A Day of Giving
For charities, non-profits and community organizations, the biggest day of the holiday season is here. GivingTuesday is a global celebration of giving and volunteering, a community-based alternative to the end-of-year shopping frenzy. A number of local and regional organizations are ramping up for the event, which started back in 2012.
Local Love
We compiled a list of several organizations to consider supporting—though there are many more!
The Squamish Community Foundation aims to fund local community projects while building permanent endowments. This dual focus allows them to support short- and long-term developments simultaneously. The Community Foundation awards funding to several local organizations each year; this October, eleven were chosen, including the Squamish Volunteer Society, Safe ‘n Sound, École Les Aiglons and the Squamish Youth Soccer Association.
We asked Ashley Oakes, Foundation Manager of the Squamish Community Foundation, just what kind of support they need most: “As a community foundation we are looking for legacy gifts that will provide for the community in perpetuity.
However, we also know that a large gift isn’t an option for everyone, so we have established a fund called the ‘Smart and Caring Community Fund’ to which we direct individual donations. This fund allows everyone’s individual gifts to be pooled together and make an even greater impact on the community.”
One of the most prominent regional supporters is the charity and non-profit conglomeration Sea to Sky Gives. The organization has partnered with groups from around the Sea-to-Sky Corridor, including the Whistler Food Bank, the Squamish Hospice Society, Howe Sound Women’s Centre Society, and the Zero Ceiling Society of Canada.
Beyond GivingTuesday
Still, other groups are reaching out publicly for volunteers through the holiday season and beyond. Squamish Communities that Care, the Hotspot Community Resource Centre, the Squamish Food Bank and Squamish Helping Hands Society are just a few of many local volunteer opportunities.
Oakes says that GivingTuesday has an impact beyond just donations received on the day: “The movement provides charities with the chance to reach beyond their current donors and communicate with the broader community. It gives non-profits an opportunity to ‘wave their flag’ to new donors which is particularly significant in Squamish with the community growing so rapidly.
By introducing new donors to the non-profit community locally we can build on those new relationships to promote continued philanthropy. Not only fundraising but also volunteerism and community engagement.”
As Squamish continues to grow, GivingTuesday provides an easy way to positively shape the future of our community.
Stay Informed
To find other organizations and learn more about the national movement, visit http://givingtuesday.ca/.