Most years, Giving Tuesday is observed in November – on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving – as a time celebrate generosity and to give.
This is not most years.
The Golden Belt Community Foundation is letting people know about #GivingTuesdayNow, a new global day of giving created in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The foundation is accepting donations this week for 27 local nonprofit organizations that could use some help with COVID relief.
“Giving Tuesday Now is a smaller version of Giving Tuesday,” said Mackenzie Mitchell, community development coordinator at the foundation. It starts Tuesday, May 5, but it will continue for a full week, through May 12.
That gives people more time to come together and to drive a spike of generosity, citizen engagement and philanthropy, Mitchell said. In fact, the Golden Belt Community Foundation has already received some donations via its website goldenbeltcf.org.
With mass gatherings limited and many Kansans under a stay-at-home order for the past month, GBCF wasn’t able to plan face-to-face events as it does in November. But those who donated to Giving Tuesday in 2019 were mailed a giving form and a red paper heart with the slogan, “Together We Give.” People are encouraged to post the hearts in windows. They can also watch the GBCF Facebook page for an online contest.
As with the global Giving Tuesday Now campaign, people are encouraged to engage in acts of giving even if they can’t give financially. Suggestions include donating time or mailing a card to an elderly person, Mitchell said.
However, monetary donations will help nonprofit organizations that are responding to needs created by the pandemic, from unemployment to food shortages and more. And, all monetary donations made for Giving Tuesday Now will be matched proportionally with a $10,000 match pool, which was generously provided by the Glenn and Elaine Mull Family Fund.
Donations can be made online or mailed to GBCF, P.O. Box 1911, Great Bend, KS 67530.
Donations are being accepted for:
Barton County Emergency Aid
Catholic Charities of SW Kansas
Center for Counseling and Consultation
Central Kansas Dream Center
Clara Barton Hospital Foundation
Christian Church Food Bank of Macksville
Community Food Bank of Barton County
Community Food Pantry (Rozel & Burdett)
ElderCare Inc.
Ellinwood Food Bank
Ellinwood Hospital Foundation
Family Crisis Center Inc.
GBCF Disaster Relief Fund
Hoisington Food Bank
Meals on Wheels of Barton County
Pawnee County Ministerial Alliance/Helping Hands Ministries
Pawnee Valley Community Hospital Foundation
RSVP Volunteers in Action of Central Kansas
Rush County Memorial Hospital Foundation
Rush County Food Bank
Rush County Ministerial Alliance
Second Mile Food Bank (St. John )
Stafford County Health Care Foundation
Stafford Ministerial Alliance Food Bank
The Salvation Army
United Way of Central Kansas
Welcome Inn Leisure Center (Larned)
