Today is #givingtuesday, and charities and individuals have turned to social media to encourage people to donate to the sector on what has become one of the biggest days for charitable giving.
Coordinated in the UK by the Charities Aid Foundation, #givingtuesday is "a global day of action aimed at getting people thinking about others during Christmas". CAF says that in 2015 and 2016 #givingtuesday broke the Guinness World Record for the most amount of money donated to charity online in 24 hours, with more than 4.5 million people doing something for charity on the day.
This year could prove to be even bigger if the trend for online giving continues. According to the Charitable Giving Report from Blackbaud in February, online giving grew by 7.9 per cent in 2016, compared with a 1 per cent growth in overall giving. Online donations, it said, represented 7.2 per cent of all fundraising in 2016, while #givingTuesday donations rose by 20 per cent, with 22 per cent of them donated by mobile phone.
Charities have been quick to spread the message on social media with both serious and humorous messages as #givingtuesday became the number one trending hashtag in the UK:
Yay, the #givingtuesday is the No.1 trending hashtag in the UK. Let's keep this momentum going so more people can get involved and do good stuff ?? pic.twitter.com/JvkYwht25m
— #givingtuesday UK (@givingtuesdayuk) November 28, 2017
This #GivingTuesday, help @unfoundation support a better world.
— United Nations (@UN) November 28, 2017
Join the movement & give, whether it’s some of your time, a donation, gift or the power of your voice: https://t.co/63n0djAUEU pic.twitter.com/UYNqOtqU48
To combat the commercialism of Black Friday, today is #GivingTuesday a time to give money or time to a good cause. Why not join in?
— Martin Lewis (@MartinSLewis) November 28, 2017
To get in the spirit I will donate 25p to @CitizensAdvice for every RT within the next hour.
Dr Alan Whone may be a brilliant researcher, but he’s not always so great at talking about it! Let’s keep our researchers doing what they do best. https://t.co/BMGhvj18Mp #GivingTuesday pic.twitter.com/Mc9tURq7NT
— Parkinson's UK (@ParkinsonsUK) November 28, 2017
This #GivingTuesday, help @unfoundation support a better world.
— United Nations (@UN) November 28, 2017
Join the movement & give, whether it’s some of your time, a donation, gift or the power of your voice: https://t.co/63n0djAUEU pic.twitter.com/UYNqOtqU48
Take the time to care for those who’s troubles are greater than your own #GivingTuesday pic.twitter.com/lepa1Coawb
— Ziggy (@mrjafri) November 28, 2017
It’s #GivingTuesday! All donations today are doubled https://t.co/RRMmjN2AQt pic.twitter.com/yNDxkUqO2Q
— YoungMinds (@YoungMindsUK) November 28, 2017
Meanwhile, the Charity Commission also had a message for donors – make sure the charity is legitimate:
If you're thinking of supporting a charity, search our register and #checkcharity to make sure it's genuine: https://t.co/bEWJ0HeAMF #GivingTuesday #charitytuesday pic.twitter.com/Zr6LIO0J94
— Charity Commission (@ChtyCommission) November 28, 2017
