The Power of Generosity: The Story of GivingTuesday

GivingTuesday is a global movement that celebrates generosity and giving back. Occurring each year on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving in the United States, GivingTuesday was designed to follow the spending frenzy of Black Friday and Cyber Monday—inviting people to turn their focus from consumption to contribution. The day was launched in 2012 by the 92nd Street Y in New York City and the United Nations Foundation as a simple idea: to encourage people everywhere to give, volunteer, and spread kindness.

What began as a single day of giving has since grown into a worldwide movement. Millions of people across the globe now participate in GivingTuesday each year, turning it into an independent organization and a network of local movements in over 90 countries. GivingTuesday realizes that each region in the world has unique needs, so they have set up hubs in several locations to be more easily accessible. Their hubs are in the United States, Canada, India, Africa, Latin America, Caribbean, and Europe.

By investing in leadership, storytelling, and shared resources, GivingTuesday transforms generosity into a global force for good. It fosters a culture of giving that goes far beyond one day a year—encouraging people to make generosity a consistent part of everyday life.

At the heart of GivingTuesday is interconnection—the belief that collaboration and shared purpose multiply impact. The movement thrives on creativity, curiosity, and collective problem-solving across its global network. By reimagining traditional structures of hierarchy and power, GivingTuesday uplifts leaders from all backgrounds and empowers individuals to recognize that everyone has something to give and something to gain. With an abundance mindset, it reminds us that generosity is limitless and deeply human, a force that connects, serves, and uplifts communities everywhere.

Participation in GivingTuesday is open to everyone: individuals, families, nonprofits, and corporations alike. There is no cost to join and giving doesn’t have to mean money. Acts of generosity can take many forms: making someone smile, volunteering your time, advocating for a cause, or helping a neighbor in need. Every action, no matter how small, contributes to a kinder and more connected world.

Supporting GivingTuesday matters because it fuels nonprofits with critical year-end funding, raises awareness for important causes, and gives individuals a meaningful entry point to support the issues they care about. More than anything, it reminds us that when we come together to give, we have the power to create lasting change—one act of generosity at a time.

For more information or to start participating, visit https://www.givingtuesday.org/.