivingTuesday has grown into a global movement that inspires hundreds of millions of people to give, collaborate, and celebrate generosity.
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