By Angela DeBoskey
Now that the quiet gratitude of Thanksgiving has passed, the excitement of the Christmas season has arrived in full force.
Amid the flurry of gift buying, school programs and festive gatherings, many will still find time to volunteer as a bell ringer outside a local store or drop off some items at a food pantry. These gestures, however simple they may seem, add up to a big impact for families in need and for the nonprofit agencies leading the efforts.
Giving Tuesday offers yet another philanthropic opportunity to help a cause close to your heart. It lands just after Black Friday and Cyber Monday on the calendar and encourages us all to “unleash the power of radical generosity.”
As CEO of the United Way of Hancock County, I know the impact a day set aside for generosity can have on a local nonprofit. Many agencies rely on end-of-year charitable giving to strengthen their budgets for the entire year and to make their important work possible well beyond the holiday season.
In fact, here at the United Way — and inside the offices of the many local nonprofits that we support — a more accurately titled observance might be “Giving Monday through Friday.” That’s because every day, our efforts represent an ongoing dedication to delivering critical services to those who need them most.
A donation to United Way will help ensure that a parent has the financial resources to send their child to preschool on a Monday, or that a cancer patient has gas money to get to their appointment on a Tuesday. It could stabilize housing for a family in crisis on a Wednesday, or connect an at-risk child to much-needed mentoring on a Thursday. On a Friday, your donation might allow for a backpack meal that will ensure a student won’t go hungry over the weekend.
We are working year-round to identify the most vulnerable individuals in our community and to seek out lasting solutions to help. We are raising money, unifying volunteers, and lending a voice to those in need of advocacy.
As you consider your charitable donations for Giving Tuesday and year-end gifting, consider the year-round, Monday-through-Friday impact a donation to United Way can make. All of the money raised here goes right back into the community, supporting programs that help 1 in 4 residents of Hancock County.
DeBoskey is CEO of the United Way of Hancock County.
(This column appeared in the Findlay Courier on Nov. 28, 2022)