SACRAMENTO COUNTY, Calif. – Tis the season to be generous. People around the world donate their time, money and support to community organizations, businesses and other groups. It’s all part of a campaign called “Giving Tuesday.”

Giving Tuesday was launched in 2012. The goal is to promote generosity on a global scale and encourage people to create positive change in their communities.

Over the years, Giving Tuesday has grown into a global movement for people to celebrate generosity. Anyone, anywhere can take part in the campaign. People typically give what they can to community organizations, businesses, and other groups of their choosing. When people can’t donate money, they donate their time.

The American Red Cross is one of many nonprofits participating in Giving Tuesday this year. The Red Cross relies on generous donors, volunteers and staff to help prevent and alleviate suffering locally and around the world.

“We are the organization whose volunteers respond to a natural disaster like wildfire,” said Steve Walsh, spokesman for the American Red Cross. “We put people in shelters and we have volunteers who go out in the middle of the night when there is a house fire to make sure you are taken care of and that we are helping you with your next steps.”

The Red Cross California Gold Country Region serves more than 3 million people in 26 counties, including Placer, Sutter, El Dorado, Yolo and Sacramento counties. In addition to providing shelter, meals and comfort to those affected by disasters, the Red Cross also supplies approximately 40% of the country’s blood donations.

“Public support is critical for us to continue this work because without it, we cannot provide the same level of service that we always have, which is to be there immediately when someone needs help,” Walsh said.

The Red Cross also teaches skills that save lives, such as fire prevention and swimming safety; distributes international humanitarian aid; and supports veterans, military personnel and their families.

People can support the Red Cross by donating during Giving Tuesday. The Coca-Cola Company will match all gifts dollar for dollar, up to $250,000. Financial donations enable the Red Cross to prepare for, respond to, and help people recover from disasters large and small. There are also opportunities for people to volunteer, donate blood, fundraise, and more.

Single Mom Strong is also participating in Giving Tuesday. It is a nonprofit organization based in Sacramento County. Tara Taylor founded Single Mom Strong with a mission to empower single mothers and their children through enrichment, encouragement and educational programs.

Single Mom Strong offers a list of services and programs including empowerment workshops, pre-employment coaching, a free professional clothing closet to help single mothers dress for success, men’s mentoring programs, tutoring, child care and more .

“Single mothers are determined,” Taylor said. “They are persistent, work hard and, like all parents, want the best outcome for their families. Single mothers already do everything they can all year round. So if you know a single mom, it’s important to just support them, like taking their child to practice or just finding out what might be helpful for their families, especially during the holidays.”

Single Mom Strong offers a program called Holiday Adopt-A-Family. Families who participate in the program typically receive a holiday meal, a special gift for mothers and several gifts for their children. Each holiday season, the Adopt-A-Family program matches donors with families of their choice. The program helped 66 families, about 300 people, last year.

“Holiday Adopt-A-Family is one of our largest initiatives,” Taylor said. “It inspires hope, love and joy for single-parent families. All means that are rare.”IDonations posted on our website from Thanksgiving through Giving Tuesday will be used for the Holiday Adopt-A-Family program. This year we are supporting 70 families headed by single parents.”

Single Mom Strong is about identifying challenges and removing barriers to single mom success. There are many ways to support Single Mom Strong and its overall mission, such as making a donation or participating in volunteer and sponsorship opportunities.

Black Womxn United (BWU), a nonprofit organization in Sacramento, is also seeking support for Giving Tuesday. The BWU was founded in 2017. The organization focuses on educating, empowering and promoting Black women and girls.

“Black Womxn United has been at the forefront of the fight for Black women, amplifying our voices and advocating for the changes necessary to strengthen our communities,” said Black Womxn United Board Member Shawntay Gorman. “BWU also gives black women the space and support they need to recharge. Our mission for 2024 and beyond is leadership and calm. We are not only leading the fight against the oppression of black women, but also the fight for black women to pause, reflect and embrace rest as an integral part of the revolution.”

BWU offers a variety of programs, services and events throughout the year to most support Black women, families and communities. These include community festivals, youth and career development workshops, a Black Girls Matter summer film series, arts and crafts programs, a community girls choir, mental health services, domestic violence and healing retreats, sound baths, and educational experiences focused on science and technology, engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEM) and more. Last year, BWU served at least 600 people in the greater Sacramento area.

“It is important that people support Black Womxn United so that we can continue to provide programs and services like this to the community,” Gorman said. “We want to continue to support Black women and girls not only in 2024 but beyond. It’s also important to support Black-led organizations, especially those led by Black women, because it gives us the opportunity to amplify our voices.”

Each year, millions of people participate in Giving Tuesday by volunteering at homeless shelters, organizing food drives or donating to fundraisers that help those in need. If you are interested in supporting specific organizations in the Greater Sacramento area, your best bet is to visit their website directly and learn how you can give back. Every organization is different, with different needs and opportunities.

There is no list of nonprofits participating in Giving Tuesday, as people are simply encouraged to donate to whatever cause they care about most. To learn more about Giving Tuesday, visit the official website.