It is widely accepted that generous people give because 1) it makes them feel good (and not just at tax time), 2) they get the satisfaction of helping people in need, and 3) they don’t need to be rich to participate, as gifts of money or volunteering of time are both helpful to active charities. Generosity benefits both those who receive, and those who give!

As the most prosperous country in the world, American generosity is encouraged through incentives like tax deductions and reminders like the National Day of Giving. This year in the U.S., the National Day of Giving takes place on November 30, the Tuesday following Thanksgiving. After we’ve spent the previous week feasting and shopping, this day reminds us to give to those less fortunate. Whether we look to our favorite causes or charities, it’s a great reminder to lift others up during a generous time of year.

Also on November 30, the world will be invited to come together to celebrate generosity and to give through GivingTuesday, often stylized as #GivingTuesday for the purposes of hashtag activism. Begun in 2012 as a method to utilize social media to reach more people. Giving Tuesday is touted as a “global generosity movement unleashing the power of people and organizations to transform their communities and the world”. The 2020 effort reached 34.8M potential donors worldwide and generated $2.47B in donations.

Given the efforts to encourage generosity, the last two months of the calendar year typically defines the giving season for most NFP’s as up to 40% of annual donations are received during this period due, in part, to the hype of Giving Tuesday. YOF will definitely participate in the National Day of Giving and Giving Tuesday solicitations, however, our End of Year giving recently received an unexpected boost. During the first week of November, we were informed by Jon Henhapl, Client Executive Business Sales and Ted Wendling, Associate Director of Business Sales, that their suggestion to support YOF through a $10,000 grant had been approved by the Verizon Foundation. “Verizon has a rich history of supporting the vulnerable, underserved, and overlooked,” said Tupac A. Hunter, Director of State and Local Government Affairs at Verizon. “The Youth Opportunity Foundation provides troubled youth a second chance at life. We are very proud to partner in this work to empower young men and women to overcome their challenges and realize their fullest potential.”

Thanks to Jon, Ted and Tupac, and the entire Verizon Company, our efforts to assist vulnerable youth has been enriched!

YOF is 100% donor dependent. If you are moved by our mission and would like to support our efforts, please plan to make a donation of money donate here or time volunteer here now, or through one of our planned Giving Season solicitations!

We appreciate your support; everything helps!