Free Ways to Give on #GivingTuesdayNow

We’ve all heard of #GivingTuesday, the global day of donating to nonprofit organizations. This day of philanthropy falls the Tuesday after Thanksgiving. But, have you heard about #GivingTuesdayNow?

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the organizers behind #GivingTuesday have created #GivingTuesdayNow, happening on May 5th. With many nonprofits struggling due to fewer donations, reductions in staffing, and having to turn volunteers away due to limitations in the number of people who can gather in a group, these organizations need your support now more than ever.

We realize right now is a difficult time for millions of Americans. 30 million people in the United States have filed for unemployment since mid-March. For these people and many more, donating money just doesn’t make sense. The good news is that you can still back on #GivingTuesdayNow without actually giving money.

Here are nine free ways to donate on #GivingTuesdayNow:

1. Help Grow Their Fan Base

Many organizations are using #GivingTuesdayNow to ask people to share their mission on social media. Head over to your favorite charity’s Facebook page, click on the three dots button under their cover image, then click the invite friends option to invite your friends to like their page. Or, consider using the share option to share their page on your timeline so people can like their page directly from your post. Just be sure to also give some background on the work they do, why you love them, and why people should follow them in order to help motivate your friends to give them a like.

2. Use AmazonSmile

Chances are you are shopping on Amazon far more than usual, so make sure to use AmazonSmile instead of Amazon. You can select a charity of your choice and have them receive .5% of your purchases! This even works for Amazon Fresh purchases, so if you are avoiding the grocery store and having Amazon Fresh to deliver your groceries, this is an easy way to give to charity by doing your regular shopping.

3. Download Apps

Let’s be real: walks are totally clutch right now (just make sure you are practicing social distancing). Why not turn your walks into a way to give back? Download The Walk for a Dog app or the ResQwalk, select an animal-related charity you want to support, then let the app to log your miles each time you go out to get some fresh air. Donations will be made to your chosen organization, and it won’t cost you a penny.

4. Donate Your Expertise

Are you stellar at social media? An expert at writing? A guru at getting grants? Offer your expertise to your favorite local charity to help them take their efforts to the next level. Just be sure your skills can be done from the comfort of your home so that you are abiding by any stay at home or social distancing requirements in your city or state. If this is something you are interested in, check back with us tomorrow to learn about our new initiative and find out how you can be part of it!

5. Donate Items

If you are someone who has taken the extra time at home to do some spring cleaning, chances are you have a pile of stuff you are ready to get rid of. Take a look at the items you want to get rid of, figure out which ones could help certain organizations, then call those organizations and see if they are accepting item donations. If they are, clean and disinfect the items as best you can, put on a mask and some gloves, and drop off the items at the appropriate charity.

6. Donate Blood

If the sight of needles doesn’t make you too squeamish, call your local blood bank and set up an appointment to donate blood. Make sure you are feeling healthy before you head to your appointment. Also, please wear a mask!

7. Donate Your Credit Card Rewards

Do you have a rewards credit card? Check to see if you can donate your rewards to a charity of your choice. If so, consider making a donation instead of cashing in your rewards for miles especially if you aren’t planning on traveling anytime soon.

8. Foster

If you have the emotional stamina, foster an animal in need. Rescues and shelters will generally pay for all fostering expenses, so your bank account will stay intact! With kitten and puppy season upon us, animal shelters are going to be even more overwhelmed this year than previous years due to spay/neuter being suspended in some states as a result of PPE being diverted to hospitals. The need for fosters is going to be huge so if you are an animal lover, give your local shelter or rescue a call and see if they need foster homes. If you aren’t sure what organization to contact, send us a message and we will help you find an awesome organization in your area.

9. Adopt

One of the best ways to give back right now is to adopt a pet in need. Not only does adopting save two lives (the life of the animal you adopted and the life of the animal who needed space at the rescue or shelter you adopted from), but you are also relieving the burden on the limited, overworked shelter staff. Not to mention, pets can be awesome stress relievers, which is something we could ALL use right now!

Be sure to check back with us on #GivingTuesdayNow when we kick off our new giving back initiative and find out how YOU can be part of it!