Community Corner
Giving Tuesday: A Chance to Give Back During the Holiday Season
Rhode Island area charities including the Brown Annual Fund and Tockwotten Home are among the nonprofits trying to encourage people to pause in their shopping and find a way to help others.
Will donating to charity ever be as popular as shopping during the holiday season?
A partnership of nonprofits hopes so.
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For many people, the holiday shopping marathon began on Thanksgiving Day, with some national chains opening their doors just hours after the traditional turkey dinner. Then comes Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday, which has morphed into Cyber Week.
Now, there's a new campaign asking you to open your wallet _ Giving Tuesday.
Find out what's happening in Smithfieldwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
The Giving Tuesday website says the effort, coming on the heels of days devoted to consumerism, is designed "to create a national day of giving at the start of the annual holiday season. It celebrates and encourages charitable activities that support nonprofit organizations."
Several Rhode Island-based nonprofits are among those using their websites and social media networks to kick off the inaugural effort. They include larger organizations like the Brown University Annual Fund and smaller outfits like Tockwotten Home and the Steamship Historical Society.
The effort includes the Twitter hashtag #GivingTuesday, designed to help spread the word.
SmithfieldPatch asks you: What do you think? Can a social media push get people giving more of their money and time to charities during the holiday season?
Are you planning to make a donation this holiday season? Which local nonprofit do you support?
Tell us your thoughts in the comments below.
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